What's your caste?

Before you pick the biggest baddest weapon from your arsenal to shoot me with, let me put forth my reasons to ask you that. Firstly, as an exercise in self realization as to the reaction it brings about, and secondly, to grab your attention to what I'm going to say in the next couple of minutes.

This post is NOT about -

1. vilifying caste system; note that I wrote caste system, not casteism. (Yes, there's a difference!)

2. victimization of the oppressed; that includes the "lower" castes who've been oppressed for generations and the "upper" castes who feel oppressed by HRD.

3. a take on studies/essays/reports by historians, socio-economists, and other men/women of academia.

4. a bland retelling of statistics, with a hope that somehow the numbers would drive the point home (rookie mistake!).

This post IS about -

1. how the educated, cosmopolitan youth reacts to this question.

2. the ignorance of the said group about this social system, as to its origins, various connotations, its presence, its impact, etc.

3. the blind following, or hatred, or any kind of blindness associated with it.

4. what needs to change about the level of understanding of this particular group, and why the change is important.

Let's get to business.

So coming back to the question - what's your caste? I've been asked this question countless times, like millions of others I guess. Though now I may be included in the cosmopolitan group, the origins of my family do lie in small towns and villages. The first stark difference I noted was in the reactions it generated among my friends, from those it generated among the septuagenarians in my family. Among us kids, it was often a subject of casual banter, where only one's ignorance cued any laughter or mocking. Yes, ignorance - not the caste. Whereas among my elders, it was a matter of vanity and proud recollections of the loftiness of their bloodline. If only I could have a dollar every time I got reminded of, and still get sometimes, my "high position" due to the accident of birth! Growing up, the above observation was time and again seconded by the people I met throughout school and college. While there are some who take pride in that facet of their identity, but they are scarce in number, and I'm yet to find someone who's obnoxious about it. Then of course, a large swathe just doesn't know what it is, and often exclaim,"how's that relevant?". To them I often say that its absence from their sphere of life doesn't make it irrelevant, but then again I'm not here to sermonize anyone, so let's leave it at that.

So if you plead ignorance, and in turn ask me mine, chances are that I'll tell you and then try to educate you a little about the system. I believe one should have an objective view of the history of one's civilization, and caste system played a huge role in ours. Some even argue that it may have helped us survive the sands of time; the same destructive force that wiped off babylonians, ancient greeks, romans, ancient egyptians and countless others. Owing to my limited knowledge I won't make any such claims, neither support them yet. However if a social setup survived for thousands of years, notwithstanding the entangled, incoherent, oppressive mess it became, it demands a study, or at least an acknowledgement. Those who do know their caste answer me, sometimes objectively, and at others, with a sermon of their own that I shouldn't be asking such questions - some go as far as saying that the word itself should disappear from usage and mention. Things people say to be politically correct! Further, to those who know, when I ask about what their caste signifies, or what are its origins, or some of its tenets - well, that becomes too much and by then they throw their hands up saying it's a big deal anyway that they know their caste. I try to imagine the utility of it, seeing their incomprehension.

Herein lies a tragedy. If you don't understand the system, how can you understand the problems it creates? I then go on to explain that the occupation based classification and workers' guild system which was flexible in admission and membership, and was untainted by the right of birth for a long time, was elegant and highly functional, with the smallest customs and tenets serving some rational purpose. It may have had some flaws then, but the devilish machinery of casteism we see today was borne much later, arguably around when the British colonized India. The rigidity the British induced into this system, along with the discrimination was a well thought out part of their divide and conquer strategy. Sadly, it took them just two centuries to corrupt a system three millenia old, and we've been trying to salvage our social stability ever since. Those who doubt its relevance in contemporary India, need only look at the people who still dwell in villages. Though India for years now has been trying to shake off its rural image, roughly two-thirds of Indians are still agriculturists and live in villages where caste is not just relevant, it dictates everything.

Alas the tragedy doesn't end there. There are those who know the "what" of it, but not the "how" and "why" of it. For them, some actions which are oppressive and outright derogatory have become so commonplace that they fail to see the damage it deals. They believe that's how things go and will probably keep on going. Their only fault is that they don't question them. Some just can't be bothered and some weren't raised in an environment which encouraged questions and discussions. Ignorance of the system is one thing, but blind persecution is sin on a different level altogether. But these aren't the only ones who are blind. Their compatriots in blindness are often fueled by sheer hatred - they've seen too much suffering and subjugation to believe that caste can be associated with something positive or constructive to social order. And then some are the modern day non conformists, so into the idea that they're a snowflake that they outright reject any general label assigned to them. Unto them I say, well, nothing! If you're so consumed in hatred, heck, you won't listen even if God reasoned with you!

But why do I advocate this lesson in Indian civilization's history? And why should the urban youth have an objective knowledge of this system? Well this is a group which has changed the political landscape of India of late. I doubt there's any other demograph better poised to push for and usher in changes. If they can see with impartial eyes and with a rational mindset, they can bring about policies and changes which eradicates oppression and does not counter-discriminate.