INDIA, October 2, 2006: Deep in the heartland of Uttar Pradesh, in dozens of villages across the state, Dalits (or Untouchables) have stopped depending on Brahmin priests for weddings, funerals and other ceremonies. Instead, they have turned to a Buddhism-inspired book which has rituals that can be performed by any literate person. The wide use of the Bhim Patra, named after Bhimrao Ambedkar, is part of a quiet rebellion against uppercaste domination. Weddings are now being performed before a statue of Ambedkar. The ceremony is inexpensive and takes only a couple of hours. The bride and the groom light candles, take wedding vows and garland each other. The Bhim Patra also has instructions on funerals and other ceremonies. “We are all Hindus; we have not converted,” said Mohan Lal Gautam, who sells books at a traffic intersection in Lucknow. “But we have stopped following the old rituals. We follow the Bhim Patra. There is no pandit, no worship of gods and goddesses, no dowry and no auspicious time for any wedding.” Priests are feeling the heat. “Dalits have mostly stopped coming to us. They conduct their own ceremonies,” said Jagdamba Prasad Bajai, a priest at Deora village, Lucknow.
A daily summary of world news for Hindus and non-Hindus alike