Plotting (In) Equality of Santhal Women: A Study on the Select Narratives of Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar

Discrimination of women is observed as one of the common factors experienced by womenfolk universally. Adichie defines, gender as a cultural construct rather than a biological reality. But in certainty, most of the time the masculine power dominates and subjugates the feminine through its process. In the case of indigenous community, it is observed that their identity is under great threat as they are on the verge of extinction and they have been marginalized for generations even in their native land. This article primarily focuses on analyzing the gender discrimination and inequality that are experienced by the prominent Santhal women, which is one of the prominent tribal community inhabiting in the eastern region of India. Further, it also reveals how the Santhal women were 'double marginalized' within and outside their community due to the gender disparity through the select narratives of Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar, an emerging tribal writer in English from the Santhal tribe. How the notion of poverty, traditional practices, and patriarchy makes women the suppressed gender is examined through the Critical Race Theory and the concept of intersectionality.

Keywords: Santhal women, gender inequality, discrimination, intersectionality