3. Thirsts and Thresholds

Consider someone sitting in an air-conditioned room and compare their experience to that of a Darshana, Dalit woman toiling in the sun, working someone’s field for a daily wage. The difference is stark. In these fields, even access to water is unequal. In the realm of environmental discourse, water is often romanticized as the nectar of life, a symbol of purity, and a source of natural beauty. However, for Dalits in India, water carries a burden far heavier than its life-nurturing properties—it is a stark reminder of caste-based discrimination and exclusion.

Imagine fetching water not as a routine chore but as a journey fraught with the fear of facing discrimination and violence. For Dalits, accessing water sources reserved for upper castes can result in ostracization, verbal abuse, or even physical assault. The simple act of quenching one’s thirst becomes a daily struggle.

For Dalits, water is not merely a resource but a reflection of the deep-rooted inequalities that pervade society. It is a reminder of their marginalized status, and that they are denied access to basic necessities that others take for granted. In the absence of equitable distribution and access, water becomes a symbol of oppression—a burden borne solely on the shoulders of those deemed lower in the caste hierarchy.

When I ventured into a remote village in Uttar Pradesh, North India, I met Kamlesh, another Dalit woman laborer. Her voice was frail but resolute as she recounted her struggle: “I have been sick for at least three days now because of this heat. I have lost work and daily wages because of it. I earn Rs. 350 ($4) per day working as a laborer on farms. In the past four days, I’ve lost over Rs. 1000 (around $11) due to the heat and related sickness.”