Basundol Village where Dalit and Non-dalit live but not together

Basunsdol Village, is a village within the catchment area of Thankot area of Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. This village is located under the Ward no -5 of Badbhanyan Village Development Committee. The village is located in the catchment area of Thankot, the gateway from western part of Nepal to Kathmandu valley and on the hillside of high hill. Terrace Agriculture field was seen in the village during the visit. Maize, Chilli, Bean ( Bhatta) and homestead vegetable garden  were also seen in the village. Villager composition of the village is as below.
Caste/Communities
Houses
Families
Land Possession
Dalit: (Surkheti, Achami, Bishankhi)
40
200
185
Chhetry
50
250
250
Brahmin
10
30
30
 
 
 
 

Status of Land ownership of Dalit:
10/15 Families does not have any land. They lease land for cultivation and they live at rented houses.  Professionally 10 families of these people practice traditional occupation like Sewing/ making shoes (Cobbler) and 5 families sale their labor and live on wages.
According to Mr. Durba Surkheti  (54) who belong Dalit, District Member of UCPN (Maoist) and Member of Dalit Mukti Morcha, `Brahmin and Chhetris’ economic position is good. The higher caste peoples have their own land, good house and other resource well. For the reason, they can avail all services due to their economic and social position.’
Education/literacy status of the village: 

Public school                      -  00
Private Primary School   -    01
Master Degree holder   -       01
Graduate                             -     03
Inter mediate                    -   06
Secodary School Certificate -  11
Political Involvement of Villager:
2 persons are active with Maoist politics. 2 women are involved as forest committee (they are here because of govt. policy, not meaningfully selected by the people or at their capacity). 2/3 student are active with politics particularly with the Maoist political movement.
Observation on Dalit and Non dalit social relation:
The Common nature of the Nepali society is case based descrimination. Peoples discriminate peoples based on the religious and cultural ground. Not only Nepal, According to scholar, India is the motherland of Caste based desparity in South Asian Countries mostly within the Hindu society. Part of my FK fellowship, on 9/9/2011 i visited Basundol village and try to understand about Dalit-Non Dalit social relation. To me, it is really a big challeng to bridge social harmony and solidarity among Dalit and other superior caste of Nepali society. They live in same village but they don’t mix each other. This is a rule to be supposed that Dalit will admire to Non dalit and Non Dalit usually will deny to dalit peoples.  According to Mr. Durba Surkheti, Dalit Peoples invite to Brahmin aand Chhetry in the social and Family function but the Brahmin and Chhety have never invite dalit. It does not matter whether dalit are economically good or bad, Dalits are treated as Dalit and untouchable.
 But Mr. Sukheti admitted that being a Dalit he is frequently invited in superior castes’ social function because of his political position. Even this was found that one of the younger brothers of Sukheti is economically so sound and owner of good brick build house, but he has never been invited by the Brahmin and Chhery.  This is a matter of deep concern that though Nepal Govt, pass a law against the caste based discrimination, it is still takes place because this type of social problem rooted socially in deep. Empowerment economically and politically, Time and strong social movement can be the remedies of removing caste discrimination in Nepal.
Report and pic credit to Arjun Bk { peoplesthought}


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