Dal as Pedagogy: Wisdom of Dalit Ancestors Complicating Christian Identity towards Imagination, Protest, and Resistance in Contemporary India

This paper proposes Dal pedagogy as an intersectional pedagogical framework rooted in the historical experiences of Dalit communities in India. The Sanskrit word dal  means "broken," "split," or "crushed," reflecting the structural marginalization of Dalits within the caste system. Emerging outside the academy, Dal pedaogy draws upon the wisdom of Dalit ancestors whose conversion to Christianity is a site of imagination, protest, and resistance against caste-based dehumanization. Yet, contemporary political developments, including Hindu nationalist movements and campaigns such as Ghar Wapsi, complicate Dalit Christian identity by reinforcing Dalit Christians to negotiate their caste and religious identities. Engaging intersectionality and Dalit feminist scholarship, this paper examines how Dal pedagogy continues to generate imagination, protest, and resistance in contemporary India.