Dalit pair forgives being denied temple wedding

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POKHARA, March 5: A dalit couple, who were barred from solemnizing their marriage at Pushkareshor Siva Temple in Pokhara-7, have forgiven the temple management committee for its prejudiced behavior. 

Following an apology from temple management committee chairman Pitamber Baral, who admitted that debarring any couple coming to the temple for their wedding rites was sheer bigotry, Pravin Bohara (Sarki) and his bride have pardoned and exonerated those involved in ostracizing them from the temple. 

Both parties--the victims and the perpetrators--have closed the chapter on the incident after coming to terms with each other on Wednesday. Following the agreement, they issued a joint statement absolving the temple management committee of any wrongdoing. The committee had been accused of practicing untochablity, which is a punishable act. 

Dalit rights activists persuaded the Bohara couple to drop the matter as the temple management committee had asked for forgiveness and said any mistreatment that had taken place was inadvertent. Following the agreement, the priest at the temple garlanded and placed tika marks on the foreheads of the newly-wed dalit couple in the presence of civil society leaders and locals, and also blessed them for a happy conjugal life. 

“The Bohara family faced uncalled-for social and religious discrimination. We had not discriminated intentionally. We will be cautious not to repeat such mistakes in the days to come,” said temple management committee chairman Baral. 

The Bohara couple, who had visited the temple to solemnize their wedding on the day of Siva Ratri last Thursday, had been prohibited entry into the temple simply for being dalits. Bohara, who is from Baglung ,and his bride Parbat had then tied the knot at a Narayan temple. 

Dalit community members had accused the temple management committee chairman and the priest of barring the couple from the temple after recognizing them as dalits. Dalit members of the marriage procession informed that they had taken prior approval for the marriage ceremony at the Shiva temple. Dalit rights activities had initiated legal proceedings demanding justice for the couple. However, they sought a mutual settlement following a meeting on Wednesday.

source:- myrepublica