Visit MS-Denmark

Paying a Price for Pseudo Peace

Ganga Gurung
Social Worker

Since MS Nepal is planning to work in the far-western region (Doti and Dadeldhura) especially with the Dalits, necessary groundwork is being laid for that purpose. In an attempt to have an overview of the area, the way the Dalits are living, their problems and potentials, and the conflict or harmony between the so-called upper caste and lower caste in those areas, a Danish communication worker is out in the field in Doti for the past two months to prepare an in-depth video documentary with the joint cooperation of MS Nepal and DANIDA. Miss Ganga Gurung is assisting the communication worker. While remaining with the Dalits, Ganga got some good opportunity to have some insight into the way they are living there.

When she reached the Doti district headquarters Silgadhi, she was surprised because this did not conform to her imagination about the far western region. It was quite "developed". The far-western region, as she learnt from books, news media reports, and people's descriptions, was a very remote, backward and virtually inaccessible part of the country. But her surprise didn't last long. As she reached Pachnali village, her imagination came true. In her article she relates her experiences.

It takes one hour's driving and one and half hours more on foot to reach the village, where Dalits constitute majority of the population. Despite their majority, they are dominated by the upper caste people. There are classic examples of caste discrimination, although some people claim that the situation is better these days. The drinking water tap is a glaring example.

There are two water taps almost together in the village-one for the upper caste people and the other for the Dalits. Although the source is the same, the water that flows from the tap meant for the upper caste is strongly believed to be the "God's water". The lower caste people do not dare to touch the water not to talk of fetching and drinking it. No matter how long time it takes women and children from the lower caste line up to fetch water only from the tap meant for them. Some times it takes more than one hour to fill even a bucket, while the water from the upper castes' tap is going to waste.

Asked why the water flowing from the upper castes' tap has been called and regarded as "God's water" most of the Dalits raised counter questions-"don't you know anything about God? Don't you have Gods in your part of the country?" "God is God. We lower caste people should not use God's water. If we did this, we will die or at least fall ill. Something bad happens," they say with a note of confidence.

There is also a deep-rooted belief that if the lower caste people touched the God's water, the tap will dry up. Substantiating this belief Prem Bahadur Saud, a Dhami (faith healer) from the same village says some four years back the tap went dry. Water started trickling down gradually only after a Brahmin priest performed various religious rituals to appease the angry God.

Further explaining why her community stays away from the God's water, Parbati Kami, a Dalit woman from the community says if a Dalit drank or even touched the "holy" water s/he suffers both physically and mentally (may be psychologically). Suffocation is the major symptom of the "God's water-borne disease" and a Jhankri (faith healer) alone can cure it.

It is also quite interesting to note that the practice of "untouchability" exists even among the Dalits or untouchables or low caste people themselves. Damais claim that they are superior to Kamis and vice versa, though both are "untouchables" or Dalits.

Illiteracy is very high, and the Dalits in general have very low self-esteem. Sher Bahadur Bishwokarma, who is a Dalit and facilitator of adult literacy class, does not like the practice of untouchability. But he doesn't protest against the practice simply to live in the society "amicably", and to avoid conflict with the upper caste. Bishwokarma epitomizes the Nepalese "culture of silence" and for that matter he is paying a high price for "peace", which is not peace in real terms.

Some adult literacy classes and children's classes are being run with the help of some NGOs. Some of the women are trained in kitchen gardening and woolen bag weaving. But for the lack of adequate support even from their parents, majority of children do not go to schools. Lack of water for irrigation and market accessibility have not allowed the kitchen gardening and bag weaving activities to see a success. Girls make up a majority of out of school children. They look after their younger brothers and sisters and give a helping hand to their parents in all kinds of household chorus.

Sundari Damai, who is a Dalit woman and Secretary of a women's group in the village, has put a lot of effort into convincing the parents to send their daughters to school, but in vein. "Well, it is easier said than done; you don't have cattle and small kids to look after, but we have. Who the hell will help us in our household chorus, if we sent our daughters to schools? -You ?", is the usual response from the parents, says Sundari, who has returned to the village leaving behind her husband and a son in Mumbai, India, the major job market for the men from the village. She is also planning to join her family there after harvesting wheat and mustard seeds.

Problems in the area are too many to describe, and it might take years to see even slightest change. But it is quite obvious that the entire far-western region is desperate to see a situation in which human beings have no castes other than human beings, water remains water - without any epithet, Sher Bahadurs and Sundaris, who have the potentials and willingness to work for the community maintain their spirit and enthusiasm, parents do not get annoyed when asked to send their children to schools, people find some means of livelihood in their own community, and they don't have to toil at the cost of their already waning self esteem across the border.

Back to Contents