Substantially Present but Invisible, Excluded and Marginalised: A Study of Musahars in Bihar

Abstract

This article is an engagement with the socio-cultural, economic and political life-world of a Scheduled Caste, namely the Musahars, in light of official records and field data collected from four villages in Bihar. Against the background of Brahminical, colonial and post-colonial understandings of Musahars, the article presents an ethnographic account of Musahars by reflecting on their life cycle, culture and educational, health, political and economic conditions. They have remained as usual a poor, landless, marginalised and excluded caste group in the state of Bihar. The discourses representing Musahars in a negative manner have continued to remain as deeply embedded forms of structural violence against Musahars. The article finds that the Naxalite movement in Bihar has generated a somewhat socio-political awareness and aspiration among the Musahars and is equipping them to fight against the system for their well-being.