Socio-Economic Status of The Sarki (A Case Study of Sarki Community in Lamatar VDC Ward No. 1 of Lalitpur)

Abstract

The socio-economic and cultural condition of Sarki (a socially dominated castegroup and backward group of Nepal) is the subject matter. This study gives ashort description ofSarki, for this purpose ward no. 1 of Lamatar VDC of Lalitpurdistrict was selected. Thereare30household of Sarki in ward no. 1andall housesare selected for this study. Descriptive and analytic method is used in this study.Among30household of Sarki, their population is 121among them62are maleand59are female. The general objective of this study is to find out the socio-economic condition of Sarki community. The specific objectives of study area areto analyze the socio-cultural aspects of the Sarki, to examine the economiccondition of Sarki and to find out the problems of the community. According to Hindu caste hierarchy, they are Sudra and known as 'Achhut'(Untouchable). Sarki communtiy of study area has no knowledge about theiranicent home or from where they are migrate in Lamatar. Leather work istraditional occupation of Sarki butlabour is main occupation in study area Sarki community.Now adaystheyare involving in labour and agriculture work. Sarki are religiously Hindu and they follow Hindu religion and worship HinduGod and Goddess.Their culture issame as Brahman and Chhetri. They celebrateDashain, Tihar, Tij etc. Sarkis are exploited by higher caste group and live inunder poverty line with average income NRS45,000per very.Most of them have not sufficient land for survive so they do labour and service work. Their expenditure is more than income. Most of them are uneducated but nowadays their children are going to school and college. Sarki community of Study area only37.19% of the total are literate and 62.81% majority of the population are illiterate. Only 4 Sarkis have passed the SLC. They had given priority on arrange dmarriage.Youth people have not interested with their indigenous knowledge so that knowledge being to hide from study area. They are using normal dress and ornaments such as Brahman and Cheetri and speak Nepali language. They use a lot of liquor (Jand and Raksi) in Festival and Rituals ceremony. Even establishment of Republic in Nepal, caste base discrimination is not totally end but it is slowly decreasing process. Still now, Sarkis are not allowed to enter the house of Brahmans and Chhetris. One interesting point of Sarki, they are uppercaste people than Damai, Chhema,Kami and Podda among Dalit.