Dalits can enter the house of non-Dalits

Sapana B.K. had to work for non-Dalits to earn money. Daily she faced discrimination but today the mind of the community is changing.

By Malene Lærke

02. March 2007

For many years Sapana B.K. worked at a house of non-Dalits to be able to feed her children. The work was hard and daily she was aware of the discrimination against her.

“There were many things I was not allowed to do because I am a Dalit. I could not enter the house or touch the cows, food was offered to me from a long distance and I had to wash the utensils so that the family wouldn’t become unclean,” explains Sapana B.K who is a member of the Sagun Women’s Savings Group under Dalit Welfare Organisation, DWO. She lives in Pipari, ward no. 8 in Kohalpur VDC.

After Sapana B.K. had washed the utensils the wife of the non-Dalit family would purify them by putting the golden ring in her nose into a bowl of water. Afterwards she would sprinkle the water on the utensils to purify them.

“It was so humiliating to be unclean but today that tradition has been eradicated and I can enter a non-Dalits house without hesitation,” she says and continues:

“I remember the first time I could enter the house of a non-Dalit. I looked around and thought why I couldn’t have done this always but I was so used to that practise. Through trainings from DWO I have gotten awareness and I know how to deal with high caste people. I have understood that we need to be strong and they must not discriminate us. They are also humans and the colour of our blood is the same. That is the argument I can make,” she tells.

Through the work of DWO, Dhanasara Pariyar has learned that the law states that Dalits must not be discriminated. She uses that when she argues for her rights.

“I have become frank and bold. I know how much it cost to drive on the bus and when I am asked for more money than the actual price of the ticket, I can now say no and tell people that it is not right to ask me to pay more because I am a Dalit. If high caste people are trying to suppress me I tell them it will cost them 3000 rupees in fine and three years in prison. I also tell them I will report it to the police because what I say is according to the law,” concludes Dhanasara Pariyar, vice-chair person of the women group.

It has been a long process to change the minds of the non-Dalits. Sapana B.K. tells that is was during meetings where both Dalits and the non-Dalits was present that the change came about.

“At the meetings discrimination was discussed and it was well understood in the community that human value is equal and that discrimination is not possible to continue. At the meetings food was offered which we all ate together. There was no discrimination,” explains Sapana B.K.

There is however, embitter in the women’s joy. The women tell that the non-Dalits still have the feeling that Dalits should be down and the discrimination is not totally eradicated and that the non-Dalits say that if their position in the community is equal it will have consequences.

“These days many organisations are saying that if you treat Dalits differently it is not legal. Many incidents are not happening because people have understood that. People are getting modern and Dalits gather and they have begun to action when there are incidents. Things are changing because of fear and not because the traditions carved in their hearts have been change,” concludes Sapana B.K.