Bihar’s Musahars struggle for dignity and survival

PATNA: In a dim, mud-walled hut on the outskirts of Darbhanga, around 150km from Patna, a naked toddler sits cross-legged on the dirt floor, his small hands dipping into a steel bowl of rice and watery lentils. Dust cakes his legs; grains cling to his face and chest as he eats, oblivious to the harsh reality around him. Beyond the hut stretches an open field dotted with thatched shelters. During the monsoon, snakes slither in from the fields, and deaths from snakebites have been reported in the past.

Next door, a family of seven squeezes into a nine-by-nine-foot brick room. The cracked concrete roof, held precariously by rusted iron rods, hangs above their heads. It has collapsed before, injuring residents, yet they continue to live, cook, and sleep beneath it, knowing that the next fall could be fatal.


These families belong to the Musahar community, one of Bihar’s most marginalised Dalit groups, forming 3.1% of the state’s population. Historically branded as rat-catchers, the Musahars have long lived on the fringes of society, battling caste stigma and extreme poverty.

Forgotten majority among the marginalised

According to the Bihar Caste Survey 2022-23, there are around 40.35 lakh Musahars, constituting 3.08% of the population. Yet, only 0.26% are employed in govt jobs. Nearly 45% live in huts, 29% in khapda or tin sheds, and 18% in one-room pucca houses. At least 99.55% lack any vehicle, even a two-wheeler.

Vivek Kumar Rai, who is pursuing a PhD on the Musahars of Bihar at the TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi, said, “Overall, the condition of the Musahar community in the state has improved compared to earlier decades when many survived by gathering food from nature. 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.”

Most Musahars no longer eat rats. In Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur and Samastipur, several members of the community said the practice has become “extinct” because of the availability of free rations. “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,” said Rekha Devi of Samastipur’s Fatehpur Bala village, cradling her crying child.

Residents said many have paid bribes to officials to get ration cards. Though untouchability has reduced, discrimination persists. “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,” said Hari Chandra Sada, 42.

With no steady employment, most adults migrate to Punjab, Haryana, Chennai and West Bengal, working as agricultural labourers, brick kiln workers or loaders.

Manjhi’s rise, but no real change

The community’s most prominent political face is Jitan Ram Manjhi, a Musahar who once served as Bihar’s chief minister and is now a Union minister in the NDA govt. His rise gave visibility to the community, turning the Musahars into an important vote bank. Yet, many say representation has not translated into progress.

“Manjhi’s rise, along with a handful of other political representations, has been more symbolic than structural,” said Tanvir Aeijaz, associate professor of political science at Delhi University’s Ramjas College. “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,” he added.

Poll season significance

As election season unfolds, every political alliance — from the NDA to the INDIA bloc — is eyeing the Musahar vote. Both blocs have promised to uplift Bihar’s most marginalised communities. INDIA bloc leader Tejashwi Yadav has pledged “one govt job per family” and permanent homes for slum dwellers. The BJP-led NDA has promised one crore jobs, skill centres in every district, and financial support for marginalised families. Both have promised better access to education, housing, and welfare schemes — issues central to the dignity of Bihar’s poorest citizens. The Musahars hold electoral influence across several constituencies in north and south Bihar.

Survival without shelter or sanitation

In Dhoi village near Darbhanga, about 300 Musahars live in huts with mud floors and plastic roofs. The 11-member family of Ram Narain Sadai lives in an 11 by-9-foot mud house. “None of us has a toilet. We go to the fields,” said Sadai. Many women give birth at home due to lack of access to healthcare.

A few families received pucca houses under a govt scheme two decades ago, but most are now in ruins. “The walls are cracked, the roofs are falling, but where will we go if we leave?” asked Budhan Sadai.

In Muzaffarpur’s Bairia Chowk, construction labourer Vinod Manjhi said their settlement, home to 400 people, lacks piped water. “We depend on handpumps; we have not received piped water connections yet,” he said.

Some have broken barriers to secure govt jobs, but most continue to struggle for basics such as clean water, toilets, and education. Land ownership remains rare, leaving families dependent on landlords and contractors. Poverty deepens 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 around 35%, as per the 2022-23 caste survey.

Drinking under prohibition

Despite prohibition in Bihar, drinking remains widespread in Musahar settlements. During visits to Darbhanga, Samastipur, and Muzaffarpur, many men were found drunk. “After getting drunk, the men beat their wives over petty disputes. The liquor is available in the village; there is no prohibition here,” said Inar Devi, whose husband was intoxicated.

Anil Kumar, who lives near a Musahar settlement in Darbhanga, said, “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.”