THE STORY OF UNTOUCHABILITY, KOMO

In Komo village there are 1200 population and 152 houses, among them 50 belongs to Patel community consists of large farmers & upper caste people, 70 belongs to SidarAdibasi community, 20 belongs to Satnami community and rest of 12 belongs to Dhobi community.

During Durga Puja, donations collected from all the households of the community but it is mutually restricted for those 32 households consisting Satnami& Dhobi community to take part in the worship and also not allowed to attend the feast organized in last day where all the people of the village used to have their meal for that day. 

As N.F working in Komo village on gender equality and violence against women since 2 years and accordingly a Youth group has formed and members trained on various social issues along with women rights and violence against women. The members use to seat together and discuss various issues associated with them and their village.

During a monthly meeting on August one of member told that the collection of donations for Durga Puja has been started for this year and immediately Ramesh Kumar Karsh said that we (Dhobi community people) are only donate but not allowed to take part neither on worship nor feast. After that a long discussion it has been decided that the members of youth group will organize a meeting with the entire village people along with the members of committee responsible to organize the Puja. In this meeting youth group members highlighted the legal provisions along with constitutional rights and the concept of equality and convinced the people of the village. Bharat Lal Barman (leader of youth group) said that ‘on the one hand we are using their donations to organize the event (worship & feast) and other hand we are not allowing them to participate the event although they paid for the same’ and ‘what type of culture is this?’ he also ask a question to the village people.

It has been decided that all the village people including Dhobi &Satnami community, participated in worship of Durga and feast. It is also decided that anyone interested to cook the food or willing to help in cooking will be allowed. Sarpanch of the village Ms. Chanchala Patel said that we will organize the event as a festival of our village and she also invited all the sections of the community to participate and involve for successfully conduction of the event.

And according to the decision this year creates a landmark for Komo village when all the 1200 people of the village participated Durga Puja and a grand feast. 

In Komo village there are 1200 population and 152 houses, among them 50 belongs to Patel community consists of large farmers & upper caste people, 70 belongs to SidarAdibasi community, 20 belongs to Satnami community and rest of 12 belongs to Dhobi community.

During Durga Puja, donations collected from all the households of the community but it is mutually restricted for those 32 households consisting Satnami& Dhobi community to take part in the worship and also not allowed to attend the feast organized in last day where all the people of the village used to have their meal for that day. 

As N.F working in Komo village on gender equality and violence against women since 2 years and accordingly a Youth group has formed and members trained on various social issues along with women rights and violence against women. The members use to seat together and discuss various issues associated with them and their village.

During a monthly meeting on August one of member told that the collection of donations for Durga Puja has been started for this year and immediately Ramesh Kumar Karsh said that we (Dhobi community people) are only donate but not allowed to take part neither on worship nor feast. After that a long discussion it has been decided that the members of youth group will organize a meeting with the entire village people along with the members of committee responsible to organize the Puja. In this meeting youth group members highlighted the legal provisions along with constitutional rights and the concept of equality and convinced the people of the village. Bharat Lal Barman (leader of youth group) said that ‘on the one hand we are using their donations to organize the event (worship & feast) and other hand we are not allowing them to participate the event although they paid for the same’ and ‘what type of culture is this?’ he also ask a question to the village people.

It has been decided that all the village people including Dhobi &Satnami community, participated in worship of Durga and feast. It is also decided that anyone interested to cook the food or willing to help in cooking will be allowed. Sarpanch of the village Ms. Chanchala Patel said that we will organize the event as a festival of our village and she also invited all the sections of the community to participate and involve for successfully conduction of the event.

And according to the decision this year creates a landmark for Komo village when all the 1200 people of the village participated Durga Puja and a grand feast.