The Forgotten Faces of Bihar's Development Story
In a dim, mud-walled hut on the outskirts of Darbhanga, approximately 150 kilometers from Patna, a naked toddler sits cross-legged on the dirt floor. His small hands repeatedly dip into a steel bowl containing rice and watery lentils. Dust completely covers his legs while food grains stick to his face and chest as he eats, completely unaware of the harsh reality surrounding him.
Beyond this particular hut stretches an open field dotted with thatched shelters that serve as homes for many. During monsoon seasons, snakes frequently slither in from these fields, and past incidents have confirmed deaths from snakebites among residents.
Next door, a family of seven people squeezes into a nine-by-nine-foot brick room. Above their heads hangs a cracked concrete roof, precariously supported by rusted iron rods. This roof has collapsed previously, causing injuries to residents, yet they continue living, cooking, and sleeping beneath it, fully aware that the next collapse could prove fatal.
Who Are the Musahars?
These families belong to the Musahar community, one of Bihar's most marginalized Dalit groups that forms 3.1% of the state's population. Historically known as rat-catchers, the Musahars have consistently lived on society's fringes, continuously battling caste stigma and extreme poverty.
According to the Bihar Caste Survey 2022-23, there are approximately 40.35 lakh Musahars in the state, constituting 3.08% of the population. Despite these numbers, only 0.26% secure government jobs. The housing situation reveals deeper disparities: nearly 45% live in huts, 29% in khapda or tin sheds, and 18% in one-room pucca houses. Astonishingly, at least 99.55% lack any vehicle, including basic two-wheelers.
Vivek Kumar Rai, currently pursuing a PhD on Bihar's Musahars at the TERI School of Advanced Studies in New Delhi, observed that while the community's condition has improved compared to previous decades when many survived by gathering food from nature, significant challenges remain. "In several parts of Bihar, they remained in bondage for generations. Now, most depend on agricultural labour or whatever work they can find. However, inequality within the Scheduled Caste category persists and demands urgent policy intervention," he emphasized.
Daily Struggles and Changing Traditions
Most Musahars no longer continue their traditional practice of eating rats. In districts including Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur and Samastipur, several community members confirmed this practice has become "extinct" due to the availability of free rations.
Rekha Devi from Samastipur's Fatehpur Bala village, while cradling her crying child, explained her family's situation: "My mother-in-law receives ration, but I do not. I have four children, and the ration she gets is not enough for all of us."
Residents reported that many community members have paid bribes to officials to obtain ration cards. While overt untouchability practices have reduced, discrimination persists in more subtle forms. Hari Chandra Sada, 42, noted: "It is not as bad as it was long ago, but still, many people do not prefer labourers from the Musahar community for repair work inside their houses. The kids from our village go to Punjab and Bengal for work."
With no steady employment opportunities locally, most adults migrate to states including Punjab, Haryana, Chennai and West Bengal, working primarily as agricultural labourers, brick kiln workers or loaders.
Political Representation Versus Ground Reality
The community's most prominent political figure remains Jitan Ram Manjhi, a Musahar who previously served as Bihar's chief minister and currently holds a Union minister position in the NDA government. His political ascent provided visibility to the community, transforming Musahars into an important vote bank. However, many argue that this representation hasn't translated into tangible progress.
Tanvir Aeijaz, associate professor of political science at Delhi University's Ramjas College, analyzed the situation: "Manjhi's rise, along with a handful of other political representations, has been more symbolic than structural. Their leadership has not created a network of empowered Musahar leaders. Poor implementation of welfare schemes remains a major reason for their slow progress. Political visibility has not become policy action. Real empowerment will come only through access to education, healthcare and jobs."
Election Promises and Electoral Significance
As election season intensifies, every political alliance—from the NDA to the INDIA bloc—actively courts the Musahar vote. Both blocs have made promises to uplift Bihar's most marginalized communities.
INDIA bloc leader Tejashwi Yadav has pledged "one government job per family" and permanent homes for slum dwellers. Meanwhile, the BJP-led NDA has promised one crore jobs, skill centers in every district, and financial support for marginalized families. Both alliances have committed to better access to education, housing, and welfare schemes—issues absolutely central to the dignity of Bihar's poorest citizens. The Musahars hold considerable electoral influence across several constituencies in both north and south Bihar.
Life Without Basic Amenities
In Dhoi village near Darbhanga, approximately 300 Musahars live in huts featuring mud floors and plastic roofs. The 11-member family of Ram Narain Sadai occupies an 11 by-9-foot mud house. Sadai revealed: "None of us has a toilet. We go to the fields." Many women give birth at home due to severely limited access to healthcare facilities.
A few families received pucca houses under a government scheme approximately two decades ago, but most structures now stand in ruins. Budhan Sadai expressed the community's helplessness: "The walls are cracked, the roofs are falling, but where will we go if we leave?"
In Muzaffarpur's Bairia Chowk, construction labourer Vinod Manjhi reported that their settlement, housing 400 people, completely lacks piped water. "We depend on handpumps; we have not received piped water connections yet," he stated.
While some individuals have broken barriers to secure government jobs, the overwhelming majority continues struggling for basic necessities including clean water, toilets, and education. Land ownership remains exceptionally rare, leaving families dependent on landlords and contractors. Poverty deepens further as many fall into debt traps with local lenders.
According to Bappy Rishi, a block development officer from the community, literacy among Musahars in Bihar stands at approximately 35%, as per the 2022-23 caste survey.
Alcohol Consumption Amid Prohibition
Despite prohibition being enforced across Bihar, drinking remains widespread within Musahar settlements. During visits to Darbhanga, Samastipur, and Muzaffarpur, journalists found many men intoxicated.
Inar Devi, whose husband was visibly drunk during the visit, shared: "After getting drunk, the men beat their wives over petty disputes. The liquor is available in the village; there is no prohibition here."
Anil Kumar, who lives near a Musahar settlement in Darbhanga, explained the dangerous situation: "Most of the men drink locally brewed liquor. It's dangerous because it's made without any quality standards. But they don't care as addiction and poverty leave them no choice. Sometimes, entire groups fall sick after drinking it."
The story of Bihar's Musahar community represents a stark reminder that political visibility and electoral promises have yet to translate into meaningful improvement in daily living conditions for one of India's most marginalized communities.
