Purna Bahadur Nepali
Abstract
This, exploratory and descriptive research, examines the potential of Dalits’ traditional occupation and caste based skills in Nepal’s socioeconomic and political situation. The study especially highlights: 1) economic strength associated with Dalit’s traditional occupations; 2) socioeconomic constraints faced by these occupations; and 3) ways of its upgrading and modernising. Nawalparasi and Chitwan districts have been selected purposefully for the research. This study reveals that Dalits are rich in term of art, skill and knowledge of daily utensils which has also contributed to Nepali civilization since ancient past. Such skill gets transfer from generation to generation through the informal and experiential learning. The study shows that there are potentials of improvement in Dalit’s traditional skill and knowledge but the Dalits caste based occupation has been facing various challenges. It is disappearing gradually as unfavourable socioeconomic practice rooted against Dailts in Nepalese society due to country’s Hindu Based Civilization. Consequently, youth people are not encouraged to continue the traditional occupations. Therefore, state should take special initiatives to encompassDalits’ caste based occupation in modern globalized economic structure which also happens to be the theme of WTO. Specifically, the study has made following four recommends: i) Strengthen the organizations of respective caste based occupation and raise their voice with a single independent national level federation; ii) Raise the awareness among the traditional workers to eradicate the feudal forms institutions (Balighare, Khalo, Khan Pratha); iii) Promotion and Extension of market networks nationally and internationally; and iv) Train and educate Dalits.
Key Words: Dalit, Caste- Based Occupation, Social Exclusion, Socio- Economic Transformation, and Globalization.
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