Photography
Photo series Kataiya, Nepal
The small village of Kataiya is located in the southeast of Nepal near the border with India. After a bus ride of more than 10.5 hours from the capital Kathmandu, I arrive in a different world. The unpaved road becomes narrower and small mud houses with straw or corrugated iron roofs loom next to the road. I am stared at by the residents who do not speak a word of English, but have their own language: Maithali. About 60 to 70 families live in this village, which amounts to about 400 people. Different castes live in this village. I am staying with a Muhasar family. The Muhasar fall under the Dalit community. The caste system has existed in Nepal for centuries. The Dalits, also called ''untouchables'', fall outside the four main castes and are called casteless. They are seen as the lowest social class in the country. It is estimated that the Dalit community comprises approximately 13 percent of Nepal's population, which amounts to more than 3 million people. Although the caste system in Nepal was officially abolished in 1951, it is still deeply rooted in the Nepalese community. The impressive stories behind these people have inspired me to create these two photo series: one series in color and one series in black and white.
