Setting an example of social inclusion and equality in a state where there are separate cremation grounds for upper and lower caste people in many areas, a family in Arki in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh earned praises for cremating the mortal remains of a destitute elderly Dalit man.

And that too at a cremation ground meant for upper castes despite some opposition from the members of upper caste community.

The 87-year-old Kapuru Ram who belonged to the Scheduled Caste community, had died on 22 October after prolonged illness in Rauri village under Palog panchayat after which the family of Madan Chauhan, with whom he used to work in the past, decided to cremate him.

“As Chauhan’s family started preparations for cremation of Kapuru Ram, some villagers raised the issue of cremating him at the cremation ground meant for Dalit families.

But Chauhan and his sons, Ajay and Pankaj insisted that he will be cremated at cremation ground meant for upper castes as they considered him a part of their family to which they agreed after some convincing,” Yogesh Chauhan, pradhan of Palog Panchayat told The Statesman.

Chauhan said Kapuru Ram was a resident of adjoining Jalana panchayat but he left his native place after the death of his father at the age of 13 years and started living in Rauri village where he used to work with Chauhan’s family.

“Kapuru Ram, who also used to do small chores of locals, didn’t have relatives in the village as he wasn’t married.

Chauhan’s family looked after him after he fell ill two years due to age related issues,” Chauhan said, adding his two nephews had come to attend his cremation and last rites.

The Palog Panchayat pradhan added the villagers had decided that they would do away with the present system of two cremat ion grounds and there will only be one cremation ground in the panchayat from now on for both the communities. It is worth mentioning here that caste system and discrimination is still prevalent in many parts of the state, especially in the interior areas of Kullu, Mandi, Sirmaur and Solan districts where diktats of local deities reign supreme.

There are separate cremation grounds for upper and lower castes in these areas and any diversion from the age-old traditions results in confrontation between the communities.

In April 2019, upper caste men in Kullu district had prevented members of the Schedule Caste community from cremating an elderly woman at a cremation ground that was constructed by the district administration.

The upper caste men stopped the dalit family from cremation by saying that they would incur the wrath of the local deity if they performed last rites of the woman on the crematorium as it belonged to them.

This had resulted in widespread furore after which the then Governor Acharya Devvrat took cognizance of the issue and gave directions to the district administration to take strict action against the guilty.