The Pen as a Pickaxe: Mahasweta Devi's Activism, Journalism, and the Subaltern Turn in Indian Literature

Gitanjali Netam, Dr. Tarlochan Kaur Sandhu

Abstract: This paper argues that Mahasweta Devi's literary and journalistic work is not merely a reflection of social realities but a deliberate and sustained act of activism that serves as a practical application of the 'history from below' methodology pioneered by the Subaltern Studies Group. Challenging the separation between academic "field" and "text", Devi's creative output was a "political act" fuelled by a profound anger against social and economic injustice. Through meticulous, on-the-ground engagement with marginalized communities, she gave voice to the histories and experiences of Adivasis, Dalits, and other dispossessed groups who were systematically excluded from dominant, elite-centric narratives. Her journalism, such as her column exposing the plight of women in Kolkata jails or her public advocacy for figures like Chuni Kotal, functioned as direct interventions to compel state accountability. Furthermore, her editorship of the magazine Bortika served as a tangible platform for the marginalized to write their own stories, providing a powerful, real-world response to Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak's theoretical question of whether the subaltern can speak. In her fiction, Devi's narratives, such as the body as a site of unyielding resistance in "Draupadi" and the dehumanizing commodification in "Breast-Giver", provided a literary blueprint for subaltern agency. By weaving together her writing and her activism, Mahasweta Devi established a powerful legacy that not only chronicled the struggles of the oppressed but also provided a living model for their ongoing resistance.

Keywords: Activism, Journalism, Subaltern, Resistance

How to Cite?: Gitanjali Netam, Dr. Tarlochan Kaur Sandhu, "The Pen as a Pickaxe: Mahasweta Devi's Activism, Journalism, and the Subaltern Turn in Indian Literature", Volume 14 Issue 8, August 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1088-1093, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR25820112913, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR25820112913