Class a New Avtara of Caste: A study of Untouchables in a Punjabi village:

Or

Untouchable Women in a Punjabi Village: 1950s and 2006s

Summary

This inquiry is undertaken in the light of previous research and literature on Dalits which conclude that caste remains an important force/dimension in the social and personal lives of Indians. We set out to find out how the social, religious and socio-economic positions of Dalits, especially of women, have changed since the mid-1950s in a Punjabi village. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews ‘participant observations’; and notes from a personal diary were used to supplement this qualitative data.  From the data we have ample evidence to infer that caste still impacts and shapes in a major way the social and personal lives of people in the village under study. There are separate gurdwaras for the Jat Sikhs and Ad Dharmis, and valmiki families have their own bhavan.  There are two cemeteries in the village; one for the Jat Sikhs and other for the Dalits. There have been no inter-caste marriages in the village and social mixing is kept to the minimum and only takes place on special occasions.

However, unlike in the 1950s, Dalits are in the majority and control the village socio-political affairs through Panchyat – a village council.  ‘Ritual’ Untouchability - a common practice up to the 1950s - has completely disappeared. There are no separate wells nor residential areas. The village Dalits no longer work as farm labourers but seek employment in government sponsored projects and in nearby city mills. This has enhanced their self-image and boosted their morale and motivation and they are challenging the hegemony of Jat Sikhs in village affairs. The latter are in minority and in a weak position due to the large scale emigration overseas of their progeny. There is a rising middle class of Dalits, albeit in an embryonic form.

There has been a sea change in the lives and treatment of Dalit women. They are no longer exploited by the village farm owners, and sexual abuse which was common in the 1950s has completely ceased.