Abstract
In Dalit theatre, Premanand Gajvee’s Kirwant stands apart. It is a subtle drama, very spare in
dialogue and performance, but which builds up to a devastating finale. The play, written
originally in Marathi, centres around the life of Siddeshwarshastri who is a Kirwant – that
class of Brahmins assigned to perform rituals for the dead.
The play records the terrifying descent of Siddeshwarshastri into doubt, despair, loss of
dignity, and finally death. It is the seemingly innocuous sentences uttered by him which are
indicative of the disintegration of his mind and his slide into oblivion. These fragments of a
schizophrenic mind – including transmuting into a crow - are not taken seriously by those
around him, as society continues to live in denial.
Kirwant indicts society for its bias against Dalits. Dalits are castigated for the work they do.
Their physical pain has been well-documented by writers like Gauri Lankesh. However, their
mental trauma leading to self-harm remains comparatively unexplored.
This paper will look for clues to understand why the play ends the way it does. It will attempt
to peel the inner landscape of Siddeshwarshastri’s mind. He seeks agency but is denied it.
Keywords: Kirwant, Siddeshwarshastri, Premanand Gajvee, crow
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International Conference on Ethics, Values and Human Dignity in Health Care:
Psychological, Literary, Artistic and Medical Perspectives organized by the Departments of
Psychology and English, DCT Dhempe College of Arts and Science in collaboration with
Sangath, Goa and Manipal Hospitals on 23-24 February 2026.
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