This Dang village is heralding change by appointing Dalit women as priests

She gets up early every morning, takes a bath, and goes to a nearby temple. She then worships Naags (snake gods), Lord Ganesh, and Shiva one by one by lighting incense sticks and puts tika to the devotees who come to the temple with different aspirations.

She is Rita Nepali, a priest of Naageshwar Parvati Temple in Masina, Ghorahi sub-metropolitan city-18 of Dang. It has been one year since this Dalit lady became a priest at this temple, the centre of faith for all Hindus in the neighbourhood. Devotees of every caste who come to the temple receive the Tika from her hand. They revere her as a Mata (the mother-like goddess) and receive blessings.