Abstract
‘Conjecturing the Indian Diaspora’ in the context of the homelands is to be constructed by the diasporic imaginary of ‘perceived moments of trauma’ and diasporas as ‘exemplary communities’ of the transnational world of post-modernity. The discourse of nationhood and borders, the grounds on which communities defend the land of origin and assert their cultural identities in the countries of settlement, assumes the patriarchal cultural traditions as the norm, especially in the context of Indian Diaspora. Such narratives then play a central role in defining the codes and conventions of femininity and womanhood. The women, under the Kamlari system, had been subjected to bonded servitude in the Terai region of western Nepal, who got legal liberation in 2013. This paper reflects on the difficulties of the young Tharu ‘Kamlari’ women after that. This study assumes that the much-awaited freedom could not overcome the legacy of the evils of bonded servitude that existed from historical times, specifically, victimising the young women of ‘Tharu’ indigenous community. This paper also discusses how the historical and systemic injustice and the socio-economic disparity occurred on a multidimensional level, forcing these young Tharu women, into bondage, thus continuing their oppression till date. Additionally, these women have also been victims of bonded servitude owing to the intersection of multiple oppressions based on their ethnicity, class and gender.
The word silent majority first used by the 37th U.S. President Richard Nixon in his speech and afterword this phrase carryforward for the group of people who are not outspoken and who are not consider to constitute a majority.
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Notes
- 1.
Tharu is one of the major indigenous communities living in the southern plains of Nepal known as Terai that is rich in grainy soil appropriate for the cultivation of various types of crops. Tharu people represent 6.6% of the total population of Nepal.
- 2.
Indian Mutiny, also called Sepoy Mutiny was a mutiny by the Indian soldiers in the East India Company (British rule) in India in 1857–58. The company had used the Gurkha soldiers who were offered by the Rana Prime Minister of Nepal as an acknowledgement to the British Empire to suppress the Mutiny.
- 3.
Under the Hindu, Monarch is not possible to deal with all transactions only through religious literatures (Shastra). Over the course of time, alterations and amendments were made into the domestic laws, to the tune of the country, time and circumstance, from time to time, and it was known as the Muluki Ain (General Code), which was prepared by an order issued by our great ancestor the then His Majesty to then Prime Minister and came into force on the seventh day of the month of Poush of the year 1910.
- 4.
Maghi is the biggest festival of Tharus, also called as the Maker sakranti festival in the month of Magha of Nepali calendar. This festival also called as a new year of Tharus.
- 5.
The term Khujuni means search and Bujhuni is to agree.
- 6.
The term is used to mark the end of the Rana rule in Nepal and reinstatement of the Rana rule in Nepal in 1950.
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Sarita (2020). The Voice of ‘Silent Majority’: An Indentured Subjugation of Kamlari Women in Nepal. In: Pande, A. (eds) Indentured and Post-Indentured Experiences of Women in the Indian Diaspora. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1177-6_12
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