By Sarojdillu Vishwokarma from
Thulodumba, Bhojpur
The hilly and vertical trail of Maanidada of Bhojpur, from the Pakribas of Dhankuta, we may usually find, a 30 kilo’s Dalit boy carrying more than 50 kg port with bared foot. Sometimes, he has to carry double weight in the short destination. Can we imagine? Obviously…! that is 14 yrs old-Lalchandra Charmakaar of Sikhuwa Deurali, climbing weekly there with the heavy port.
The Dalit child, Charmakaar has the regular duty to carry the heavy load for solving his family’s daily hand to mouth problem. He is also reading in grade 6 and goes to school only 4 day per week and rest of the day, he regular carries the goods of local traders. After the class of Thursday, he comes to Falante Haat and from early of tomorrow morning, he starts to carry the loads for earning only five hundred rupees cash, then feeds his family and pays for his brothers and sisters’ schooling and other baggage’s expenses. His foot is deeply tore and exercised by walking and walking in the vertical and rocky hills. He neither knows the government has been giving incentives nor some development organizations are working for the Dalit children. He has no information of scholarship provision of his school as well as he knows nothing about ‘What is Dalit’. Only he knows that he has to usually carry the port to fulfill his domestic utilities for feeding 5 smaller.
His father works as farmer labour in the village and uses his earn for the daily wine, how much he gets. And mother is half-mind, so she doesn’t do anything. Sometime father collects the skin of dead animal and sales those in the Falante Haat. Therefore, his whole family has been depended on Lalchandra’s earning.
He has been doing this job since when he was 10 yrs., in steed of caring the port, he generally gets 20rs. per kilo and spends 500rs. for the accommodation along the way. Despite his father is shoe maker too, Lalchandra hasn’t feel of wearing the shoe yet on his foot. Sometimes he has to walks on bare foot, if he can’t save money to buy the simple sandal.
Most of people of edge of the way, know him as the Saarki Keto (shoe-maker boy), therefore he has to stay at the out of local dwells every night, because the higher castes’ dwellers don’t give him stay inner side of local hotel. And, for whom, how the summer session goes, likewise the winter passes over.
His younger brother also has just started to carry the small port. And, he hopes that the small sister also help on his job, after 3-4 year. Then they will feel easier to survive the life.
At the moment, I remember to those who are doing the dhandaa (business) of children rights throughout the country and earning adequate name & fame on the name of these Dalit and such children, and I would like to ask -why they can’t recognize to Lalchandra and such others.
Now, we should comprehend that there is different between these ages’ children, who have to carry the heavy port daily only for surviving their life, and some, who are working for child rights, their children ingenerally fly by plane nationally and internationally for the study. Then we can consider how the Dalit children’s education status grows up and how they grab the better opportunities as the higher castes. Lets think about him- may he cross the SLC boarder ? Or, should he always to carry up the ports beside of his better life ? Many of the Dalit Children should have to compel to do so as the job of Lalchandra. If government and other development stakeholders not realize to the hurt of such Lalchandras, they again and again will be forbidden and excluded from the national incentives and are out of their rights.
The hilly and vertical trail of Maanidada of Bhojpur, from the Pakribas of Dhankuta, we may usually find, a 30 kilo’s Dalit boy carrying more than 50 kg port with bared foot. Sometimes, he has to carry double weight in the short destination. Can we imagine? Obviously…! that is 14 yrs old-Lalchandra Charmakaar of Sikhuwa Deurali, climbing weekly there with the heavy port.
