UP Elections 2017: Harijan, once used by Mahatma Gandhi is now considered derogatory.
If caste equations play a dominant role in Uttar Pradesh politics, on the ground, its reflection can be seen in villages like Harijanpur. Blatantly named after castes or groupings of their residents, such villages can be found in every corner of the state. Harijanpur -- 20 km on an extremely bad road from Chitrakoot's Manikpur block and home to 530 Dalit voters -- is all set for Thursday's vote, in which they have been promised much, but not a change of name.
For villagers like Kalavati, this is the ultimate stamp of shame. "
Ghrina aati hai," said the 60-year-old widow, seated in a neighbour's house. The words loosely translate to feeling disgusted with the name of her village. Kalavati says she wants an immediate change - involving the removal of the word "Harijan".
Once popularised by Mahatma Gandhi in his fight against untouchability, the word is now considered derogatory. "I don't like this name. If it got changed, I could go into society with more dignity," she said.
Sitting nearby, 50-year-old farmer Ramakant chips in: "Earlier, we raised this name change demand and this was converted into a Ambedkar gram in Mayawati's tenure. That scheme lasted for three years and that's the only time we saw any development," he says.
At the village well, scores of women can be seen with a list of demands usual in this part of the country which is drought hit and impoverished. Their three key demands are a decent road, irrigation for crops and employment.
Further ahead in the village, we meet Ashish and Arjun, both in their early 20s, who say forget names, the biggest issue here is migration. Ashish has just returned from a factory in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar, Arjun from Jaipur. Local-level employment, they say, is the big issue. Not the name of the village.
"When I go out, I just say I'm from Chitrakoot. That's how we are identified anyway," says Arjun. "I think the impact of caste is coming down in our society," adds Ashish.
Asked about the only political presence in the village -- a Mayawati sticker pasted outside a thatched hut - he said, "We will vote for the person who works and does some good for us".