A Mirror To
Valmiki Community

In this video the correspondent profiles his own community – the Valmikis, perhaps the most oppressed community in India.

Amit Kumar lives in Ladwa – an urban village in Kurukshetra district of Haryana, along with 1200 of his Valmiki Dalit community members. The Valmikis are among India’s most vulnerable people who are regularly tortured, ostracized and discriminated against by people of higher caste.

As a Valmiki, Amit has shared most of what his community experiences everyday – untouchability and discrimination. As a school student he faced discriminatory treatment from ‘upper’ caste teachers. Even today, he is barred from entering the temple in his village, and his ‘upper caste’ neighbours don’t allow him to enter their homes or touch them.

Watch Amit’s profile video here

Although ‘untouchability’ was declared illegal in 1950 it continues to haunt millions of Dalit men, women and children. Most of them are also trapped in a cycle of poverty and illiteracy. It is estimated that over 50% of India’s 150 million Dalits still do not have proper housing, medical care, education and employment prospects. In Amit’s Valmiki community only 10% people are literate. 90% of them, including Amit’s own family, live below the poverty line (earning less than 7 USD a month).

Valmikis are considered the ‘lowest of the low’, at the very bottom of the hierarchical caste ladder. When it comes to livelihood, most in the community continue their caste assigned menial and filthy jobs such as skinning of animal, cleaning animal hides, cleaning drains, sweeping streets, public toilets and manual scavenging. Amit’s own parents are street sweepers. By taking up the jobs that nobody else will do, the Valmikis provide the most crucial service to the society and therefore help our civic system survive. Yet the society seldom takes notice of them. In fact, instead of giving them the dignity of labour that they deserve, the society treats them as filthy and polluting. And the only time that Valmikis are in news, is when the community is attacked/ostracized by the ‘higher’ castes. Other times the community is practically invisible and unheard.

However, of late there have been some changes in his community. More children are now admitted in schools, because parents want their children to get educated and have a better future. As a result, the community now has a handful of youth who have been to a college –like Amit did. The government has provided free housing to the community under special schemes. So most of his community members now have a home of their own. But as far as caste-based atrocities are concerned, they are continuing. Amit hopes that education and public awareness can help decrease this as well. Through this video Amit wants to reach out to the global community with the message ‘Do not alienate us. We have lived apart from other communities for long. It’s time to live together’.

You too can reach out to Amit and his community by leaving a comment.

If you are an NGO working on Dalit or Human rights, click here to get more information from Dalit communities across India.

Amit Kumar
This is Amit Kumar from Kurukshetra District, Haryana where the greatest war Mahabharat took place. Before joining Video Volunteers he worked with Dost an NGO that works for child labour. He also works for Dalit Education, Drug abuse, Manual slavery, etc. He feels through India Unheard he has a chance to present his community's problems to the world.

Amit Kumar has produced 13 stories for us.

10 Responses to “A Mirror To
Valmiki Community”

1. astrokid.nj says:

   November 2, 2010 at 6:07 pm

   Amit,
   It is disheartening to see the caste system in action, and my eyes were opened to this only recently. I realize the privilege that I had as a higher caste, and I see how the dalits are under-privileged. My best wishes are with you in this crusade, and hopefully I can support you in some way in the future.
2. prahtiba says:

   November 5, 2010 at 6:55 pm

   hi amit

   i encourage u becoz u hav to fight for ur people .take ther sufferings and pain discrimination to every heart.i think ur community is great becoz they hav the power of suffering n patience.ur complete Indians.pls advice ur people for education from which they can get respect in the society.untoucable is completely inhumanity.
3. VIjayant says:

   November 8, 2010 at 10:21 pm

   im lucky to know a person form ur community and is a great person to be with. Before watching ur video, I have learned from her how much the caste system is rooted in the psyche of us Indians. However, having searched through the internet and documents referencing the Hindu scriptures, this a political discrimination only and not a social one. however, this has over the time been made into a social norm which has harmed us a lot and not benefited in a single way. U have my wishes and support in ur endeavour. keep up the god job…and keep ur crusade running!!!
4. Jai Kumar Choutala says:

   January 3, 2011 at 11:07 am

   Hi Amit
   I am too happy after looking ur work for our society i am also sociel worker or runing my own ngo lakshya of yuva in delhi you will be happy to know that we r also working for child labour in delhi one of my friend in labour commissioner in delhi who belong to valmiki caste.
   After some days we opning valmiki information beuro in the world so i want to take some help from u so pls help us for next generation of valmiki society
   You can contact me
   JAI KUMAR CHOUTALA
   68 Gandhi sadan Mandir Marg
   near Historical Maharishi Valmiki Temple
   New Delhi-1
   09212887706
   011-64118093
   jaikumar_choutala@yahoo.com
   I am waiting my friend………
5. Sanjay Bagri says:

   February 8, 2011 at 8:23 am

   Hi Amit,

   I feel glad that you have started the endless journey to make our society free from all kinds of discrimination.

   Thanks and BEST OF LUCK.

   Sanjay Bagri
6. Ramesh Gautam says:

   March 6, 2011 at 12:24 am

   Hi Amit,

   It is nice to see your efforts to fight against discrimination in a peaceful manner. The concept is only with the people of narrow vision. Thanks. Please keep this up.

   Ramesh Gautam
   Pithoragarh (UK)
7. 三重住商 says:

   March 9, 2011 at 9:37 am

   Very interesting, thank you for sharing!
8. sanjeev lodha says:

   May 5, 2011 at 6:16 pm

   Hi,Champ a hats of to you,the work you had done is really an eye opening to those who think that our community is only for the work which is forced to us in past.Dear now time has changed myself working as seniour manager in MNC bank a MBA from the premier institute of india and my brother also a B.Tech from premier institute of india and working in foriegn,MY sister is a govt.teacher and my father also a officer.Time has changed i know lot’s guys from our community who are really doing well in achieving sucess.But still a lot to do as a valmiki for the society.I hope the people like you will do something to change the situation.My society looking with a great hope to you.
9. abhishek says:

   July 1, 2011 at 8:46 am

   it is very glad to see that many people are working for the upliftment of our society.many of our brothers face discrimination till now on the basis of castes.i appreciate your effort for the enlightment of our caste and community.
10. 4thAugust1932 says:

    December 10, 2011 at 6:48 pm

    India is NOT a Hindu state. Nor Hinduism is the “state religion” of India.
    Go to Nepal (Hindu nation).
    Or take your caste share of land (5-15%) from India and build your own nation.
    Google “Communal Award”.