Dalit Movement of Nepal -Hira Vishwakarma

Kirat Era (508 Bc-110Ad)

1. No sign of casteism
2. Gautam Buddha visited Kathmandu
3. Emperor Ashoka visited Kathmandu in 250BC
4. The present day Kirat (Rai) accepted casteism only after unification

Lichhabi Era (200-979AD)

1. The casteism was introduced by them
2. Their own caste was not sure as they were looked down upon by Chhetria
3. For being in power they gained the upper status
4. Society was mixed type
5. King Ansu Verma degraded Chyama Khala and made them Pode

Malla era (879-1768AD)

1. Casteism not so severe in Lichhabi era became very strong
2. Jayasthiti Malla (1360-95) rose into power who was an outsider
3. Invited 5 Brahmins from India
4. Kirtinath Upadhya ‘Kanyakubja’, Raghunath Jha, Ramnath Jha ‘Maithil’, Shreenath Bhatta & Mahinath Bhatta were Daninatya Brahmin

Jayasthiti Mall contd..

1. Introduced severe punishment for those breaking caste hierarchy and barriers
2. Untouchables were segregated from mainstream society
3. Had to live in the outskirt of towns
4. Had to wear special and bad looking dresses and ornaments so that others would recognise them easily
5. Kulu caste supposed to shave hair and make musical instruments from leather
6. If changed occupation would be fined Turu 120 (Rs)
7. The system was totally based on Manushmriti

Ram Shah (1606-1633 AD)

1. King of Gorkha (forefather of Prithvi Narayan Shah)
2. Copied the similar system that of Jayasthiti Malla
3. Though his rule categorized as ideal in the history “Nyaya Napaya Gorkha Janu”
4. Severe punishment for untouchable for the similar crime
5. Anshu Verma, Jayasthiti Malla & Ram Shah not reformer as stated by Nepalese history

Prithvi Narayan Shah (1779-1831BS)

1. Used untouchables such as Bise Nagarchi, Maniram Gaine and Latokami in the unification process of Nepal
2. Introduced caste upgrading and degrading system
3. In 1762 degraded the caste of Sen Kings of Makawanpur to Sarki
4. Upgraded Duwar to Putwar of Kirtipur
5. King Ranabahadur Shah did “Sahabhoj” to eliminate caste barrier

Rana era (1846-1950 AD)

1. In 1853 Junga Bahadur Rana introduced first Muluki ain (civil code)
2. Divided the society into five caste groups
3. Tagadhari, Khas, Matwali, touchable Shudra and untouchable Shudra
4. Untouchable Shudra further divided into two
5. Sprinkle required and sprinkle not required
6. During this period few castes like Manandhar and Nakarmi were upgraded to touchable castes
7. Bhagat Sarbajit Vishwakarma started movement in 1947 against caste discrimination and jailed

Democratic era (1950-1960)

1. No significant work in the favour of Dalits
2. Pashupati entering movement in 1954, 350 people mostly women arrested
3. Visit of Dr. Ambedkar to Nepal in 1955 and toured Dalit settlement of Kathmandu valley
4. King started to nominate in the parliament
5. An era of struggle for equality before law
6. Emergence of a few organized Dalit movements throughout the country

Democratic Era (1990-Present)

1. Caste based discrimination made punishable by law through 1990 constitution
2. Era of struggle for social justice
3. Number of strong issues emerged
4. Related to economic, political and social rights
5. Formation of Dalit Development Committee
6. Formation of National Dalit Commission
7. Emergence of Dalit NGOs and Federations
8. The leadership of movement being shifted to relatively younger generation
9. Dalit issue no longer a national but becoming international issue
10. Lots of attention of civil society drawn
11. Significant involvement of Dalits in Maoist insurgency