In the eyes of a caste-based society, the safai karmacharis embody the worst form of impurity because they handle and dispose night soil, dirt and filth. Safai Mazdoor is a general category used for all workers who do cleaning work.

'The Umbilical Chord Between The Majhis and the Ma-Ganges is not yet broken', believe the boatmen in Varanasi. Majhis as they are locally known belong to the Mallah community, among the lowest in India's exploitative caste pyramid. Mallah is a generic term used for a group of people whose occupation revolves around boating and fishing. They are als