Chronicle of the Bumihar Women

By Serdane Baudhuin

Intern, Pratham 

A long time ago, King Hershevardhan Sing offered a family of deserving farmers ownership of the piece of land of their choice. After a six month search for the perfect place, the farmers singled out an area in the kingdom of Betiah, which became their property. They thus came to be known as the Bumihar : the owners.

The Bumihar started farming: they grew mangos, maize, spinach an much more.

For Bumihar men, all was well: the land was fertile, crops grew easily...

So easily, that there was no need for women to go out to work in the fields. This allowed men force women into invisibility : they were not allowed to walk out of the house, to show their faces, or to address men.

This would go on for centuries, until at last, a women, Neraaj, dared to wander past the borders of Bumihar fields, and came across Pratham Cluster Learning Center in Chanpatiya block of Champaran District.

Neraaj instantly felt a desire to be part of this colorful new world. She passed the test, and was selected for one of the faculties in one of the Pratham Cluster Learning Centers.

To Neeraj's amazement, her decision was met with enthusiasm by the Bumihar women. Her sister-in-law Priya, has been particularly supportive, and offered to take care of Neeraj's family while she is away.

Neeraj now works full time with Pratham Education Foundation. She teaches middle school children and travel widely.

Today, Neeraj sits confidently next to her father in law. Just a few years ago, this would have been completely unthinkable for a Bumihar woman. Neeraj truly has changed the dynamics of Bumihar families.

But there are many women out there still, who yearn for such an opportunity, for an other Pratham to be part of, for an other Cluster Learning Center to open near their village...