Documentary Musahar (The Life Story Of Musahar Child)

The Musahar were traditionally rat-catchers, and there is still uncertainty as to their exact origin. According to a local legend, the god Brahma created man and gave him a horse to ride. The first Musahar decided to dig holes in the belly of the horse to fix his feet as he rode. This offended the god, who punished them by making them rat-catchers.[citation needed] In Bihar, the word Musahar is said to be derived from mūs, a local Bhojpuri and Sanskrit word for a rat or mouse, on account of their traditional occupation as rat catchers. They are found in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and north Madhya Pradesh and the Terai region of Nepal. The Musahar speak the Bhojpuri dialect of Hindi and Nepali.