Summary:

Chaudhary community share significant portion of population in Amarpatti VDC of Bara District although Dalit community is also there. Chaudhary community used to organize Mahayagya (religious ritual) frequently for offering prayers to Hindu deities as stated in Hindu tradition. However, Dalit communities were not allowed to participate in that kind of rituals. Generally, Tharus used to collect fund from all communities including Dalits to organize such program. However, Dalits were not allowed to participate at the function. After various programs organized by AAWAZ project in the community, people start to realize that they are being discriminated. It was stern violation of law. Encouraged Dalits planned to organize Bishnu Mahayagya like people from other castes. All non-Dalits participated the Kalash Yatra, while there was lower presence of on Dalits during Mayayagya.

Challenges:

Dalit community is not allowed to offer prayers with non-Dalits in any religious functions. Chaudhary dominated Amarpatti was also nothing different from other places. Dalits were not allowed to participate in mass religious functions. Dalit community people have no courage to go against forcefully established social practices.. HRAA and HR activists in Amarpatti VDC helped to spreading awareness against such discrimination. This helped to boost their confidence to fight against discriminatory traditions in the community.

Initiative:

The public awareness encouraged them to organize Mahayagya to offer pray to their deities like non-Dalit people. People from non-Dalit community provided some fund to organize ritual and participated in Kalashytra. However, they didn’t participated in Mahayagya. Nevertheless, Dalits are determined to bring changes among non-Dalit community and ensure their participation in the coming days. This will help to bring both the Dalits and non-Dalits to abolish CBSD in community.

Results:

Previously, Dalits used to think that god will be angry or misfortunate will happen in their society if they participate in any religious function. Everything is fine even after they performed the ritual.

People are now convinced that barring Dalits from social and religious discrimination was nothing more than discrimination imposed by a section of people. Hari Sankhar Prasad Yadav, a local, says, “People often don’t allow Dalit community to Yagya’s due to lack of awareness. Different Sadhus from different areas come to Yagya. Nobody ask them about their caste. They often introduce as Das and Baragi. We do not discriminate them. People are now accepting non-discrimination culture and I believe that it will be abolished gradually.”