Negotiating Subalternity in Sriranga’s Harijanvara

Abstract

This paper offers a subaltern reading of the Kannada Play “Harijanvara” [1934], written by Sriranga [Adya Rangacharya]. One of the most influential playwrights of modern Kannada theatre.He consistently engaged with themes of caste, gender and social reform, making Harijanvara an important early example of his commitment to dramatizing structural inequalities. Drawing on Antonio Gramsci’s concept of cultural hegemony and Gayatri Spivak’s insights on subalternity, the analysis argues that dominant caste authority is sustained not only through political rhetoric but also through domestic practises, ritual ideology and internalised consent. The study examines how the play exposes the intersections of caste, gender and political hegemony.