This proposal aims to explore the intersection of environmental activism, Dalit identity, and ecological philosophy through an analysis of Kallen Pokkudan's autobiography, "Kandalkaadukalkidayil Ente Jeevitham." Pokkudan, renowned as the 'mangrove man' of Kerala, offers a unique perspective on the reestablishment of mangrove forests and the challenges faced by the Dalit Pulaya community in Kerala's Kannur district. Through his narrative, Pokkudan not only recounts his life story but also reflects on the historical dehumanization of Dalits within India's caste system and the potential for societal transformation.
This study will employ new materialist theory, particularly object-oriented ontology (O-O-O), to analyze Pokkudan's ecological activism as a form of "arboreal activism" and "dark ecology." By emphasizing emplaced subjectivity and distributed agency, Pokkudan challenges caste-based discrimination and anthropocentric supremacies, advocating for a relational way of being rooted in deep solidarity and egalitarianism.
Keywords: Kallen Pokkudan, Dalit identity, mangrove forests, ecological activism, object-oriented ontology, casteism