An Overview of the Major Trends of Contemporary Gujarati Literature

The present research paper attempts to understand the diversity of the contemporary Gujarati literature by attempting to categorize it into broad segments: mainstream literature, feminist literature, Dalit literature, diasporic literature and nativist literature. It also outlines some of the key features of these categories along with its main protagonists. This overview of the contemporary trends in Gujarati literature reveals not only a great quantitative growth in literary writings but also a qualitative transition and diversification of expression and intention. Such literature is a celebration of plurality and openness of the society. The paper argues that as literatures are always dynamic and flowing with the movement of time and space parameters, Gujarati criticism also needs to update its tools to analyze, examine, interpret, and evaluate such literatures which have a new global context.