Kathmandu, 24 Sep: The Raute community, who once sustained their lives in the jungles by foraging for fruits, yams, tubers, and roots, have now begun to integrate and mingle with other castes in mainstream society. However, their transition is marked by significant challenges. When they lived in the forests, they relied on crafting wooden materials for their livelihood. Since being relocated to settlements by the government, they are no longer able to bring wood from the jungle, forcing them to depend on the social security allowance provided by the state for their survival.
Badsingh Raute of Tundikhel, Bhimdatta Municipality-9 in Kanchanpur, explains that while his community now participates in every social activity, the lack of suitable employment is a major issue. “The government brought us from the jungle to the settlement and gives us a monthly allowance. Since I did not get work that matches my skills, I have had to survive on the government’s allowance,” he said. He acknowledges a better life in the community compared to their former nomadic existence but laments that the absence of income-generating opportunities tailored to their traditional skills has created new problems. Although they have started living like other citizens after returning from the jungle, the lack of work matching their expertise remains a pressing concern.
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The government’s allowance has proven insufficient, leading to further hardship and family separation. Kiri Devi Raute shares that while they have integrated socially, the employment problem persists. “We have mingled with the society, but the lack of employment has caused difficulties,” she stated. “The allowance wasn’t enough to manage our daily expenses, so my son had to go to India in search of work.” She expresses a preference for community life over their former jungle existence but wishes the government would focus on helping them generate their own income. “It feels better to have left the jungle life and started living like other citizens here. It would have been better if the government had emphasized income generation for us,” she added.
In Kanchanpur, a district with a population of nearly five lakhs, only three families belong to the Raute community. Having migrated from Lali in Darchula via Jogbudha in Dadeldhura to Tundikhel in Kanchanpur, the Rautes are now searching for alternatives to their traditional occupation. Anita Raute highlights the struggle, noting, “It’s hard to survive here with the same skills our ancestors used. If we find work in the village, we go for manual labour.” She stresses the need for modern, relevant skills training, stating, “The government must focus on making us self-reliant by teaching us skills suitable for the present time.”
Their way of life has fundamentally changed. While they once bartered wooden utensils for grain in the jungle, they now use the government allowance to purchase daily necessities. A positive sign of integration is their increasing participation in all local festivals and community events, indicating a slow but steady process of social inclusion hampered primarily by economic insecurity.
