What are they going to do next to sully Hinduism?
- The most respected, venerable 'seer' attached to the most prestigious Hindu math in India is arrested in connection with a murder of an accountant!
- The arrest takes place in the most dramatic of all ways. And on the most auspicious day for all Hindus, Deepawali!
- After four days of arrest, there is still no case presented against him. The only other arrests in this case are the "killers" who allegedly carried out the murder.
- He is "alleged" to have planned an "escape" to Nepal. C'mon. How gullible can one assume us to be? If one had to escape, one would escape to Saudi, Portugal, Pakistan, or Bangladesh, at least. Why would one choose a country where there isn't even a need for a visa? And is there anything extra-ordinary for a Hindu seer to visit the "only Hindu country" in the whole world?
- He is not allowed to perform his Pujas in the jail (as if that is against law!), no special food to him (despite he suffering from Diabetes).
- And all that we (read all Hindus) would do is sit and be indifferent, or in some extreme case, express "shock" on an obscure blog that no one reads.
I wish we (read all Hindus) could do more! If this indifference continues, we might see other Shankaracharyas, Sants, and Pandits being subjected to similar treatment. If we continue this way, I seriously believe, we don't deserve a Shankaracharya!
Tuesday 16 November 2004
Tuesday 9 November 2004
The highs and lows of Indian society.
One look at the subject, and probably every Indian worth his/her salt would have a fair idea of the topic being discussed in the following lines. Yes indeed, it is the caste system prevalent in the predominantly Hindu society, though I have come across numerous examples where this phenomenon pervades over other religious groups in the Indian society. There have been various arguments in favour or against this system, but nothing has been able to convince the other party entirely. I, in this piece, present no arguments either for or against this system and make no attempt to label this system either a "boon" or a "bane" for the society. I intend to explore the validity of this system in the current context and whether the society could live without such an outdated classification.
Before embarking upon this oft-trodden path, I would like to claim that classification of a group of humans by themselves can never be avoided. It is in nature of human beings to identify more and more reasons to divide his society in groups, more often to attain/maintain power than anything else. Every society, whether in the past or the present, has had a "class" system and it is only natural to expect more in the future. Therefore, the question pertinent to us here is whether we need to steadfastly stick to an outdated system of classification even though it (probably) holds no relevance in the existing society.
Let us, for the sake of an easy argument and for the sake of my personal opinion, assume that the answer to the above question is NO. The reasons for this are the following; 1. The classes are too few and we need more to accomodate many more professions like doctors, engineers, bus drivers, HR Managers, Stock broker, electrician, plumber etc.; 2. People from different castes are already performing jobs which are traditionally different from the ones defined by their caste profiles; 3. There can be no argument that justifies that a corrupt doctor is in any way superior to an honest sweeper.
Hindu Society probably could never been more divided on caste lines as it is today. The constant playing of the caste tune in the minds of people by media, politicians, blog writers like me etc. has made people more aware and fanatic about their caste status. This is detrimental to the Hindu society itself and probably a cause for greater concern in the overall religious context.
In most parts of Bihar, the caste-based clashes are so prevalent that people have dropped adding their surnames to their names. Surnames in our society, as we all know, perform the additional function of announcing one's caste to the addressee. The knowledge of one's surname directly purveys all information of one's status in the social structure to others. It is sometimes funny to see a Lieutenant Colonel in the armed forces carrying the surname of Sharma or Pandey even though the profession he is in is in no conformance with his caste status.
Why do we then still persist with the surnames? In Tamil Nadu and Kerala, there is this beautiful tradition of not attaching a surname of the name (I am, of course, an exception, and there are many more such exceptions!!). The name typically consists of one's father's name and optionally one's native place along with one's first name. Hence, no surnames, no castes. Though there are other ways of finding one's caste if one intends to do so, this method essentially eliminates entirely any bias that one may cultivate upon hearing one's name. This is useful when awarding jobs, during admissions in schools and colleges, during selection of cricket teams etc.
Gradually, the "Caste" would stop playing a role in one's mindset and gradually we may start looking at everyone as they are - human beings.
Well, there will be divide among the rich and the poor, the whites and the blacks, the communists and the capitalisits, but we can deal with them later. As of now, we must find a way to bridge the divide that plagues our society. Hinduism has been a religion of constant reforms, and I sincerely hope that this will only be yet another of those reforms that have enabled the relgion to sustain itself for centuries.
Before embarking upon this oft-trodden path, I would like to claim that classification of a group of humans by themselves can never be avoided. It is in nature of human beings to identify more and more reasons to divide his society in groups, more often to attain/maintain power than anything else. Every society, whether in the past or the present, has had a "class" system and it is only natural to expect more in the future. Therefore, the question pertinent to us here is whether we need to steadfastly stick to an outdated system of classification even though it (probably) holds no relevance in the existing society.
Let us, for the sake of an easy argument and for the sake of my personal opinion, assume that the answer to the above question is NO. The reasons for this are the following; 1. The classes are too few and we need more to accomodate many more professions like doctors, engineers, bus drivers, HR Managers, Stock broker, electrician, plumber etc.; 2. People from different castes are already performing jobs which are traditionally different from the ones defined by their caste profiles; 3. There can be no argument that justifies that a corrupt doctor is in any way superior to an honest sweeper.
Hindu Society probably could never been more divided on caste lines as it is today. The constant playing of the caste tune in the minds of people by media, politicians, blog writers like me etc. has made people more aware and fanatic about their caste status. This is detrimental to the Hindu society itself and probably a cause for greater concern in the overall religious context.
In most parts of Bihar, the caste-based clashes are so prevalent that people have dropped adding their surnames to their names. Surnames in our society, as we all know, perform the additional function of announcing one's caste to the addressee. The knowledge of one's surname directly purveys all information of one's status in the social structure to others. It is sometimes funny to see a Lieutenant Colonel in the armed forces carrying the surname of Sharma or Pandey even though the profession he is in is in no conformance with his caste status.
Why do we then still persist with the surnames? In Tamil Nadu and Kerala, there is this beautiful tradition of not attaching a surname of the name (I am, of course, an exception, and there are many more such exceptions!!). The name typically consists of one's father's name and optionally one's native place along with one's first name. Hence, no surnames, no castes. Though there are other ways of finding one's caste if one intends to do so, this method essentially eliminates entirely any bias that one may cultivate upon hearing one's name. This is useful when awarding jobs, during admissions in schools and colleges, during selection of cricket teams etc.
Gradually, the "Caste" would stop playing a role in one's mindset and gradually we may start looking at everyone as they are - human beings.
Well, there will be divide among the rich and the poor, the whites and the blacks, the communists and the capitalisits, but we can deal with them later. As of now, we must find a way to bridge the divide that plagues our society. Hinduism has been a religion of constant reforms, and I sincerely hope that this will only be yet another of those reforms that have enabled the relgion to sustain itself for centuries.
Sunday 7 November 2004
Why?
Well. I had almost made up my mind to write something that had bothered me for a long time. But, considering that it was too personal and probably of no consequence either, I decided to ditch the idea just as quickly.
Some questions that come to my mind as I am writing this.
1. Do people write blogs for others to come, read and comment on them? If so, are they not those desperate attention seekers who want attention and continue to remain in it?
2. Do people write blogs to let their feelings out? If so, why do they do it on a public forum like this?
Hmmm...
Some questions that come to my mind as I am writing this.
1. Do people write blogs for others to come, read and comment on them? If so, are they not those desperate attention seekers who want attention and continue to remain in it?
2. Do people write blogs to let their feelings out? If so, why do they do it on a public forum like this?
Hmmm...
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