Children of God

Posted on April 21, 2015 by

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 image from Google images, public domain

 

 Yesterday was our two hour walk through the city of “The Children of God.”  This is the name  Gandhi-ji gave the lowest caste of the pyramid in India.  They are the lowest of the low.  Today, I want to just introduce you to the city inside the city of Ahmedabad.  It is not the only one by far, but is the nearest to Gandhi Ashram. Lots of pictures were taken but not by me, as I was furiously passing out candy to the kids.  So I have to wait for some images to be posted.

In the mean time, here is some information about the Dalits and the slums in India and a national organization consisting of Dalits and published  as navsarjan.org.  

India’s caste system assigns individuals a certain hierarchical status according to Hindu beliefs. Traditionally, there are four principal castes (divided into many sub-categories) and one category of people who fall outside the caste system—the Dalits. As members of the lowest rank of Indian society, Dalits face discrimination at almost every level: from access to education and medical facilities to restrictions on where they can live and what jobs they can have. The discrimination against the Dalits is especially significant because of the number of people affected; there are approximately 167 million Dalits in India, constituting over 16 percent of the total population.

Navsarjan is a grassroots Dalit organization dedicated to ensuring human rights for all. Our mission is to eliminate discrimination based on untouchability practices; ensure equality of status and opportunities for all, regardless of caste, class or gender; and to ensure the rule of law..

Navsarjan is the largest Dalit organization in Gujarat, and one of the most effective in India.  It is active in more than 3,000 villages, as well as in the cities.  A field staff of about 80 men and women—most of whom come from the communities in which they work—keep Navsarjan in tune with the needs of people on the ground.

I was surprised that there were not more videos available for a walk through in a slum in Ahmedabad.  The absence of sound or music makes the images more stark.

https://youtu.be/HQKTzGVQNUs

This Is Incredible India! 

About annetbell

I am a retired elementary teacher, well seasoned world traveler,new blogger, grandmother, and a new enthusiastic discoverer of the wonderfully complex country of India. Anne
This entry was posted in Amdavad, India, Travel, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

18 Responses to Children of God

  1. ShaunyNews says:
    April 21, 2015 at 9:52 pm

    Loved this. Ever noticed the poorer the people the happier they are? I look to (Example) families in tribes in Africa living in a mud hut, and the only focus they have each day is “Will we eat” So they go fishing, hunting etc. If they get a good catch, that has been a good day. No tax to pay, no bank account to keep an eye on, no TV to blind them. These people are the happiest. I think this says a lot about the 1st World people (G8/G20 Countries) Where everyone has TV/Internet/Money….Yet are unhappy. Amazes me it does.. x Good article.. x
    Enjoy your last few weeks in India… Then it’s back home to family and friends.. ❤

    Reply
  2. annetbell says:
    April 22, 2015 at 2:55 am

    Oh Shaun, I wish you could have seen the adorable smiling children with their white teeth shining in the sun! and the adults reaching for my hand. It was I who wanted to be a part of them!

    Reply
  3. Somali K Chakrabarti says:
    September 12, 2015 at 5:02 pm

    Impressed to see that you have touched upon different aspects of India.
    Here’s a little about the caste system. In the ancient times, the caste system was developed to divide people on the basis on the work they did. The problem was when it became sort of hereditary, it lead to discrimination against certain communities. With education such discrimination has gone down but still hasn’t vanished. Reservations are there in education system as well, but there too people who avail the benefits keep on availing for generations, while many others of the community are left out, Of course, it doesn’t make any sense to continue with discrimination now, and these kids deserve to be given proper education and equal opportunities so that their smile on their face stays even after they become adults.

    Reply

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