ALWAR, India (CNN) — At birth, Usha Chaumar’s life story had already been written.
Illiterate and married off at age 10, Chaumar was forced into the only livelihood her family has known for generations.
As a Dalit, the lowest level in India’s complex caste system, she was a so-called scavenger, a person who collects the garbage, feces and urine of other higher caste people. In the eyes of many, that would make her too disgusting to touch.
Categories: Dignity and Social Development · South Asia
Tagged: caste system, India, scavengers
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1 response so far ↓
Raj // July 15, 2008 at 2:41 am |
Remember Muslims ruled India for 1500 years.
British ruled 300 years.
In Vedic period People used river banks as excreta area. Pigs and dogs used to do the scavenger.
First invaders brought toilets into backyards and forced our brethren to do dirty jobs. Later it became as a cast.
Europeans brought toilets into homes.
Both Muslims and British patronized manual scavenger.
Sad part is, under 60 years of same family rule in India nothing has changed even today.