Indian society is associated with the word CASTE.
Its very painful to know that, even the third and fourth generations are sticked to the caste system.
In earlier days, there exists four castes that are arranged in hierarchy. Lets Skip the Aryans. The four castes that are stamped to people are, the Brahmins who are the Priests, Shatriyas who are the aristocrats, warriors and rulers – we name them kings ( Poor kings, they even got the second place in the caste system), Vaisyas who are the Landlords, Business men of the society, and Sundras are the peasants who are termed as the unskilled workers. And Poor souls..who are not even added to the caste system… are Outcastes who work as and are suppose to work as sweepers and sewage cleaners which are considered as degrading jobs…and are given a distinctive impression.. UNTOUCHABLES. How horrible it is to hear. He or She is none, but a fellow human being.
They are devoid of their social and economical rights..
In modern world…a person who falls under an outcaste happens to be a Software enginner or Doctor or an Astronaut. If the caste systems are really based on the Occupations..why not change the status of the person’s Community certificate from Outcaste to the one higher in the hierarchy.
And if a person who falls in the higher hierarchy loses all his money in his life and pushed to work as a polluted worker… will they be termed as Outcastes or untouchables??? They dont even want to imagine such a thing…. right?
So, however the occupations change..the caste they had been stamped will not change..right? Then, Why do you determine the castes with occupations? Its was purely to differentiate touchables and Untouchables in olden days.
There are few people living in urban areas (in the modern world), who needed those who are considered as outcastes to clean their houses and washroom.. But wouldn’t want to allow them through their main entrance…some never allow them in their kitchen too. Few keep separate dishes for them..(if they are very generous) to give them the leftovers.
I wonder, a strict caste-rian will interrogate a person’s caste when he needs blood in an emergency?!?!?! I hope not. When you are ready to allow their blood pass through your own stream…….why not accept them as your on par humans???
Why not accept other caste person as your spouse???
After it has been announced that India will be a democratic and socialistic country…Practicing untouchability or discriminating a person based on his caste is legally forbidden.
In urban life, people are more flexible in their caste system when compared to the rural. An educated person, employed in a Multi national company mingles even with an outcaste person in their equal grade. They never dare to strike out the collegue who had uplifted their status. But when they are back home.. the treatment with their maids of the same outcaste makes a lot of difference. Do you think people are changed in mind with the caste system in cities. I believe they are bound to the visions of the society. They are withdrawn only becos of the thought that “what others might think of me, if they know m a very strict Caste – rian”
Every individual is an elite of the Indian society. I’m glad that in modern India the untouchablity exists in a very low extent. But m also sorry that it still exists even in a very low extent.
I would agree that, the government also entitles a positive discrimination on the depressed castes to help them come forward. This again raises the discrimination among the people with the reservations of jobs and studies. No priorities and reservations. These kind of positive discrimination again keeps the low as low and high as high…it is very smothering to the depressed when the priorities and reservations are given. But in-depth it says..” You are still a Low caste..u are only given an opportunity..thats it” .
Positive discrimination never will bring a solution for the caste system in people’s mind. The only solution is to remove the caste system from the laws. That gradually discards the caste, at least from the minds of the future generations..
It is the ability and capability which has to be considered. It is not meant that a person from a higher hierarchy has good brains compared to the depressed. When an opportunity is given, a depressed can go far ahead of an higher hierarchy and vise-versa. We are gifted with brains which does not have difference in them. It is only our thoughts that directs us in different pathways. Every individual is capable to learn. And everyone is gifted with a talent.
Carpentry, Hair salons, Painting jobs, Cleaning are few examples which shines as good business in modern days. People prefer to go for a modular kitchen..Beauty salons… Interior decorations. And Government itself signing a contract with foreign countries for better road system and a clean earthy environment.
My gratitude to Mahatma Gandhi, who named the Outcaste people, Harijans which means Children of God, from their former name Dalit, which means depressed. The title Harijan was given, so that the society would accept the people within them, who are considered as untouchables. If Mahatma Gandhi would have taken a little more effort to erase all the four castes listed on top of the hierarchy, and brought under the name Harijans (Children of God)…..our country would have been more stronger. Like the story which says, ” a single twig can be easily broken, whereas a bunch of twigs tied together is hard to break” In real life…we can’t bring our legend Mahatma back. But, we can implant the message of him in our minds and hearts. “We all are Children of God”.
Legally the government disallows the practice of caste system…Yet, in most humans, it is deeply engraved in their hearts. A person must be considered as a person, regardless of their job, class, race and colour. Only if you consider the same, proud to be an Indian. Otherwise, the Patriotism for your country is only the mask you wear!
Caste/Community – A column that has to be deleted from the Indian school application forms…Lets work towards this goal, if we really wish the Caste system to fade away from our hearts and our laws.
Community certificate is an absurd to me…i believe, it is the origin for anything and everything that drives the human race from good.. to bad..worse and gruesome. I wish when i enroll my child in a school in India, there should be no necessary for Community certificate among the birth certificate and Nationality certificate.
To my generation and the generations that follows me..
1. Have you ever asked anybody in your life, what caste they belong to ? ( it doesn’t matter you are high or low)
2. Have you ever felt proud to say, “that friend of mine or that person belongs to my caste”?
3. Have you ever had a thought of an Inter caste marriage?
4. At the least, have you developed a mindset of Intercaste marriage with your next generations?
5. Have you ever practiced untouchability in your life? It doesn’t mean the same way as in olden days. It can be how you are treating your maids and poor people… Sitting next to a polluted worker in a bus… any discrimination?!?!?
If you feel guilt of the above questions… Never dare and proud to say you are an INDIAN.
M not linking Religion and Caste here. Whatever the religion you are and whoever the God you worship..the God is one..who is above all of us. When people are getting married to a different religion and one of the spouse starts worshiping a different God…which is quite difficult to adapt…why not follow the same with caste. Religion is something which you are molded with, right from your birth. But do you think we have to give Caste the same importance as Religion? Does it comes in our everyday life?
Oh God! Oh Jesus! Oh Allah! Oh Krishna!… These are the words that are expressed in sigh.. not a single human being will utter a caste’s name as a sign of expression or use that in our daily life..
Then, why do you have to stick to the Caste system…let that remain with our ancestors who cannot be changed from their rigid hearts as they are determined from birth. Look at a person in their hearts….Marry a person only as a person. Be friend with a person only as a human. Lets cuff our hands together to clean the minds of Indian souls. We run the blood of the country which has peace as identity. Lets look forward for one with clear minds…
M furiously submitting the contents right from my heart… Because, I was annoyed by a person who dare to ask me what caste i am….even before asking me where i am from..
I am not here to offend anyone. Its the train of thoughts that was there in my mind for a long time……which gathered down into words….with concern.
Boneyz inspired perceptions !! 