Caste discrimination divides village pond in Damoh:Separate ‘ghats’ allotted for communities; Dalit youth forced to leave homes to escape humiliation

In Damoh district’s Hinauti village, caste divisions are so entrenched that even access to water and seating arrangements at weddings are governed by unwritten rules. For many Dalits, this persistent discrimination has left them with little choice but to migrate. The story of Hinauti shows how caste barriers remain deeply rooted in Bundelkhand despite decades of constitutional guarantees and social reform campaigns. Read the full report.. Forced to leave the village Ajay Bansal, a young man from the Dalit community in Hinauti, recalls the frustration that pushed him out of his native village. He said, In the village, not only is the pond’s ghat divided, but we cannot even sit equally anywhere. It feels bad, but what can we do? We cannot change it, so I left the village. Ajay now visits his family only for 10–15 days a year. Similar experiences have led other Dalit youth to migrate, choosing life outside the village over continued humiliation. Visible segregation in village layout Hinauti, with a population of about 1,800, comes under Gram Panchayat Hathni Pipariya. At first glance, it looks like any other Bundelkhand village, but a closer look reveals sharp social divides. The front part of the village is dominated by upper castes, while Dalit and tribal families live in the back. The clearest symbol of this segregation is the village pond. Though there is only one, its ghats are divided by caste. One pond, separate ghats When the Bhaskar team reached the pond and tried to step on one of the ghats, a villager, Govind Singh Thakur, quickly intervened. He said, Don’t go there. This ghat is for the lower castes. Thakur explained that since childhood, he had seen the ghats divided among different castes — Lodhi, Dalit, Adivasi, Thakur, Brahmin — each group having its designated area. ‘This is an old tradition. It has been like this for generations. No one goes to another’s ghat,’ he added. ‘We use dirty water but won’t cross over’ Sixty-year-old Hoshiyar Raikwar, a Dalit resident, confirmed the system. He said, The banks for the upper castes are separate, and those for the lower castes are separate. This has been the rule since the village was settled. No one dares to break it. Raikwar recalled summers when the water on their side would dry up first, yet they were still barred from using the upper-caste ghats. ‘We would rather use dirty water than cross over,’ he said. Discrimination extends to social functions The divide is not limited to water sources. It is also visible during weddings and community meals. Bhaiya Ram, another villager, said: Earlier, we were invited to weddings, but seating was separate. The upper castes sat on chairs, and we were made to sit far away on the ground. Over time, people from our community stopped attending such events. Now, dining happens only within our own group. Even those from other castes admit this is practiced. Mukesh Lodhi said: We do invite everyone to our functions, but the seating remains separate. Thakurs sit on chairs above, while others sit below. That’s how it has always been. Layers of casteism within Dalits Caste barriers are not only between Dalits and upper castes but also persist within Dalit groups themselves. Nanhelal Raikwar noted, There has been some change. Now sometimes people ask us to sit with them, but still, Ahirwar and Kutwar are kept separate. Even we don’t sit with them as equals. The village Sarpanch, Neeta Ahirwar, who herself belongs to a Dalit caste, admitted the reality. She said, ‘Since I came here after marriage, I have seen this system. We cannot eat together. Even at the panchayat, I sit on a chair, but in society, there is no equality. It has always been like this.’ New generation refuses to accept it While older generations continue to follow these customs as ‘tradition’, younger Dalits are resisting. Dinesh Jatav, a youth from the village associated with Bhim Army, said: The country became independent, Baba Saheb’s Constitution was implemented, but we are still not free. Even today, there is severe untouchability in many villages of Damoh. He pointed out how Dalit grooms are sometimes barred from riding a mare in wedding processions. ‘We had to take out wedding processions on mares, if not peacefully, then through agitation,’ he said. According to Dinesh, discrimination is part of everyday life. ‘At shops, they ask us to remove slippers before entering. They don’t take money directly; they ask us to put it down, and they throw goods at us. This is the level of untouchability here,’ he added. Administration denies awareness When asked about these practices, Damoh’s Additional District Magistrate, Meena Meshram, said: ‘We have not received any complaints from this village regarding caste discrimination so far.’ Experts say, ‘Economy can weaken caste barriers’ Rakesh Diwan, who has studied Bundelkhand’s caste system, believes economic development can help reduce caste divisions. He explained, The issue of casteism is not only about laws or government. It is tied to society itself. If society decides to change, the government can support it. But real change will come with increased economic activity. According to Diwan, industrial areas, railway colonies, and other places where people work and live together show weaker caste divisions. ‘Caste does not disappear entirely, but its hold weakens where survival depends on cooperation,’ he added. Migration becomes the only way out For now, many in Hinauti’s Dalit community see migration as the only escape. Unable to challenge entrenched practices in the village, the younger generation is choosing to leave, working in cities while keeping only minimal ties with their ancestral home. As Ajay Bansal put it, ‘It feels bad, but what can we do? We cannot change it.’ ​