The Branded Uchalya

Uchalya, literally meaning 'pilferer', is an autobiographical account of the life of a stereotyped underdog but of a representative of a section of society thriving on petty crimes. It is a poignant satire on social inequality and a candid account of the author's life brought up in the Uchalya community. His treatment of the Dalit theme, in which his own delicate subjectivity is a part, is widely acclaimed for its masterful sensitivity. He depicts in all their subtlety and poignancy the inner feelings, sufferings and emotional complexities of a tribe historically viewed as criminals. The novel has the freshness of rugged sincerity written in a style untamed by sophistication and therefore has become unquestionably valuable as a socially significant document besides being a powerful literary work.

LAXMAN GAIKWAD (b.1952) in Dhanegaon, Latur District, Maharashtra is a social activist and a well-known writer in Marathi. His literary career started with a ballad expounding the agonies of the exploited lot in 1977, Uchalya, the first novel published by him is a powerful social documentary on the trials and tribulations of the Uchalyas, a tribe classified as Criminal by British Raj. Besides his regular literary endeavour, he has been relentlessly working for the upliftment of Denotified and Nomadic Tribes, and also towards achieving a separate Commission for the welfare of these communities for more than two decades.

**Contents and Sample Pages**