Written by: Arya Khatri - 22027, Grade XII
Posted on: 02 February, 2022
Caste system is a matter of fact, interpreted differently from different perspectives. When viewed under the lens of communism it seems as an ever exploitative system devised by the priestly and the ruling class since the very time they were inebriated with the Soma of the Vedic age, which is currently perceived as the opiate of the masses.
The socialist remembers Nehru who had said- "Socialism is a form of casteism, one that puts a baniya in its place." The downtrodden voice always starts with the feet of the Cosmic Man that trampled their self esteem until they regained it by converting to neo Buddhism.
The saffron flag bearers find the caste as eternal as God himself and very confidently they rely upon the verse from Gita: catur-varnyam maya srstam Guna-karma-vibhagasah.And, for the modern thinker alias the westerner, afraid of sunburn while viewing the landscape, puts on his dark glasses which allow him to see caste as the only relevant issue to define a nation.
But, caste is just a matter of fact, the one which defines us and others since they make their first cry after coming out of a mother's womb. Is it a good system or a bad system, is it related to Hindus or can be found in other faiths as well, is it a socio-economic stratification or a cultural tradition... are just not the facts in issue. The only fact is simply that caste is the part and parcel of our mind-set and we must learn to live with it.
China has a tradition in which the family is bound to follow the same occupation and culture throughout coming generations. So much so that for a long period of time sons used to drink the same wine like their fathers did. This is very comparable to the caste system where we had the concept of Brahmin's son would handle the temples. However, China in all prospects is very ahead of Nepal, be it academics, sports, economics or anything else. It again makes us question the very fact, that is the caste system actually affecting Nepal as adversely as European historians depicted? Probably not, because history is always his-side of the story and we'd never have a 360 degrees perspective around the story.
A popular Urdu shayari goes: Couldn't find the beloved, couldn't find the God, neither on this side of the road nor on that side of the road.
The elephant in the room is, politicians don't address the caste system because they don't want to lose vote banks. Reserved castes don't want to address the caste system because they don't want to leave reservations. So it's always convenient to sit with a cup of tea, sip and cuss about how a corrupt MLA won your area's ward election just by support from people of his caste . Sometimes a little redressal to self goes a long way, at least nip the bud if you can't nib the root.
The only thing we shouldn't tolerate is discrimination based on caste and creed. Sometimes we have a disabled child in the school but we have to tolerate him/her, no matter how clumsy they get, keeping in mind the very fact that they are how they are. We hope that they'll become better, ostensibly, the caste system is such a child and we hope it’ll get a little more on its feet.
