Nepal, June 8 -- On June 4, I visited the Gurkha village of Dhampus in the Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality, close to the town of Pokhara. I was invited there to address a gathering of Dalits to celebrate the Day for the Elimination of Untouchability and Caste Discrimination. What I saw there was not just the persistent exclusion and humiliation of Dalits, but also a great mismatch between the aspirations of the Dalit community in Dhampus (and beyond) and the narratives of the Dalit movement.

The Dhampus story

The village of Dhampus is about 60 km north-west of Pokhara. The beautiful Gurung village atop a massive hill lies on the trekking route to Mardi peak and has itself transformed into a tourist destination. Long a hub of Gurkha rec...