Voices from the Margins: The Struggle for Autonomy in The Primal Land

Abstract

Voices from the Margins: The Struggle for Autonomy in The Primal Land

Dilshad Ali¹

Dr. Kavita²

The novel The Primal Land (1993) by Pratibha Ray is a comprehensive examination of the struggles and the challenges encountered by the Bonda tribal community in India, particularly in their pursuit of autonomy. The interconnected themes of land rights, cultural identity, and resistance against modernity and external exploitation are the primary focus of this paper, which analyses the multi-dimensional aspects of this struggle. The paper presents The Primal Land as a socio-political commentary that highlights marginalized voices, providing an in-depth examination of the on-going challenges faced by tribal communities in preserving their cultural integrity and autonomy in a rapidly modernizing world.