Bigotry alive for Christian Dalits

The dominant Vanniyars created rules which restricted the movement of the Dalits.

When they visited the parish church they were not allowed to walk on the main street leading to the building. Instead they had to use a side street that led to the church gate.

When Dalits died they were not allowed to be buried in the cemetery. Their burial ground is beyond the village and can only be accessed through a broken path.

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk The village came up around the parish church, Lady of the Rosary Parish Centuries ago, as their forefathers faced social and economic deprivation, many low-caste Hindus embraced Christianity. But in one corner of southern India, their hopes for equality remain unfulfilled hundreds of years on. Called "pariahs", hundreds of Dalit Christians continue to face discrimination - not from Hindus but fellow Christians. Home to about 3,000 Dalit Christians, mostly farm labourers and migrant workers, the area witnessed violence last year when Dalits demanded equal treatment. More than 200km (124 miles) from Chennai, the capital of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, is the village of Eraiyur. They imposed restrictions on Dalits even though they had also converted to Christianity.