Understanding the Dichotomy of Auspicious and Untouchability: An Ethnographic Study of Damai Musicians of Nepal

Abstract

In Nepal, just as in major parts of India and some other South Asian countries, the issue of untouchability still prevails. People even now face unjust discrimination on the basis of caste. They are prohibited from visiting public places such as temples and water taps. In this article, I have investigated the dichotomy of auspiciousness and untouchability faced by the Pariyars, one of the downtrodden caste groups of Nepal, also known as Damai. The music they create, compose and play is famous throughout the country which is popularly known as the Panchai Baja and Naumati Baja and is taken as auspicious. I adopted ethnographic research methods to obtain the qualitative data through in-depth interviews, participant observations and field notes from 21 research participants who were actively engaged in music. I have analysed the social relations and cultural identity in reference to auspicious music and untouchability faced by the Damai musicians of Nepal. The findings indicate that untouchability is an outcome of cultural hegemony, caste-based hierarchy and socio-economic order, fatalism and cultural reproduction despite modernity and social and political awareness among young people. This ethnographic study throws light upon the dichotomy of auspicious and untouchability through the lived experiences of the research participants.