Dalits perform rituals with Brahmins
Mingling with upper castes an 'out-of-this-world experience', women say
IANS
Published: 00:00 June 21, 2011
Gulf News
Varanasi: Some 200 Dalit women from Rajasthan Monday took part in a
ceremony which they never thought they would see in their lifetime —
performing rituals with upper caste Hindus at the Vishwanath temple.
Amidst ecstatic shouts of 'Har Har Gange', the women also took a dip
in the Ganga and chanted hymns along the Dashashwamedh Ghat, deemed to
be the most pious bank.
"We never thought we would get an opportunity to celebrate our liberty
like this... For decades, we have faced hatred and discrimination. As
we mingled with the upper caste, we got the feel of being liberated,"
Shanti Chaumaria, a garbage collector of over two decades, told IANS.
Feeling empowered
While the Vishwanath temple does not bar Dalits from offering prayers,
the women considered performing rituals with Brahmins an act of
empowerment.
"It's an out-of-this world experience for us. We want to stay here as
long as we can. This day will remain memorable for us. We now feel we
have really joined the mainstream," said Guddi, who worked as a
garbage collector for 10 years.
"Sharing a platform with the upper-caste is really a privilege."
Sulabh International, a social service organisation, organised the
programme and flew in the women from Rajasthan.
------------------------------------
----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/
PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com
TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/
Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups.com
ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
No comments:
Post a Comment