Banaskantha (Gujarat): In a historic moment for Alvada village of Banaskantha district, 24-year-old farm labourer Kirti Chauhan became the first Dalit to get a haircut at the local barber’s shop on August 7. The act, simple on the surface, carried huge emotional weight for the Dalit community, who saw it as a step towards dignity and equality after decades of exclusion.
For generations, barbers in the village had refused to cut the hair of Dalits, forcing them to go to neighbouring villages and even hide their caste identity to get the service. “Our ancestors faced this discrimination even before Independence, and my children endured it for eight decades,” recalled 58-year-old Chhogaji Chauhan.
Kirti Chauhan described the moment with pride and relief. “For the first time in 24 years, I sat at a barber’s in my own village. Previously, we always had to go elsewhere. That day, I felt free and accepted in my own village,” he said.
The breakthrough came after years of effort by local social worker Chetan Dabhi, who spoke to barbers and upper caste villagers about the discriminatory practice. When persuasion failed, officials and police intervened. Mamlatdar Janak Mehta held talks with village leaders, and Sarpanch Suresh Chaudhary expressed regret for the long-standing injustice, saying he was glad it ended during his tenure.
Now, all five barber shops in Alvada welcome Dalit customers. Pintu, the 21-year-old barber who cut Kirti’s hair, said, “We used to follow social customs, but now that the elders have approved the change, there’s no stopping us. Our business is also benefitting.”
Even members of upper caste communities welcomed the move. Prakash Patel, a Patidar villager, said, “If all customers are welcome at my grocery shop, why not the barber’s? It’s good that this wrongful practice has ended.”
Still, the Dalit community points out that inequality persists in other areas. “Today we have a place at the barber’s, but we are still made to sit separately at community feasts. Hopefully, that will end one day,” said Ishwar Chauhan, a Dalit farmer.
For Alvada’s Dalits, this small haircut is not just about grooming—it is a symbol of change. “This is not just a haircut, but a significant step towards equality,” said members of the community.
