Caste System - My first awareness of it - Page 6

Originally posted by: znursingh

On a lighter note-here is what is happening in our little village-

A lot of the "higher caste" land owners are selling their land for unimaginably high prices and the spoilt sons are blowing it up on the fanciest,most expensive cars available-doesn't matter a wit that the village doesn't boast of a rudimentary road.There is a sharp dip in the pagdandi that pretends to be a road-just in front of our house.So our tranquility is often broken by one of the young tearaways slamming on the brakes too late.This happened once too often and I complained about it aloud,saying there is going to be a bad accident one of these days.The lady who cleans for us over heard me and said with a sneer,"Hainji paise toh aagaye,lekin killass toh nahin khareedi jasakti hai na?"

REVERSE CASTEISM,WHAT?!

@Narangi,

Hate the word traditions so much, seems like a perfect escape route for everything.
Polity of India would never let this ever be eradicated completely for the sake of vote-bank politics, divide in many and rule seems to be the mantra.

@Zem,
Reverse casteism is growing thanks to the so-called reservations and Netas asking for the the highest office of India, the post of President, not cause he/she is more qualified but coz they are "tribal or backward".

Originally posted by: charminggenie

@Narangi,

Hate the word traditions so much, seems like a perfect escape route for everything.
Polity of India would never let this ever be eradicated completely for the sake of vote-bank politics, divide in many and rule seems to be the mantra.

@charminggenie

Originally posted by: narangi_77

@charminggenie

what has your experience been living abroad? I met someone @ a party recently who told me that I should feel proud to belong to the caste I was born into (they guessed from my name)...left me speechless (which is rare)!

I never cease to be shocked that many Indians living abroad find ways to "justify" the caste system...

1. By calling it a "misunderstood" system of labor division (the most common refrain)...

2. By arguing that these forms of social division exist everywhere (which is a specious argument IMO, ignoring as t does the very real distinctions between caste and class)

Originally posted by: bewafa

That is because they are upholding their "traditions"... 😆 there's your favourite word again! 😆

Originally posted by: charminggenie

@Narangi,

Hate the word traditions so much, seems like a perfect escape route for everything.
Polity of India would never let this ever be eradicated completely for the sake of vote-bank politics, divide in many and rule seems to be the mantra.

@Zem,
Reverse casteism is growing thanks to the so-called reservations and Netas asking for the the highest office of India, the post of President, not cause he/she is more qualified but coz they are "tribal or backward".

This particular lady is FAR removed from reservation and its attendant problems-SHE is too busy earning a living! I think its a self protective shell she wears-they get abused,she is giving a realistic assessment of the social/economic changes that she sees around her.She used to have to walk nearly 4km to fetch water till the Upper caste Gujjars dug them a borewell.But...there ALWAYS a damn but-the control of the well was left with their leader,who promptly hired a tanker and started selling water to DELHI. She still walks to fetch water.Our house is closer to hers so we offered that she and her family could come and bathe,wash clothes HERE.Its working out quite decently-her son comes on a motorbike,fills water in huge container & takes it home-for cooking washing and drinking and she gets a ride back home.

Its a SMALL practical step that we have taken together-its been nearly two years-there HASN'T been any major backlash as she was expecting.The only tangible change has been that now they don't hesitate to ask for help.

@Narangi,

Living alone in abroad, I can safely say we might not be known for our any devlopment, we are for sure commented upon for casteism, fasicination and a glee to see how narrow minded and backward we are as a society.

Well for the NRI class, I was appalled to see how casual they are about castes and there is even be an open discrimination based on it. Atleast in India people are subtle enough but nup outside in name of "TRADITIONS" and culture , there are efforts taken to ensure that it is practised and continued. Guess some of them left India during pre or early independence days hence have carried out these practices in order to retain "Indianess" in their generation.

Unfortunately, tagging caste as part of being Indian.

@Zem,
Nice and see no slogan shouting and you ended up for sure giving hope to many such women and eased out those pesky "fundamentalists" .