Caste System - My first awareness of it - Page 2

I agree with BizzyLizzy.. I feel ashamed of my self too ...

A reluctance is mostly there whether people admit it or not. I do notice my grandmothers (nani/dadi), my dad - trying to keep utensils separate for ''servants'' or ''class 4 employees''. Or routinely using the caste reference to indicate obstinate behaviour, lack of education, lack of manners etc.

I was born and bought up in Mumbai, hence never knew much what was going on in our rural India where majority of our population lives...
I was unaware of caste system till I visited my hometown in Latur back in 1999 when we were attending my cousin bro's wedding...me and my cousins went outskirts of village, though I dont know my caste, village people knew this...they outright refused to give me water and shooed us off their farm...
I was really p*ssed off and yelled like mad to my mom and dad...At that time my dad explained me what was going on in our village...
That was my first shocker...


My dad and mom had an inter-caste marriage...both were very much able to take care of their own lives...

Pre constitution, there was none from backward classed allowed into education system, as it was 3000 years parampara of India.
Our constitution encouraged and allowed people like my dad to come out of this curse by being literate and sculpture yourself and your life.
My dad was the first educated generation...but my mom's family had a good past of educated family...
He left village as indiscrimination was everyday practice and joined school of Aurangabad...
I am very proud of My dad, that we all go to out hometown and other village each year to create awareness...
He is session court judge still he faces barriers from people there...
Many lacs of people want such type of encouragement from childhood, coz from there this indiscrimination starts.
Equality will prevail only when all the parts of society are joined into mainstream...
We enjoy independence day each year but for those people who are slave to others thanks to their caste...will they be able ever to be proud of being Indian?

We still observe this type of casteism in our villages but people in City are unaware of this...therefore is they dont see it...they dont believe it...
Its everywhere If you close your eyes, it wont get vanished...
Congratulations for SMJ to bring in into light of Day!!

Originally posted by: naj7

I have studied till my 12th in UAE .. so no way i got to experience any of it.

Wen i went to India, Kerala to do my higher studies i did know about SC/ST seats, OBC etc..

But in our house we never treat any1 differently .. not even out grandmom.. actually she even eats with the helpers.. i mean we all actually sit & talk with them...

I did read about caste differences in texts, in papers and even saw on TV but thankfully never experinced it..

I wud never b able to digest it and wud feel disgusted if i had to treat my ayah's daughter as any diff ..

and about cleaning out toilets.. my gandmom was always strict that we clean the toilets ourselves.. imagine i was never to do that as my mom used to do it in UAE.. She prepared me well.. she told me there lot of advantages of cleaning ur own toilet.:

1) gr8 way of excercise (its true)

2) since its ur toilet u will b loyal to keep it clean.

Since then i always clean my own toilet..

Reading all ur posts scares me .. i mean do ppl actually ask ur caste wen u introduce ur frnd? I am fabbergasted

@bold
some more info to horrify u, the ques was also presumed cause perhaps the guy was DARK and looked like someone from that caste.

Ah yes, the caste system.

^ What you said about music also contributing to the casteism problem kind of reminded me of Aaja Nachle...IIRC the title song's lyrics said something to the effect of a cobbler taking up the 'superior' goldsmith's position. Just goes to show how easily that kind of attitude is allowed even in mainstream, big-budget cinema.

Originally posted by: BizzyLizzy

^ What you said about music also contributing to the casteism problem kind of reminded me of Aaja Nachle...IIRC the title song's lyrics said something to the effect of a cobbler taking up the 'superior' goldsmith's position. Just goes to show how easily that kind of attitude is allowed even in mainstream, big-budget cinema.

No there are not ''more Jatts'' in Punjab.

As a Lit student, Dalit studies was one of our most important subjects...it was during my Lit studying days that I realised that caste positions were connected mostly to the professions they did. The funny - and equally tragic - thing is that without these so-called 'achut' professions and workers, the Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas would in no way be able to lead the comfortable lives they led. Had the community not had the service of the Mahar, Chamars, Chandals, sweepers, toilet cleaners...they would have been forced to conduct their pujas in a household filled with filth, would have not had anyone to handle carcasses which they felt too 'clean' to touch...in essence, their 'clean-ness' was possible only due to the presence of caste members who were seen as 'dirty'. How convenient!

Originally posted by: annika20

No there are not ''more Jatts'' in Punjab.

But those Punjabi songs are insanely popular. Punjabi songs have many other issues associated with them - vulgarity, encouraging or rather celebrating violence, misogynist lyrics and sometimes bashing foreign countries to praise one's own village!

I am shocked at mention of a Ramgarhia gurudwara!! How can they make a Ramgarhia Gurudwara when gurudwaras were always meant to be all-inclusive, irrespective of caste or religion? What are we coming to?😲 Twisting religion for our own warped beliefs!🤢

Your talk about gurudwaras reminded me how my parents usually avoid sitting near ''poor'' people in langar hall, or make me and my brother sit in between them as if to ensure we don't get touched by ''others''. Subtle but clear cut show of biased mindset. I always see super rich guys looking at the poor ones with utter disdain in langar hall and trying to look for some corner where they can sit with their own ''kind''.😡