| This essay is based on findings of the recent research | | | | There are pros and cons to examine government's |
| carried out entitled ‘Identity politics of Chhetri | | | | reservation policy to women, ethnic community dalits |
| People; establishment of Chhetri Samaj and women | | | | as well as disadvantaged group. For example, Chhetri |
| participation and mass mobilization in identity issue'. The | | | | women also getting the chance to participate in |
| argument here, I shall put forward are relevant to Lynn | | | | women quota in public service commission's |
| Bennett's findings on the book ‘Dangerous Wives | | | | examination but if there are other women from ethnic |
| and Sacred Sisters; social and symbolic roles of high | | | | communities and dalits, their participation is valueless in |
| caste women in Nepal.' For the purpose of this essay, I | | | | selection. Moreover, the extent collective participation |
| shall refer to my two week long field work experience | | | | of women is changing social subordinate role of the |
| and findings. Many articles and research have been | | | | women in private sphere and leading them towards |
| carried out and published on the subject matter of | | | | the public sphere of women organization, such as |
| identity politics in Nepal. The major political parties' | | | | mother association, mother civil society etc. Apart |
| activities and their decisions regarding ethnicity based | | | | from patriarchal social system the notion of women's |
| federalism are beyond the scope of this essay. This | | | | agency is helping to raise their voice in order to |
| essay will analyze the experience of higher caste | | | | establish their rights in social and national level. Every |
| women and their effort of change through social | | | | woman has the right to participate in public sphere, but |
| organization in Pokhara based on my research findings, | | | | at the same time there is social obligation to caring and |
| with reference to the arguments concerning | | | | raring the children in private sphere due to their physical |
| government reservation policy to women, dalit and | | | | structure. Despite the fact, that their collective effort |
| disadvantaged groups. | | | | through the umbrella organization Chhetri Samaj is |
| Century long traditional social practices of joint family, | | | | positive in order to highlights their rights in public and |
| as well as lack of an adequate environment, are major | | | | private sphere. |
| factors in women subordination and suppression within | | | | Bennett's arguments are mainly based on the Mary |
| the private domain of family. On the top of which | | | | Douglas's notion ‘power and dangers credited to |
| there is a patriarchal social system, which is one of the | | | | social structure are reproduced in small in the human |
| major taboo in women's development. In addition to the | | | | body' and Sandy's theory of ‘female power and |
| field observation and questionnaires survey I also | | | | male dominance' to understand Hindu society, cultural |
| conducted some in depth interviews with different age | | | | and social factors by projecting various myth, ethos, |
| group of women from 16 years to 81 years. They all | | | | religious weenies etc to control the female sexuality as |
| have different experience of own domination within | | | | a dangerous force (Bennett, 1983) but recently |
| the family. In response of my question on why you feel | | | | developed notion of agency is helping women to |
| better to join on caste based organization, all of their | | | | encounter with social and cultural taboos in order to |
| responses were family suppression and government's | | | | express their voice in public domain. In my research, |
| prejudicial reservation system and categorization as | | | | the identity politics of Chhetri people, establishment of |
| other in Interim constitution were main factors to push | | | | Chhetri Samaj and women participation and mass |
| them. | | | | mobilization in the identity issue is reflecting different |
| A further argument in the support of higher | | | | experience of women. Having said that it is complex |
| participation and mass mobilization of women group in | | | | issue only few literature and my two weeks field |
| Chhetri Samaj is the ethnic communities' extreme | | | | observation as well as questionnaires survey is not |
| behaviour to caste group in Pokhara. Furthermore, | | | | sufficient to describe impact of organization in social |
| many women are joining in that organization in the | | | | improvement. Nonetheless agency is the key factors in |
| against of ethnic communities slogan ‘Bahun jati | | | | .all social change of Chhetri caste women in Pokhara. |
| Kashi ja Chhetri jati phasi ja'; for example in my finding | | | | |
| 53 % of women said they are involved in Chhetri | | | | |
| Samaj in the against of ethnic extremism and 47% of | | | | References: |
| women are involved to alter the government's | | | | Bennett, L. (1983). Dangerous Wives and Sacred Sister |
| discriminatory provision of reservation for other group | | | | : Social and Symbolic Roles of High Caste Women in |
| such as Brahaman and Chhetri people (Bhandari, | | | | Nepal . New York : Columbia University Press. |
| 2010). Moreover, most of the educated women are | | | | Bhandari, C. (2010). Identity Politics of Chhetri People; |
| dissatisfied with government's discriminatory provision | | | | Establishment of Chhetri Samaj and women |
| rather than ethnic communities' slogan. For example in | | | | participation and mass mobilization in identity issue. |
| my finding 72% of educated women are raised their | | | | Kathmandu : Conflict, Peace and Development Studies |
| frustration of prejudicial policy of government. | | | | Program T.U. |