Reflections on the Indian ‘Caste’ system from a redeemed priest

Civilisations have come and gone. Nations have risen and fallen. However, all these have contributed to the selfish satiation of individuals and smaller groups following them. Greed and oppressive nature in human beings have been root causes in giving birth to practices which have harmed the optimal development of human beings.

I live in the Indian subcontinent. The country I live in, has unique contradictions because of various group identities like race, colour, culture and language. In an ideal world, all these differences would have been amalgamated to create an amazingly positive social structure for all its people. However, this has remained a dream.

In an ideal world, all these differences would have been amalgamated to create an amazingly positive social structure for all its people.

In order to suppress and rule over the ‘weaker’, the more powerful continues to design oppressive methods and perpetuate discrimination. This is the reality of human history. Brainwashing through belief systems, cultural influences, use of language, colour, have all been used to enslave and establish superiority of one over the other. The ‘weaker’ members have been demoralised and their heroes systematically demonised. One such clever system used to achieve superiority is ‘CASTE’ which was the brain child of the migrants from a different region who entered this land almost 3500 years ago. They cleverly imposed on the natives of this land the Caste system. There is no evidence as to when they initiated this system. Introduced initially as ‘professional’ identification it was ultimately formalised in every part of life. Different colours and justifications were given to legitimise this new found formula of suppression.

The result of such an overpowering scheme is that it led to a lack of value for human lives and loss of self-respect. They mixed this evil system into the belief system of the natives whose culture was originally free of caste. People who originally had value for human life, practiced equality and cared for one another were now infused with a crushing inferiority complex. They were made to believe that they were low and needed to serve the other.

In order to achieve an irreversible change, various methods were used. Superstition was allowed to grow in various forms in-order to take advantage of the caste system for self gratification.

Interestingly, this strange system ultimately enslaved the perpetrators of this evil. To legitimise their superiority they were forced to exhibit it in the open. Pages of my country’s history is filled with details of atrocities committed in the name of caste.

“Bandit Queen” a film directed by Shekar Kapur graphically describes some of the atrocities committed in the name of caste and the other extreme of revenge over the perpetrators of atrocities.

Some among the oppressed took courage to raise their voices. Though their efforts appeared to be successful for a time, it never achieved what was dreamt.

There were many enlightened ones who saw through this evil and tried to light a fire of freedom to help the oppressed. Some among the oppressed took courage to raise their voices. Though their efforts appeared to be successful for a time, it never achieved what was dreamt. Such is the grip of the Caste system in the lives of people.

When my country was fighting for freedom and struggling to establish itself as an independent nation, there were men and women in many parts of our country who raised their voices against the evils of the caste system and its effects on the lives of people. Some visualised a new nation free of all such oppressive elements. However, though the fire was lit repeatedly, it was never able to destroy this evil, which has no respect for human lives. Even now the newspapers invariably describe the atrocities committed by the powerful against the weaker and marginalised sections. Inhuman treatments are still meted out towards the oppressed. The crimes committed by the powerful are ignored because they belong to the privileged caste and are deemed to have natural sanctions.

In general their living areas are separate from one another. For example if a village has all categories of caste, the elite caste live in a separate area where the low caste men cannot enter. The next group which is called high caste will have their own living area away from the first group. Now the low caste group will have their living area little away from the high caste area and far away from the first one. This system is prevalent in some parts of our country even now.

Education and social development, initiated at different times for these oppressed classes, seemed to achieve some improvements. However, that too was short lived.

There were men and women from among the privileged high caste who came out openly to condemn this oppressive system. Though it gave courage for the oppressed to come out boldly, their dream is not yet fulfilled.

There were men and women from among the privileged high caste who came out openly to condemn this oppressive system. Though it gave courage for the oppressed to come out boldly, their dream is not yet fulfilled. Politics hijacked this liberation movement and promised upliftment. Ultimately, both sides started practising extremism in dealing with each other.

The irony is that many practitioners of belief systems which propagate ‘equality’ of all human beings at all times, have fallen prey to this evil caste system. They too started practicing this evil. When personal and selfish interests supersede everything, the hidden belief in caste system bares its sharp teeth with full force. Added to this, down through the years an unsatiating obsession over a particular colour has also been created in the minds of all.

Intercaste marriages are unthinkable to a large extent. If any such thing happens, in some parts of the country they practice the system of honour killing i.e. the man and his wife will be killed. The milder form of this is, excommunication from the society and disinheritance of property rights.

To divert the attention from this real issue, a smoke screen of economic and social status was created. However, beneath this veneer is the caste system and its greed. Another innocent looking system was brought in to keep the caste burner warm – the ‘surname’. Nowadays it has almost become mandatory to mention ‘surname’. Though it is a big headache to those who had succeeded to some extent in getting the caste system out of their thought, it is causing frustration in the lives of many. The unexplained mystery is, that in my country it is exposing the community/caste.

Forty years ago I was liberated from the clutches of caste. Now I can see a fellow human being in a different light – as a true fellow human.

I was raised and trained in this caste system and was taught that my birth in the highest caste is the greatest blessing and privilege. As time passed un-answered questions remained in my heart. I was troubled by the suppression, domination, untouchability, and lack of basic human courtesy for long years. Forty years ago I was liberated from the clutches of caste. Now I can see a fellow human being in a different light – as a true fellow human.

When I was a young boy, I have seen untouchability practiced in our home and society. Once a man was passing by the street. He happened to see some of the elderly people of my family from a distance. Immediately he removed his sandals and kept them on his head and crossed us bare feet. He wore his sandals again only after going a little distance away from us. At that time I felt proud that we were respected by this low caste man.

I once read in a newspaper article an interesting thing about a person who was holding a very high profile position in the country. The article stated that his wife used to perform sanctification of the visitors room and all the furniture therein with Ganges water every night because the man and his wife belonged to the elite caste.

It is a fact that, there are many positive ethos on both sides. Both should learn to adopt the positives of each other and leave the rest. Recognition of equality among human beings should not be just a fashionable idea. It should be the conviction of every individual.

Recognition of equality among human being should not be just a fashionable idea. It should be the conviction of every individual.

There was a famous poet in the south of India named Bharathiyar. He fought for independent and new India during his lifetime. He wrote in one of his poems:
“There is no caste my child
Praising or criticising based on caste is a sin”