Socio-Economic Status of The Sarki Community (A Case Study of Sarki Community in Sarmoli Vdc of Darchula)

Abstract

The present thesis entitled “socio-economic status of the Sarki community” is the subject matter. A case study of Sarki community of Sarmoli VDC of Darchula District is the partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Rural Development. The general objective of the study is to find out the present condition of socio- economic of Sarki community in Sarmoli VDC. The specific objectives of study area are to analyze the socio-cultural aspects of the Sarki, to analze the economic condition 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 their anicent home or from where they are migrate in Baitadi. Leather work is traditional occupation of Sarki but labour is main occupation in study area Sarki community. Nowadays they are involving in labour and agriculture work. The study is based on both descriptive and analytical methods. Both primary and secondary data have been used in the study. Primary data have been collected using households survey, interview, observation and focus group discussion. There are 340 households in Sarmoli VDC among them 50 household are selected for this study, which account 14.70%. The selection of the study households has been done by using random sampling. Sarki are religiously Hindu and they follow Hindu religion and worship Hindu God and Goddess. Their culture is same as Brahman and Chhetri. They celebrate Dashain, Tihar, Tij etc. Sarkis are exploited by higher caste group and live in under poverty line with average income NRS 45,000 per year. 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 only 41.91% of the total are literate and 58.09% majority of the population are illiterate. Only 4 Sarkis have passed the SLC. They had given priority on arranged marriage. 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 Local(Baitadi) 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 upper caste people than Damai, Chhema, Kami and Podda among Dalit. Finally, it can be concluded that the socio-economic condition of Sarki is not satisfactory, because of illiteracy, poverty, low level of awareness, lack of quality education, lack of discrimination and lack of leadership quality. However, education level, awareness level is increasing among the Sarki.