Displacement of bhakaris hampers livelihood of Dalits

By Our Correspondent,Gaur, July 29: The traditional occupation of the Dalit community is under threat after the decline of traditional storage baskets (bhakari), which were used in villages to store rice, wheat, pulses, and other grains.

The Dalit communities such as Dom, Musahar, and others who belong to minority caste groups have been making traditional bamboo bhakaris for generations as a means of livelihood. These baskets were used to store grains like rice, wheat, lentils, and other food items. However, in the modern era, with the arrival of attractive bhakaris made from materials like iron and steel, the demand for traditional bamboo bhakaris has been steadily declining, putting the ancestral occupation of these Dalit communities at risk.

In earlier times, large bhakaris were commonly found in the homes of landlords to safely store grains like rice, wheat, lentils, maize, and others. In farmers' homes, smaller bhakaris were used to store around 10 to 15 mans of grains. The Dalit communities, who sustained their livelihood by weaving such baskets, are now facing hardship. In recent years, as the general public has increasingly turned toward modern types of bhakaris available in the market, the sale of traditional bamboo baskets has drastically declined. As a result, Dalits involved in this occupation have reportedly started shifting to other works.

According to Mahendra Dom, his ancestors had been making a living since ancient times by selling items like bhakari, sup, and daliya in the local markets. He said that although he also got involved in the same profession, with the sway of modern era, the demand for these items has gradually declined, leading him to look for alternative work. He added that making bhakari from bamboo requires a lot of time and expense, and since the profit from selling them is very low, it has become extremely difficult to sustain his family.

Similarly, another artisan, Bilash Halkhor, shared that in the past, when common people used to produce rice, wheat, and pulses, they would store them in bhakaris, which made these items highly useful. However, nowadays, from villages to cities, people have started using iron containers for storage, which has reduced the demand for bamboo bhakaris.

He explained that in today's fashion-driven era, housewives believe that keeping bamboo bhakaris at home for grain storage diminishes the beauty of the house and may even draw ridicule from visiting relatives and guests. Such perception has had a negative impact on their sales.