QUESTION 10: Can the caste system be eradicated from India? If so, how?
QUESTION 10:
"Can the caste system be eradicated from India? If so, how?"
Answered by Shekhar Bodhakar
That's
a great ‘two in one’ question. Asking this question implies that you have a
desire to end the caste system (maybe because deep inside you realise WHY it
must be annihilated) and just want to know the “HOW TO”
Yes,
as impossible as it may sound, the caste system can be eradicated in India.
It's a worthy mission and is an absolute MUST if India is to
survive as a progressive nation. It's a mammoth task to annihilate
caste from society. So we need to work with diligence. The reason
why it seems caste cannot be annihilated is because in order to annihilate
something, the desire to do so must be there and it appears that currently most
Indians do not have that desire. There can be only two reasons for that:
1. They are benefiting
2. They are unaware of daily occurrences of caste related
atrocities and caste based discrimination.
Even
anti caste discrimination activists want equality in castes. This implies they
are not really fighting for annihilation of caste but just equal rights. In an
indirect way they are strengthening belief in caste identity. The government
too is not interested in making laws that would eradicate caste. The best way
forward is if YOU, the individual, declare yourself as casteless and encourage
others to do the same. It is we, the people who must take responsibility for
it's eradication.
ONLY
complete Annihilation of caste identities will end casteism (caste system). If
there are no castes, there cannot be caste discrimination and no “system” based
on caste.
Some
people believe that it's impossible to annihilate caste and so think it's pointless
to even attempt to do so.To them I say, “even if ONE person can become
casteless, that means its possible for others to become casteless too.”
BUT
HOW?
It's a
matter of educating the masses.
1. Understand WHAT jati/caste is
2. Understand WHY it must be annihilated
3. Understand HOW to annihilate it, from within
yourself.
4. Understand the obstacles and Declare yourself
as casteless
5. Walk the talk and systematically PROPAGATE the above.
1). WHAT is jati/caste?
Since
in foreign cultures there is no equivalent word or system to represent the
jaat/jati system (except those sprouting from the culture of the Indian
subcontinent), it is not wise to use a European/foreign word/translation as
substitute for the words jaat/jati.
The sociologist G. S. Ghurye wrote in 1932 that,
Despite
much study by many people, we
do not possess a real general definition of caste. It appears to me that any
attempt at definition is bound to fail because of the complexity of the
phenomenon. On the other hand, much literature on the subject is marred by lack
of precision about the use of the term”
It
would make sense to simply use the word ‘jati’ instead of caste.
JATI,
in the Pali Language means birth, defined in the Hindi-English science
dictionaries as SPECIES (not caste). In Hindu culture, the word JATI was used
as a biological term and is still used today in biology lessons when teaching
classification of living things in Hindi medium schools. Using the word ‘caste’
waters-down the idea of ‘species’.
In
Google translate, SPECIES is correctly translated as JATI
But
“Jaati” or “jati” is wrongly translated as “caste”.
Scholars
commonly use western terms for words of Indian origin which have no English
equivalent. Translation of ‘jati’ as ‘Caste,' is one such word. I believe this
translation gives an excuse to the upholders of the jati system to say that
“caste and the caste system” is a European construct. It also gives them an
excuse to ask such questions as
Where was Dr.
Ambedkar wrong in designing the caste system? Would this question still make
sense if the words “caste system” was replaced with “jati system"
JATI
means SPECIES, not caste. So let's use the word JATI if you think classifying
human into SPECIES is abhorrent.
Since
the first if five steps to eradicate caste is knowing what caste is, please
read..
What is the Indian caste system and how does it work? (In modern India).
If you
do not know what something really is, you cannot eradicate it.
2). Understand
WHY the concept of belonging to a “Jati” must be annihilated.
Unless
a person understands WHY caste should be annihilated, s/he will not be
searching for the HOW to do it.
A
decent human being does not need to be reminded that the whole concept of
classifying humans into jatis/ spieces must be annihilated. It is because
Hindus had Jati identities that gave rise to untouchability, resulting in
atrocities of unimaginable magnitude.
According
to the Hindu system of Four Varna Dharmas, the so-called “Untouchables”
were not even seen as humans. They never belonged to
any of the four Varnas and were the casteless (Varnaless and Jatiless) Acchuts. That's why they are called the
Avarnas (varnaless). They weren't even fit enough to be kept as
slaves, for then, there would be that risk of physical touch.
Even
though today untouchability is outlawed according to the Indian constitution, it is
still in common practice in many places, especially in rural areas. When it is
practiced, the authorities often turn a blind eye due to the fact that hardly
anyone in position of power is casteless. If there were no jati identities,
there wouldn't be jati discrimination and untouchability would automatically
die a natural death.
3). Understand
HOW to annihilate the
caste mentality, from within yourself first.
UNDERSTANDING
what jati IS and WHY it must be annihilated is more than half the battle won in
annihilating it from within yourself.
UNDERSTAND
that in reality no one really has a jati. The only people who socially benefit
from a Jati identity are the so called “upper castes". So why have a jati
identity?
UNDERSTAND
that the caste system is the most vile system of social control in history and
the whole purpose having a caste identity is discrimination. By 'complete'
annihilation I mean completely eradicating it ALSO from the psyche of those
(mainly from low jatis) who, yet understand and want to reject the caste system
but, subconsciously continue to behave as if belonging to a particular caste.
Brainwashed to the core, they develop caste behaviour.
ASK
YOURSELF, “Are there ANY benefits to yourself and society of having a jati
identity and if yes, who benefits?” and continue asking yourself that question
until YOU are convinced that there is no morally accepted reason to continue
having caste identities.
4). UNDERSTAND
the obstacles and DECLARE yourself as casteless:
SHUDRAS:
Referring to anyone who calls themselves Hindu with their Varna identity is not
derogatory. I'm saying this because many think Shudra is a derogatory word. IT
IS NOT. However, referring to anyone as an untouchable is considered
derogatory. A Shudra is not a Varnaless untouchable. Even a person of Shudra
varna can declare himself casteless and still retain his shudra identity.
Personally I would like to see the end of Varna system too but if it's okay to call
a Brahmin a Brahmin, why not call a Shudra a Shudra since they too fall in the
Varnashram system? Call a spade a spade.
Shudras,
for their benefit, should declare themselves to be casteless
UNTOUCHABLES:
Those who think of themselves as untouchables need to understand that they are
Varnaless and originally were considered casteless. Though they had their own
sets of beliefs and worshipped their ancestors and nature, they were considered
religionless too. Today they are free to follow any religion of their choice
(or remain religionless or athiests) and can therefore discard their untouchable identity.
Those who choose to stick with their untouchable identity are themselves
greatly to be blamed for the consequences. Today it is becoming fashionable to
identify themselves as “dalits" giving a false sense of security. It is
only a change of label. They might as well continue to call themselves
untouchables. Again, call a spade a spade but only because of political
correctness it is considered “decent” to call the Avarna-Untouchables "Dalits". If
calling someone an untouchable an untouchable is constitutionally and morally
wrong, then so is calling them “dalits” since commonly (but wrongly) the
meaning of dalit is perceived to mean ONLY those whose ancestors were treated
as untouchables.
The
marginalized communities, for their benefit, should declare themselves to be
casteless and not dalits or untouchables.
What is the exact meaning of hindi word,
"Dalit"?
5). Walk
the talk and systematically PROPAGATE the above
This
is the answer to the second question, “If so, HOW?” Propagate the above four
points after declaring yourself as casteless.
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