The Kamaiya Movement

The Kamaiya system was a form of hereditary bonded labor that trapped generations of Tharu families in debt slavery across Nepal’s western Terai region. Tharu farmers, unable to repay loans to landlords, were forced to work without wages — a cycle that passed from parents to children with no escape.

Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary and BASE (Backward Society Education) led a decades-long movement to end this system. Through grassroots organizing, literacy campaigns, legal advocacy, and international pressure, the movement grew to unite over 300,000 members across the region.

On July 17, 2000, the Government of Nepal officially abolished the Kamaiya system — freeing over 200,000 bonded laborers in a single declaration. It was one of the most significant human rights victories in Nepal’s modern history.

The Tharu Cultural Museum preserves the memory of this struggle — honoring those who suffered under the Kamaiya system and celebrating the community’s resilience and hard-won freedom.