Om prakash valmiki famous autobiography joothan

Home / General Biography Information / Om prakash valmiki famous autobiography joothan

The father snatched the broom from his son and threw away and rushed to the headmaster and shouted at him. Yet, he persevered. However, his family was too poor to afford school fees and materials, making it even harder for him to succeed.

Still, Valmiki found moments of joy when he understood difficult lessons or received praise for his work.

He often misses out on promotions, despite being qualified and working hard.

In his job, Valmiki experiences the same exclusion he faced as a child. Valmiki refused to accept a victim role and instead worked to change the narrative for Dalits.

Throughout Joothan, he reflects on how the Dalit community’s strength is a form of resistance.

Teachers would often ignore him and other Dalit students, seating them at the back of the class and denying them access to learning materials.

Despite these challenges, Valmiki was determined to learn. In the book, Valmiki describes how learning to read and write opened his eyes to new possibilities and gave him the tools to question the social order.

“Dalit” refers to those at the lowest level of the caste system, including untouchables.

Dalit literature shares the real-life experiences of Dalits and highlights the discrimination and exclusion they face. By offering readers a compelling look at how one man’s story became a voice for millions, the narrative invites reflection on the enduring power of resilience and resistance in the face of adversity.

What is Joothan?

The word Joothan literally means “scraps” or “leftovers”—the food left on a plate after someone has eaten, considered polluted and unfit for consumption by the original eater or their family.

He sat up all night without food or drink and thought of many ways to get education for his youngest son Valmiki. Education became his weapon against oppression, and through it, he found his voice.​

Valmiki’s journey from a marginalised boy to a celebrated writer is nothing short of inspiring. Common themes in Dalit literature include caste discrimination, poverty, the fight for respect and equality, and the search for social justice.

Dalit writers began to be recognized in the 1950s and 1960s, with notable figures like Daya Pawar, Namdeo Dhasal, and Brahmanand.

Despite facing discrimination at every stage of his adult life, Valmiki’s determination to learn, grow professionally, and seek social justice helps him challenge the oppressive systems around him. The separation in class mirrored the social divide outside of school, showing that caste affected every part of his life.

Sometimes, this exclusion turned into bullying.

From a young age, people told Valmiki he was “unfit” to learn or succeed. Joothan is part of a larger tradition of Dalit literature that seeks to expose the realities of caste oppression and advocate for change.​

Since its publication, Joothan has had a profound impact on Indian society. The second day also the headmaster asked Valmiki to do the same work.

He eventually recognized that being Dalit is something to be proud of, and his journey is one of self-liberation and empowerment.

In Joothan, Valmiki not only shares his experiences with caste oppression but also illustrates the process of reclaiming one’s identity.

As a child, Valmiki learned what it meant to be a Dalit. Mohd. Although he had felt injustice as a child, his teenage years gave him a clearer view of its widespread effects, making him more determined to fight against the system that tried to define him by his caste.

In this chapter, Valmiki’s experiences during his teenage years highlight the growing discrimination he faced as he got older.

Valmiki remembers having to eat leftover food and facing the harsh realities of being separated from others.

He also recalls how upper-caste children often teased him and other Dalit kids, calling them names and refusing to play with them. It highlights the ongoing struggle to dismantle caste-based hegemony. This unfair treatment, along with feeling isolated at work, leads to frustration.