Question

short note on gullamgiri

Answer 1

Gulamgiri or slavery has existed in different forms in different countries of the world. While in some countries like the USA and South Africa, slavery involved discrimination based on race, in India, for centuries, slavery is associated with birth in a lower caste or class. People who were born to 'lower castes' were forced into slavery by people of 'upper castes'. Similarly rich landlords made poor landless labourers their slaves by forcing them into agricultural labour for their life. The slaves or gulams were given only enough food for sustenance and some clothes or feast during festivals. They were bonded to their masters all their lives and had no freedom. The people could not move out of the estates and seek employment elsewhere. Even the children born to these bonded labourers were to be like their parents. This inhuman practice is now abolished. Despite government efforts and spread of awareness, rare instances are still being reported.