Badi people

 ( Ethnic Groups In Nepal ) 

Badi () is a Hill Dalit community in Nepal. The 1854 Nepalese Muluki Ain (Legal Code) categorized Badi in the "Impure and Untouchable ( Pani Na Chalne)" category.Gurung, Harka (2005) "Social Exclusion and Maoist Insurgency". Paper presented at National Dialogue Conference at ILO Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal people, Kathmandu, 19–20 January 2005. Badi are categorized under "Hill Dalit" among the 9 broad social groups, along with Damai, Sarki, Kami and Gandarbha by the Government of Nepal. 'Badi' means Vadyabadak, one who plays musical instruments, in Sanskrit. They are Indigenous people of Western Nepal They celebrate their "bhad sakrati" their main festival. They support their impoverished families through daily wages and fishing, woodcutting and making musical instruments.

Due to many caste-based discriminations in Nepal, the government of Nepal legally abolished the caste-system and criminalized any caste-based discrimination, including "untouchability" (the ostracism of a specific caste) - in the year 1963 Anno Domini With Nepal's step towards freedom and equality, Nepal, previously ruled by a Hinduism monarchy was a Hindus nation which has now become a secular state, and on 28 May 2008, it was declared a republic, ending it as the with its caste-based discriminations and the untouchability roots.

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History The Badi remain the lowest ranking dalit caste in western Nepal. The rules of orthodox Hinduism dictate that members of the higher castes (Braham, Chetri, or Thakuri) cannot allow the Badi into their houses, accept water or food from them, use the same village pump, or even brush against them; although higher caste men are allowed to have sex with Badi prostitutes. "For many years, I thought it was my fate to be a prostitute," says a Badi prostitute. "Now I realize this system wasn't made by God. It was made by man." Los Angeles Times: "Badi women of Nepal are trapped in a life of degradation" June 12, 2011 The Advocacy Project: "Born Into Prostitution – The Badi Women" Cox, Thomas E. (2000) "The Intended and Unintended Consequences of AIDS Prevention Among Badi in Tulispur" Himalaya, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies: Vol. 20: No. 1, Article 8.

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Geographical distribution At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, 38,603 people (0.1% of the population in Nepal) were Badi. The frequency of Badi by province was as follows:

• Sudurpashchim Province (0.4%)
• Gandaki Province (0.3%)
• Karnali Province (0.3%)
• Bagmati Province (0.1%)
• Koshi Province (0.1%)
• Lumbini Province (0.1%)
• Madhesh Province (0.0%)

The frequency of Badi was higher than national average in the following districts:

• Bajura District (1.4%)
• Doti District (1.4%)
• Kaski District (0.8%)
• Jajarkot (0.7%)
• Surkhet District (0.5%)
• Tanahun District (0.5%)
• Kailali District (0.4%)
• Achham District (0.3%)
• Dailekh District (0.3%)
• Eastern Rukum (0.3%)
• Kanchanpur (0.3%)
• Mustang District (0.3%)
• Salyan (0.3%)
• Tehrathum (0.3%)
• Western Rukum (0.3%)
• Bajhang District (0.2%)
• Bardiya District (0.2%)
• Dadeldhura (0.2%)
• Humla District (0.2%)
• Nawalpur (0.2%)
• Pyuthan District (0.2%)

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Representation in Culture The novel 'Nathiya(नथीया)', written by the author Saraswati Pratikshya, is based on this community.

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Notes

• Photos of badis at plates 38–30, 41, 48, 50, 51.
• Photojournalism.

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