Rajbiraj, March 8

The Dom community in Saptari are considered as ‘untouchables’ by so-called upper caste people. But a newly-wed couple from a ‘high caste’ went to their village to celebrate Holi with them yesterday.

Famous Maithili singer Anju Yadav of Saptari’s Bishnupur Rural Municipality-1, who had tied the knot with Ram Binaya Yadav of Laxmaniya Rural Municipality-1 of Dhanusha on February 19, reached the village of the Dalits in Rajgadh Rural Municipality-5 to celebrate the festival of colour.

Ram Binaya, who is a medical doctor also provided free treatment for the children in the settlement.

Anju, who is also involved in social service, had also taken guardianship of three children of the Dom community during school enrolment programme last year.

Accompanied by her husband, she reached the village with food, clothes and stationery materials.

After distributing those among the Dom children, the couple celebrated Holi with them by smearing colour on each other.

Commenting about their decision to celebrate Holi with the children of the Dalit community, the couple said they went to the village to celebrate Holi hoping that their act would encourage others also to come forward and break down the practice of caste-discrimination.

The children and their guardians were elated by the visit of the couple in their village. “This has been a new experience for the children, their parents and for us as well,” said Anju.