The Globe and Mail

Someone sent this story to me thinking it was about a woman I had worked with in Bihar. It was not, but Sister Sudha and Sister Jessi share intriguingly similar stories. Sr. Jessi was raised in South India, became a nun, and taught children at catholic schools in Bihar. She realized that she was not able to do what she really desired, helping the poor, and left to wander the countryside. She came to Dobhi in Gaya District and, seeing the poverty, there she stayed. She established informal schools in towns and villages all over the area, helping with community projects and education, and started a homeopathic clinic to serve the poor of the area. I was lucky enough to get to spend time with her in 2005. She had called about 25 11-15 year old girls to come for an intensive education program at her ashram, the Massihi Gyanjyoti Ashram (which Catholic herself, her programs are not religious. Her own version of Christianity encompasses Gandhian ideas, Buddhism, and more) The girls were taught intensively in school subjects, plus a hands-on agriculture class, sewing and knitting, and we had time for fun too. My students were also from the Mushahar caste-- the "rat eaters" and while I have spent time living in working in many areas of India, I have not seen caste-based discrimination like there. These Mushahar girls had been told all their lives that they were the lowest of the low, and deserved nothing. When they first came, they could not even express their opinions on most matters (unless positive and sometimes far-fetched.. i.e. I love cleaning the bathroom on my chore day). Students were ashamed to have their photos taken, many beautiful girls felt they were ugly because of their beautiful dark brown skin. One student, when asked what education would do for them stated "It will make us human beings". Unfortunately, this is all too true in this area. My students' families, almost all illiterate daily workers, are basically treated as work animals by their employers. Without literacy, without access to knowledge about their rights, without capital, and having been told their deserve nothing more than the worst of everything, families focus on survival. I heard horrible stories, similar to those in this article-- about the rape of mushahar women and girls (and it being accepted as normal by those in power). When mushahar people came to visit Sr Jessi, many would not sit in a chair, even if offered, because they had it so pounded it into them that they were not worthy to sit in a chair.
Sr Sudha and Sr Jessi's students are given a different chance-- one where they can use their talents to be someone, and to have hope.

A few things I ran into. First, orphans without cast are suspect of being untouchables - so people had to lie, or not take in certain orphans (very sad) in order to be able to continue serving the lower cast orphan's they had in their charge. In Nepal, a high-caste S. Asian woman got in trouble with her land lord for taking in too low-caste children to her school/orphanage. In India, the home refused to let the kids have cast/religious names that would give away caste - however, when arranging marriages, the girl's caste was back on the table - not sure what will happen with the younger ones.

Casteless kids cannot eat at local restaurants, or even go into the markets in Nepal. I could take the casteless kids to the tourist areas, as the tourists wouldn't be offended by their presence, but I had to go to Tibetan-owned/run restaurants, since the Nepali ones might kick them out anyways.

This was a few years ago, I hope things are getting better - the urban areas weren't as overt, but people only hire their own caste/religion to be safe - sure they weren't accidentally hiring an untouchable.

The funniest part is, as a foreigner, I was also, technically, an untouchable - and the lady who cleaned my room in Nepal would spit every time she walked by my room - I asked, apparently, she was getting rid of the unclean "cooties" or whatever, every time she walked by my room. I wasn't allowed to touch the Brahman's cutlery/plates at the girl's home I lived in in India (unclean, again). Many kitchen's in the mountain villages were off limits too (due to our untouchability)- but most westerners wouldn't notice this, since we don't usually go into kitchens at restaurants anyways. Even very justice-minded people will not want an untouchable around their food. If you really want to observe untouchable discrimination in action, try to touch/handle food (at a market, for example). Often, they will hand it to you, not let you touch it. Muslims don't react this way with food, so it is only noticeable with certain Hindus.

For me, mostly it was mostly amusing (I even drank tea alone - since they couldn't drink it while I was - that would be "eating" with me), but for the untouchables in that society, it barred them from many areas of life. I also knew a few untouchables who lied, and made up a new last name (their caste/last name are the same) for themselves.

How can I donate to this school? Information please?

Caste is a difficult concept for foreigners' to India to grasp. There are two things I've read about caste that I found really interesting. One is that it has been badly misinterpreted and misapplied -- as so many concepts are. People use them to their own advantage and to wield power. There are so many examples in history and especially in religious history.
So I was surprised to read something about caste that was actually positive and uplifting. I think it was Krishnamurti who said the original idea of caste was to uplift people and help them find their place in society. So, for example of you loved books and reading and felt a storing spiritual inclination, you would become Brahmin. If you enjoyed leading and governing, you would become Kshatriya, etc. In this vision of caste, there is no "untouchable," everyone's role is important and valuable,

I have a new post (http://wp.me/p1MDhh-1R) that helps non Indians understand the concept of Caste and Untouchability. I also write about my social and cultural experiences here in the US as opposed to what I have experienced back in India and can be found at knowrealindia.wordpress.com

My son-in-law went to Mumbai earlier this year. His host sent a car for him at the airport. One the way to his hotel the car hit and killed someone. The driver got out of the car, checked the fender, ignored the dead person, got back in the car and continued. Another Canadian guest had a similar experience, but the pedestrian was only injured. The driver just kept on going.

Years ago, my father broke his leg in two places while on a fishing trip north of Bancroft. Following the accident, he had a great doctor nearby fit him with a great cast. Following that, he returned to Toronto to have another great doctor put on another cast. This system of doctors was fantastic.