Subaltern life in short stories of Jaya Goyala/ জয়া গোয়ালার ছোটগল্পে নিম্নবর্গীয় জীবন

Abstract

The wall of discrimination between the upper and lower classes in society has been present since ancient times. As a result, the concept of dominance and subordination creates unequal conflicts in the human psyche. The exclusive dominance and self-interest of the upper class often affect the lives of the lower class. This leads to rebellion among the lower class. Recently, the status of the lower class in society has been highlighted in the various branches of Bengali literature. In this context, the short story writer of Tripura, Jaya Goyala (1966-2014) are notable. Her father, Mangal Goyala, was a laborer in the Monatala tea garden of Tripura. Jaya Goyala, who spent her childhood among the laborers, adopted their 'Chilomilo' dialect and became one of them. She was familiar with their joys, sorrows, struggles, and crises. Her writings reflect the language, life, existence, and experiences of the Bengali-tribal-indigenous people of the Northeast. Even in the 21st century, Jaya Goyala's stories narrate the lives of these marginalized people who are far behind in terms of economic and social progress. She has portrayed the lifestyle of people living far away from the light of civilization. This paper discusses Jaya Goyala's short stories about the marginalized people of this region.