The voice of ‘silent majority’: An indentured subjugation of kamlari women in Nepal

Abstract

‘Conjecturing the Indian Diaspora’ in the context of the homelands is to be constructed by the diasporic imaginary of ‘perceived moments of trauma’ and diasporas as ‘exemplary communities’ of the transnational world of post-modernity. The discourse of nationhood and borders, the grounds on which communities defend the land of origin and assert their cultural identities in the countries of settlement, assumes the patriarchal cultural traditions as the norm, especially in the context of Indian Diaspora. Such narratives then play a central role in defining the codes and conventions of femininity and womanhood. The women, under the Kamlari system, had been subjected to bonded servitude in the Terai region of western Nepal, who got legal liberation in 2013. This paper reflects on the difficulties of the young Tharu ‘Kamlari’women after that.This study assumes that themuch-awaited freedom could not overcome the legacy of the evils of bonded servitude that existed from historical times, specifically, victimising the young women of ‘Tharu’ indigenous community. This paper also discusses how the historical and systemic injustice and the socioeconomic disparity occurred on a multidimensional level, forcing these young Tharu women, into bondage, thus continuing their oppression till date. Additionally, these women have also been victims of bonded servitude owing to the intersection of multiple oppressions based on their ethnicity, class and gender.