Shame on you if you are able to read this blog using Internet and then utilise your caste to get a seat or a job. Wait, what's the connection between them? Does reading a blog or using Internet or caste based reservations have any connections? I think so. And this is how I make sense.
Castes have been in existence for centuries in India. They are called Varnas. According to Hinduism, "Varna is the term for the four broad ranks into which traditional Hindu society is divided. The four varnas are:
- the Brahmins: priests, teachers and preachers.
- the Kshatriyas: kings, governors, warriors and soldiers.
- the Vaishyas: cattle herders, agriculturists, businessmen, artisans[1] and merchants.[2]
- the Shudras: labourers and service providers." (source- wikipedia)
Hang in there. What do we see here? Professions? Occupations? Services that each individual provides? Then, if we are following our castes, shouldn't we technically be providing those services. Like any Brahmin born across India should be in temples, or schools or just dedicate one's life to god.
A Kshatriya should ideally be politician or a soldier working in Army.
A vaishya should be maintaining a cattle herd, or ploughing the soil, raising crops or managing retails.
a Shudra should be a laborer or totally into providing services to the society.
But we don't follow any of those norms now. What I see is, a Brahmin provides IT service or works in a factory as labor. A Kshatriya manages a hotel or a mall. A Vaishya builds a temple or teaches in a school. A Shudra is a top doctor or a research scientist. Then shouldn't we segregate our castes based on current professions like
1) IT
2) Doctor
3) Scientist
4) whatever!
 |
| (Define caste of each person here!) |
Why do we still follow that age old casteism and break ourselves into tiny bits? Why do we favor people who are born into castes but have no link to us whatsoever? Why do people need caste based reservations even though they are no more into providing services to the society?
Frankly, caste based reservations were introduced in India to benefit the economically poor citizens. Those days are gone. If at all we need any kind of reservation, they should be totally based on financial status of a family. Not based on caste.
As long as the caste system exists, we can move only in bits and pieces. Its high time, we shun the caste based opportunities in India and move as one Nation. Religion, caste, community are for unity. Not for divisions.
If at all, one really wants to approach a caste, create a new one based on one's own occupation. Like I belong to housewife caste where I teach, I provide services through my voluntary work, I rule my home and what not.
And if you can't come out of it yet, GOD BLESS YOU! People are launching rockets and trying to see what's in Mars. And we are stuck with castes.
Jai Hind.
5 comments:
A priest , warrior , tradesman and a worker exist among Christians , Muslims, Jews , Sikhs and for that matter among all faiths .
Ambedkarism spoiled your blog .
Cast system was a useful division of labour in the times it was introduced. The Brahimins concentrated on studies and knowledge and were counsels and doctors etc., but were not expected to fight wars or make pots or work in the fields. Kshatriyas focussed on warfare which was vital for the safety of the people. Vaishya formed the backbone of merchandise, vital for functioning of the economy. Shudras excelled in pottery, farming etc and were not supposed to read or fight or make the economy work. Let me assure you, the system was nowhere as heinous as the slavery system practised in America or elsewhere.
Left to it'sown, the cast system would have fallen to pieces. It is only the venal politicians who are exploiting it to the hilt for their ravenous hunger of power and money. Reservation system is being abused to its filthiest extremes. If you want to help the poor, why not just help the poor, regardless of the cast, creed and religion?
The caste system was brought in for 5 years initially by Mr Ambedkar. However, the politicians made proper use of it by promoting the system by giving facilities like reservations to the group. Now keeping these in mind who on earth will not want to be pampered? First and foremost, remove the caste column in school applications. Don't teach children what caste is. You can eradicate it by not talking about it at all.
I for one support the reservation system. This may sound odd, as I am someone who could get into IIT for Masters despite scoring a decent GATE score.
But, then when I moved ahead in life, I realized that the one's who fall under general category, are actually fighting a brutal competition.
So, the one's from the general category are the best of the best and can stand at par with any graduate from Harvard, MIT or any of the 9 Technical Universities of Germany.
One more info I would like to add, there was never a hierarchy amongst the castes, until the rise of manusmriti, which gained prevelance from 10th century onwards.
Otehrwise, how did Chanakya ( a brahmin) educated Chadragupta Maurya ( Shudra) and made him the king of one of the most power empires of the ancient world?
Some guy called Manu wrote a book centuries ago classifying people into different varnas and castes and we still follow it. But wait, we don't really follow it, it's somehow only used till we get a job but does not really apply to who does what job. How come Brahmins don't work only as priests in temples, or how come Kshatriyas don't join the military. It's all a bunch of BS and the politicians trying to divide and rule.
Post a Comment