Kartikey Sehgal

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The respondent is unconcerned about the topic. She is unaware of discussions on casteism and racism in the media. She tells me that there are many like her; they have belief in dharma and don’t bother about what allegations others put on their way of living. Often I have to reconfirm what she says;  “there was lots of bloodshed between the brahmins and kshatriyas” where bloodshed means that the boy’s family didn’t accept the girl. But she loves her home town, Jammu. She continues:

The first food was offered to a cow. It was only then that we ate food. I remember that the  bhangan would come to take away the garbage bag from our home and clear the garbage vans outside our home. No, we would not touch her; we didn’t touch people who indulged in menial labour.

If we touched them by mistake then nothing major would happen. We would wash our hands. We were not punished or anything.

Note that the people indulging in menial labour worked with hands; they picked dead rats, pigs and other waste by digging their hands in heaps of wet garbage. This is not a small town phenomenon and the author found similarity in Mumbai (as reported in this story). The workers stink and people stay away from them.

We are Brahmins and we are not very rich. Many Brahmins are poor; they are supposed to be educated and wise. You also find rich Brahmins who are uneducated.

I note that the other castes are identified as lower castes.

Of course the higher castes have importance. Though there was no untouchability between the castes.

Caste distinction was impossible in schools. There was nobody to keep an eye on who’s touching whom and eating from who is eating from whose Tiffin box. We mingled freely and shared food. The shudra children also attended the same school.

However, we were forbidden to go to our Muslim friends’ home. They came to our home but we had kept a separate set of crockery for them. They too had their rules for us.

The reason is religious conflict and also that they were heavy eaters of non-vegetarian food.

The respondent and I discussed that demarcation of castes is based on profession and nature. She agrees but is unable to point out the reasons for ‘higher’ and ‘lower’ castes.

Inter-caste marriage was a big no-no for quite some time. Brahmin girls had to marry brahmin boys. Since brahmins didn’t give their girls to kshatriyas, they too didn’t give away their girls to brahmin families. That has lessened now. Why did this happen in the first place. I don’t know; we just followed.

Of course, she is not the first person to wonder why we follow something we are not sure of. We are told to follow conventions and we follow them without referring to the scriptures that are supposed to contain the instructions. Is this what is called ‘the slave mentality’?

Today we  meet, accept sweets and hug everybody of respect; anybody who has worked hard and done something of note. Maybe it’s not the same in the villages but then they don’t know what we know. Little education and nobody to tell them about truth and untruth.

I think that last line defines the future of casteism in India.

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Kartikey Sehgal

I came upon this information during a conversation on casteism. The lady told me, “There has never been much caste problem in my home town [Jammu] )".

She continued:

“We recently discovered that a family belonging to the shudra caste is actually a brahmin family. The ____ (surname) were brahmins at one time and shifted to a lower caste probably to defend themselves.”

Here’s the backdrop; two families in Jammu have been friends for many decades thought they are from different castes. The shudra family learnt much from the brahmin family owing to the latter’s proficiency in arts and literature. Caste was never a barrier; they shared food and information.

“Then the elder of this family said casually that they were actually brahmins and not shudras. None of us knew about it. He did but he never mentioned this knowledge. But then there’s never been any problems between our families.

It was just a piece of information. So now we know about their gotra and their past and where they are coming from. That’s all.”

There’s no tale of strife between the strictly brahmin family–that must feed the cow before any member eats any food—and the shudra family. I am, of course, attempting to unearth more information about the two families and their relationships. I can’t name them or tell you about them; I am relying on spoken words.

I have read some historians’ account of ‘Many Hinduisms’; no single interpretation of sanatan dharma pervaded India. It is, hence, argued that caste abuse was a limited affair; an assertion markedly different from the popular notion of caste being a common factor throughout India. I find resonance in this story by Professor Meenakshi Jain

“As late as the 18th century, the hierarchical ordering of Hindu society was not an established fact over large parts of the subcontinent. As some eminent historians have pointed out, till that time alternative ideologies and styles of life were strong, indeed dominant, in much of India.”

I shall write more on the topic if assisted with information and permissions.

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Kartikey Sehgal

A walk to Dr. Ambedkar’s memorial prompts thoughts on ‘dalitism’.

Did Siddhārtha envisage Indian Buddhism as a sect of people bickering about the validity and significance of a particular famous leader? Or a sect that frowns upon and overtly discourages a boy and a girl from holding hands? If we consider Buddhism as a religion without rites and if then outlaw ‘couples’ then doesn’t it become a religion of rites; that one rule spawning several other rules about public decency and morality leading to a set of punishments?

 
The Ashoka Pillar at the memorial site

Indeed, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s memorial (Chaitya Bhoomi) at Dadar near Shivaji Park is a sacred place for dalits and non-dalits alike. But it need not cast such constrained and sorrowful projection onto others. It prohibits couples from watching the 

sea. Makeshift shops of CDs and cassettes announcing the goodness of Babasaheb Ambedkar and condemnation of M K Gandhi are found attended by seemingly poor people who, I learn eventually, are not educated and find subsistence difficult. They don’t know their Buddhism; they rely on the tapes and discs to do the talking for them. I was stopped by one such gentleman and asked to listen to the reasons why Mr. Ambedkar is better than Mr. Gandhi.

Gandhi’s image is found on 100 rupee notes. But our Ambedkar’s photo is found on just a 1 rupee note. why? Because with that 100 rupee note you can buy alcohol. Give Gandhi, get alcohol. Give Gandhi, get alcohol. That is not the case with our Ambedkar. He is with the poor man, that is why he is on the one rupee note unlike Gandhi. (Gandhi encourages alcoholism)

I am aware that Dalits face persecution in rural India* but they are only harming themselves with their dalit, non-dalit policy. The way to absolve their problems is to proclaim that there is no dalit in the Indian philosophy. There never was such a term and it is a societal invention, subject to societal criticism and change. Which educated person will believe you if you say that the dharma propagates dalitism? In the age of internet, libraries and several translations of the vedas, knowledge is accessible and under the purview of every man. So the best (and perhaps the only) way of eliminating your caste based problems is to show that it is not granted by any holy or spiritual Indian book. This, however, is difficult.

Eliminating casteism would mean eliminating caste based politics. How then would you derive votes from the set of people you have categorised as downtrodden? It is convenient to ask for votes to “solve your problems” and “fight injustice”. (This story is not the space to discuss caste based politics and I’ll stop here)

So we have a set of people at a sacred spot, not educated, seemingly unaware of Buddhism, eating minimal food, selling tapes and cassettes that deride a leader vis-a-vis their favourite leader and who are not different from any other common poor man.

And they deride brahminism and priests but indulge in pinda daan, which they are aware is done for the atman of the deceased souls in the presence of a priest (favourably). “The only problem…”, as the seller who plays the anti-Gandhi tones tells me, “The only problem is that it should not be done here because it makes the place dirty”.

Then we shake hands and I leave.

Post Pinda daan

 
Only the bird is solitary

 
The beach adjoining the memorial site. Couples be wary.

* Fighting over Ambedkar and Gandhi. Believing that Rig Veda sanctions birth based division of castes. The ‘high castes’ believe in the uselessness of dalits and untouchables who in turn also believe in the system and blame it for their misery. The leaders, Buddhists and Hindus, don’t rectify them probably for the fear of losing the vote-bank.

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It is absolutely fine if you do not vote in the coming elections. Asking you to vote compulsorily is like enforcing a caste system.

Consider the Jaago Re ad on television in which a ‘young’ man and his friend offer tea to people who have not cast their vote. You are sleeping-he tells them. When they retort that they are awake, the man says that if on Election Day people are not voting then they are obviously sleeping. The embarrassed/awakened people then accept the cup of tea as the two young men walk confidently amidst the crowd.

Compulsory voting is subterfuge. It is a marketing gimmick. It is setting a low benchmark for people; so that people feel glad by just voting. Never mind that most people won’t know whom to vote for. Does the Prime Minister of this country appear on television and announce in clear terms his plans for education to girls from the Doda tribe? People are not wise about any candidate and yet asked to vote or to hang their head in shame.

How the voting caste system works: people who have voted can identify and then blame the people who have not voted during elections. This is the burden of responsibility; it is telling the non-voters that the country gets lazy politicians because of their non-decision; it is feeling happy to have done your responsible bit for the country. Should anybody question your patriotism you can announce that you voted like a responsible Indian. 
It is finding the goats who did not vote for a butcher.

Why should anybody be compelled to vote? The willingness to vote should be personal willingness. People should be self-inspired to vote for a particular candidate. In India, many people don’t know much about the candidate and they know little about their leadership skills. So why should they spend their resources on the politician?

To know a country is to identify its problems. When India was attacked by the British, the kings and the princes passed the buck on one another. The caste system got rigid. To be like the British, the Brahmins relegated the shudras to lowliness. None had the courage to get together and take the outsiders head on. Similarly, unless the country is attacked by terrorists, people don’t get together or even write about urgent issues. Never mind that hundreds are killed in Mumbai Local Trains (deserves the first letter capital status) every month. Nobody is going to take the politicians to task. That, is tough. Very tough. It is easier to blame the people. “You voted” and “You never voted” and “your kind of people voted for…” Create rifts. So that today residents of Andheri fight with residents of Virar for seat sharing at 9 A.M every morning and every day of the year. They will not get together and tell the government to look beyond allotting land to Mr. Nano. Similarly, through advertisements like the Jaago Re and now Shut Up and Vote ad, divisions are being created between the people. Shut Up and Vote. Unless you do that, you have no role in questioning the government. This is easy. Easier than telling the government to Shut Up and Govern. So that people vote in the next elections.

These advertisements, in addition, will show non-voters in a negative light. They will also be non-relevant to the people in rural areas who are anyway eager to vote and believe that they have some political options. Over 50% people voted in Kashmir (State Elections) without any prodding. They travelled on cold streets and cast their votes without bothering about their morning kavah. Just because they wanted to vote. They felt that they have some options. The will to vote was self-will.

We are now 60-plus years post independence. People have realised that they have been voting because they were lied to about policies. These people are not the internet surfing populace. They are villagers and those belonging to road-less rural India. They vote not for any concern for the nation but concern for their self. It was expected and hoped by Mr. Nehru that with impetus to education, people in India’s villages would adopt an all-India view of politics. Unfortunately, till this day, people are voting because of blankets and chappals and promised electricity and free rice.

So what has always happened is happening now. For the last 60 years, Indians have had no real knowledge and education about elections. People are parochial and divided over basic issues like water (example).

And people in cities are under the impression that they are aware of the needs of the nation. “I want a young politician. They should be educated and computer savvy….” 

—-You want nothing. You want what you are told to want.
A precedent: remember the last elections. ‘Young politicians’ was the keyword. The Pilots and the Gandhis. This was the mantra fed to voters. So that five more years pass by without many questions asked. Vote so that young people come into politics. If you don’t vote for them, then you have no right to complain that the country is not led by bright politicians. Elections over. Good night and good luck.

People must wake up to marketing inventions and determine whether voting is being encouraged or tea is being sold; if campaigns for voting are opportunities for brand selling.

It is nobody’s duty to vote. If at all there is any iota of responsibility, it is to vote correctly. Correctly. Let the politicians come to the people and tell them to regain trust in the electoral process. Le them reach out to the villagers and promise them no more lies but a better life. And people should vote only when they feel convinced. When they feel like entering the polling station despite the heat and ill-health. And not because of any obligation.

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Kartikey Sehgal

The Bomb in Surat

A green parcel-like bomb lies at the centre of a road. The police cordon off the entire area and send a protected man to diffuse it. Crowds stand at road corners wondering what would have happened had it exploded. News channels do the same; thinking on behalf of people sitting at home.

This is a time when caste and class barriers thin out. The madam in the fancy car and the salesman inside the fancy potholed road are discussing safety issues in a few sentences. And nobody asks the sweeper his caste before informing him about the green parcel that lies at the centre of the road.

Nobody would have time to reflect on these events later. So they make the maximum of the excitement and thrill that the bomb has brought them.

When they are bored of their mechanical life or tired of their bosses, husbands and wives, these people will have the bomb to talk about. They will not seek solutions to the municipal problems or the environment. They will not complain of anything illegal or seek peaceful and friendly solutions with erring building members.

When cousins call from America or Dubai, they will have a tale to tell. They will recall how they narrowly missed stepping on the bomb or how that day they had eaten curd and sugar before leaving for work.

As the excitement fades, they will blame some community or religion for the happenings. They won’t have the time to reflect on the ‘who’s and why’s’ so they will further narrow down to sub-castes or sub-religions and put the onus for the bomb on them. When the excitement fades completely, they will forget about this event and reinstall themselves in their routine.

Newspapers will then talk of the resilience of the people who sit in packed trains and buses to reach their office despite bomb scares. They will not comment on the problems faced by the commuters but extol something that lies within the ‘common man’; the resilient spirit, the enthusiasm to persist despite problems. The commuter would read this and laud himself, forgetting that he ‘persists’ to survive and has no time to reflect on events and problems; on education and on ‘culture’.

When this excitement fades, the media will seek newer excitements; perhaps the dabbawalas who are so time-bound. The dabbawalas’ traffic and train problems would take a backseat and their spirit (like the commuter’s) in tackling the traffic and ensuring timely delivery of food would be mentioned in glowing terms. Your neighbouring middle aged people will tell their children to seek lessons from the dabbawalas while admonishing their under-aged maid for showing slackness in her work despite the promised princely sum of Rs. 1000 a month.

Those who are away from television and media would gossip about affairs and scandals. Where there is no love affair they will create one. Depending on their mental constitution they could imagine that their spouse too is having an affair or neglecting them. To bring back the excitement, they will fight and cry for some time. If the spouse confesses then they will have more excitement to live for; else they will dramatize forgiveness and reconciliation.

Butterfly

Then the spouse will take them on a holiday, not to make up or reconcile but to bring more excitement into his or her life. So that when they are back to work, it looks exciting and new to them.

Nobody will have time to think about environment until the media gets some youngsters to pose for a photograph with various banners proclaiming environmental stress and issues. The youngsters would have something to talk about for some time.

A butterfly will fly and a young kid would chase it. Then the kid would chase a puppy and play with plain green grass. That’s excitement and life enough for the child. Until it is sucked into the world of video games and gossips. And excitement.

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