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This is how it is.

"This is how it is. I was never able to go to school. Let us just say this is how it is, our society, from a very long time ago. They called me, 'You Kaami, stay away. You Kaami, walk the other road...

Published22 December 2016
Reading Time 1 mins
Author Stories of Nepal
Location Nepal
This is how it is.

"This is how it is. I was never able to go to school. Let us just say this is how it is, our society, from a very long time ago. They called me, 'You Kaami, stay away. You Kaami, walk the other road...

"This is how it is. I was never able to go to school. Let us just say this is how it is, our society, from a very long time ago. They called me, 'You Kaami, stay away. You Kaami, walk the other road and spare us from your bad luck.' I do not know how I felt. Some uncomfortable feeling from deep inside my stomach. And then late at night, before I retired, I would ask myself, 'Why do I lead such a life? Why am I branded as a low being?' But what would I do? I had to broker for someone else, or else there was no food. You work all day and all you get is a handful of rice. Or the master would say, 'Why don't you finish cutting the grass first and then get something to eat.' Or 'You do all the work today and take your rice tomorrow.' I have endured all of this. The masters are still around. Publicly, they do not say anything, anymore. The law prohibits. But how do you get rid of the feeling of superiority based on caste from one's heart?" (Krishna Bahadur BiKa, Lekhnath 11, Kaski)
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