Kabita Kumari Sada
Kabita Kumari Sadafrom Ward 7 of Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City, Dhanusha, has started writing stories about herself. Kavita is learning to write and speak about caste-based discrimination and various forms of resistances against it as she has experienced it, seen it in her surroundings.
Kavita, who comes from the Dalit community of Madheshi Mushahars whose traditional occupation is to fish and work the earth, now plays not with clay but with cosmetics like mehndi. Kavita, a beautician, has found independence through making dolls and cushions. She lives with her parents-in-law, her husband and a toddler son who is eighteen months old. Her father-in-law is a retired civil servant and a political leader. Kavita is in her second year of Bachelors’ of Business Studies (BBS), while her husband has a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS).
Her father-in-law’s pension and her husband’s salary are the main source of income for
In her quest to understand gender and sexuality, Kavita has begun questioning the practice at her own home where her parents expected the daughters to do the household chores while the sons were sent to school. Kavita believes that women should have all the rights to live as the equals of men, that they should have the independence to choose their own professions. She believes that sexuality is desire that differs from a person’s bodily form.
Kabita Kumari Sadafrom Ward 7 of Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City, Dhanusha, has started writing stories about herself. Kavita is learning to write and speak about caste-based discrimination and various forms of resistances against it as she has experienced it, seen it in her surroundings.
Kavita, who comes from the Dalit community of Madheshi Mushahars whose traditional occupation is to fish and work the earth, now plays not with clay but with cosmetics like mehndi. Kavita, a beautician, has found independence through making dolls and cushions. She lives with her parents-in-law, her husband and a toddler son who is eighteen months old. Her father-in-law is a retired civil servant and a political leader. Kavita is in her second year of Bachelors’ of Business Studies (BBS), while her husband has a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS).
Her father-in-law’s pension and her husband’s salary are the main source of income for the poor household which owns only 4 dhurs of land. She has continued her education alongside rearing a child and fulfilling her domestic duties. She has been challenging the traditional attitude of keeping the daughter-in-law confined to the home and behind the veil and not sending them outside the home. As a child, Kavita stayed quiet when she experienced discriminations like being told to sit away from communal water taps, etc. But now she doesn’t believe in tolerating oppression just because of her caste. After her studies and interactions, she doesn’t believe that God has created people as higher or lower castes, but thinks that caste is a social system created by people of the so-called ‘higher castes’ to rule over others.
In her quest to understand gender and sexuality, Kavita has begun questioning the practice at her own home where her parents expected the daughters to do the household chores while the sons were sent to school. Kavita believes that women should have all the rights to live as the equals of men, that they should have the independence to choose their own professions. She believes that sexuality is desire that differs from a person’s bodily form.
After her studies, Kavita has experienced a growth in her skills to minutely analyse any topic, to study, speak and explore, and to arrive at objective insights. She believes that she is currently learning to carefully choose her words when she speaks and writes articles, and also to make videos. She says that she has learned to think deeply about any subject, to analyse and investigate, to develop the skill of quickly presenting her opinions in a logical and insightful manner, and to best utilize the time available to her. Most of all, she believes that she has developed the skills and knowledge needed for her to recognize herself.
Kavita has gathered the courage to tell the stories of her lived experiences. Now she wishes to join campaigns for social equity which bring out the stories of struggles experienced by women, Dalits and sexual minorities who live at the lowest rungs of society, just like she does.
