Around 250 women in to the profession of sanitation such as cleaning toilets and belonging to socially marginalised sections of the Hindu society got access to revered temples in holy town of Varanasi of India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Monday (June 20).
The event was a part of an anti apartheid campaign launched by a non-government organisation, Sulabh International.
Under this campaign, volunteers of Sulabh International educate the public to end orthodox beliefs and also convince people doing menial jobs acceptable in the society.
Women belonging to Alwar, Tonk in northwestern Rajasthan and Arrah in eastern Bihar states have been beneficiaries of the exercise.
One of the women beneficiaries in the campaign expressed her happiness on being able to worship deities at revered places and also being accepted in the society without any discrimination.
"Earlier I used to clean waste materials and faced a lot of discrimination from people. We were not allowed to go temples, even water was provided to us from a distance. Since my association with Sulabh I left this job and due to sir (Bindeshwar Pathak, founder Sulabh International) have had the opportunity to visit temples. I am doing a respectable job and had never thought of visiting a temple or Delhi in my life. It was like a dream for a poor person like me, and due to sir this has become possible and we are very happy," said Anita.
The group of women chanted hymns as they entered the temples including the sanctum sanctorum and bathed in the holy River Ganga other than having lunch with priestly families belonging to the Brahmin class, considered to be the highest section in the society.
Bindeshwar Pathak, founder Sulabh International told media persons on the need to bring this class of society at par with the rest and end discrimination.
"This tradition has been carried on since 5,000 years in which their ancestors used to clean toilets and they had to follow the same profession. Girls even of the age of seven years had to begin joining the profession at that age, one can't find words to describe their discrimination," said Pathak.
For centuries people in to the occupation of cleaning toilets have been discriminated and they faced social apartheid in India.
Different non-governmental organisations across India are fighting for their equality other than imparting vocational and skilled training so that they can switch professions and earn a respectable living in the society.
In a bid to end social apartheid, a group of 250 women belonging to lower strata of Hindu society are given access to worship deities at revered temples in the holy town of Varanasi in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL
VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (JUNE 20, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)
1. WOMEN DRESSED IN BLUE SARIS BELONGING TO THE MARGINALISED SECTIONS OF SOCIETY ENTERING A TEMPLE PREMISES
2. WOMEN HOLDING RELIGIOUS OFFERINGS WALKING IN A LANE
3. BINDESHWAR PATHAK FOUNDER SULABH INTERNATIONAL, WALKING WITH THE WOMEN
4. WOMEN WALKING IN A GROUP
5. WOMEN CHANTING RELIGIOUS SLOGANS
6. WOMEN CHANTING HYMNS
7. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) ANITA, A MARGINALISED WOMAN, SAYING:
"Earlier I used to clean waste materials and faced a lot of discrimination from people. We were not allowed to go temples, even water was provided to us from a distance. Since my association with Sulabh I left this job and due to sir (Bindeshwar Pathak, founder Sulabh International) have had the opportunity to visit temples. I am doing a respectable job and had never thought of visiting a temple or Delhi in my life. It was like a dream for a poor person like me, and due to sir this has become possible and we are very happy."
8. WOMEN ON THE BANKS OF RIVER GANGA
9. WOMEN OFFERING PRAYERS
10. WOMEN PERFORMING RELIGIOUS RITUALS
11. WOMEN WALKING AWAY AFTER TAKING A DIP IN THE RIVER
12. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) BINDESHWARI PATHAK, FOUNDER, SULABH INTERNATIONAL, A NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION, SAYING:
"This tradition has been carried on since 5,000 years in which their ancestors used to clean toilets and they had to follow the same profession. Girls even of the age of seven years had to begin joining the profession at that age, one can't find words to describe their discrimination."
13. A PRIEST PERFORMING RELIGIOUS RITUALS
14. WOMEN EATING FOOD WITH THE PRIESTS
15. A PRIEST EATING
16. WOMEN SITTING OPPOSITE PRIESTS AND THEIR FAMILIES
17. CHILDREN CHANTING PRAYERS DURING THE FEAST
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