Language as Archive: Indigenous Lexicons and Cultural Survival in Kalyani Thakur Charal’s Works

Abstract

This paper explores how the writings of Kalyani Thakur Charal, a leading Bengali Dalit woman writer, function as cultural repositories by preserving the distinctive socio-cultural practices of the Dalit communities of Bengal. Through a close reading of her novella Andhar Bil, and her autobiographical writings “Why Do I Write Charal” and “My Childhood”, the paper foregrounds how language becomes a crucial site of cultural memory and resistance. Though written in Bengali, Charal’s narratives embed indigenous expressions, oral idioms, and culturally specific lexicons such as bil (wetland), khurho (a term of endearment or respect for elders), gurho (molasses), and chingrhebhushi (a traditional variety of paddy), which resist linguistic erasure and assert an identity rooted in everyday Dalit life and knowledge systems. The paper argues that language in these texts operates beyond its communicative function; it archives collective memories, food habits, rituals, and belief systems otherwise silenced in dominant upper-caste narratives. Even in English translations, the deliberate retention of culturally specific words maintains the texture and rhythm of Dalit life, resisting the flattening effects of standardization. The act of translation here becomes a political and cultural negotiation, ensuring the preservation of indigenous vocabulary and worldview. Engaging with the aesthetics of Dalit literature (Sharankumar Limbale), the caste–food discourse articulated by Ilaiah, and Dalit feminist concerns (Sharmila Rege), the paper situates Charal’s linguistic practices within a larger framework of resistance and cultural survival. By analyzing Charal’s use of language in the chosen texts, this paper aims to emphasize the diversity within Indian culture and questioning dominant, homogenized narratives surrounding caste, gender, and regional identity. Her writings reclaim marginal voices and celebrate cultural particularity, positioning Dalit women’s literature as a critical archive of indigenous survival and assertion. Ultimately, the paper investigates the intersections of language, memory, and identity, showing how language becomes a powerful tool in preserving the intangible heritage of Bengal’s Dalit communities