Caste system and oppression: A study of irathinakarikalan's “Oorakali”

Dalit literature is a comparatively recent phenomenon. The problems of dalits differ from place to place in India. Translation of Dalit literature from various parts of the country has provided a life force to the dalit literature. “Oorakali” is a short story written by IrathinaKarikaln in Tamil. Its English translation brings out the pain of people who graze the cattle of upper caste people in Tamil Nadu. The story uncovers the hypocrisy of the society. On the one hand Lord Krishna is worshipped in the temples, but the Oorakalis who do the same job as the God are treated as outcastes and are oppressed by the society.