Landmark book on dalit artistry and indigenous knowledge launched

KATHMANDU, Dec 21: A landmark book documenting the arts, artifacts and indigenous technologies of Nepal’s Dalit community was launched on Friday at the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) Hall, marking a major effort to reframe the country’s cultural and civilizational narrative.

Titled Dalits’ (Shilpees’) Glorious Arts and Artifacts Under Socio-cultural Shackles, the book is authored by scholar Dr Govinda Sarki Nepali and social activist Indira Ghale, and edited by Fraid Kalantari. The publication is the result of 35 years of field-based research, documentation and preservation of traditional skills that the authors say have long remained excluded from state recognition.

Speaking at the launch, Dr Nepali said the Dalit community should be recognised not merely as victims of discrimination, but as inventors and custodians of indigenous knowledge systems. He argued that although Nepali rituals, traditions and daily life depend heavily on Dalit craftsmanship, there is still no institutional mechanism to value their contributions as cultural heritage. The book, he said, aims to assert Dalit identity and push the state toward greater recognition of their skills for future generations.

Co-author Ghale said the publication is intended as a tool for systemic change. Drawing on more than two decades of activism, she stressed that the book places lived experiences at the centre, portraying Dalit individuals as “bearers of knowledge” rather than passive subjects of research. She warned that many traditional skills in metalwork, leathercraft and music are gradually disappearing due to neglect and lack of preservation.

Academic commentators at the event also underlined the book’s significance. Educationist Prof Bidya Nath Koirala said dominant political and academic narratives have long reduced Dalits to symbols of poverty and low literacy, obscuring their creativity and wisdom. Restoring their identity as Bishwakarma—the creator and architect—would reposition Dalits as essential contributors to Nepal’s future, he said.

Researcher Dr Sunita Sharma highlighted the scientific depth of the documentation, noting that many “native technologies” developed by artisans outside formal education systems remain poorly understood by modern science. She credited Dr Nepali’s long-term efforts with creating a vital archive of both tangible and intangible heritage.

The book is organised into ten sections covering utensils and vessels, ornaments and musical instruments, rituals and shamanic practices, and production, technology and science. Based on research conducted across the Himalayas, Hills and Tarai, the study draws on interviews with 237 key informants and direct archaeological assessment.

Richly illustrated, the publication also serves as a photographic archive, featuring hundreds of images of rare tools, ritual objects and cultural artifacts. All documented items have been personally collected and preserved by Dr Nepali in a dedicated museum, offering a rare visual record of Dalit artistry and indigenous technology.