India is always considered as a place of heritage and culture which always gives us immense pride to portray to the global dais. But, there is a stained flip side sticking to our country’s culture which darkens our way of lifestyle to the outside world. No matter how far we grow or groom in economy and lifestyle, it is still knottier to get rid of this stain. Yes, the stain is nothing but the “Societal discrimination”. Unfortunately, history tells that Indian heritage plays a huge role in this discrimination among the people of this traditional geography. There are various reasons behind this societal segmentation. India basically is not a origin of any category of people. All are mere immigrants from north west Asia with varietal backgrounds. They together constituted the nationality at various points of times due to various influences and sources.
Despite the history, shamefully, the discrimination happens in our country starting from the day of cradle to one's graveyard. Yep, believe me. It lasts till graveyard. Yesterday, I went to my friend’s village where graveyard was segmented to various castes. Upper castes were allocated separate space and other lower castes were allocated separate space somewhere else for their cremations. In fact, there was a segregation of space amongst lower castes itself. Not only here, still most of the villages in India are following this kind of practice. If there exists any word to describe a superlative shamefulness, I would rather opt for it to express my intense feeling on behalf of my fellow countrymen when I had noticed it that day. As usual, my instinct interrogated me, "Why the hell this is happening in your country still?". My contemplation embarked on.
Why this is happening? Where does this caste system origin? What is the source of all this? Let me share what I got to know. Between, I am not getting into the sensitive reservation issue of the country which would source for spineless agitations. It has nothing to do with political compass. Alright. Let me unwind !
Few thousand years back, considerably B.C., there was no such discrimination prevailed as we come across today. Migrated people were engaged in robust occupations and no significant segregation among them was observed. History and Hindu mythology together give an evolution to today’s caste system in India.
This evolutionary story would contain few fictitious characters. Please bear with it. According to me, “God” is a fictitious character in our modus vivendi. It rolls out as follows!
Lord Brahma who has been called as “God of Creation” was the best scientist ever seen. It is believed that he had invented many medicines and practices for the humanity apart from his renowned task of mere creation. One among them was termed as “Somras” which was considered as the best invention in the medicinal world even till today. Anyone who happens to have this medicine would live significantly for longer lifespan with no health hazards throughout. Technically, the person who has this medicine will have no death minimum of three hundred years.
Lord Brahma had decided to give this most valuable medicine to the reliable gentlemen on earth so that the medicine shouldn’t be used for any destructive purposes in future. Accordingly, he had picked seven best gentlemen across the world who satisfied all his requirements since he believed they won’t violate the rules of humanity. Before giving the medicine to them, Brahma asked them three promises which should not be broken at any point of time in future. He also taught them how to make the medicine.
· They should not become entrepreneurs or involve in any trade or business. They should not become rulers as well.
· They shouldn’t lead normal human livelihood rather they should beg food from others for everyday existence by promoting all Hindu Vedas and Upanishads.
· They should give the medicine to the next generation people with similar characteristics with similar promises.
Those seven gentlemen agreed for the promise and had the medicine and started living their lives as promised to Lord Brahma. These seven people were called as “SaptaRishis” and since they had the Somras from Brahma, they were also called as “Brahmins”.
These Brahmins later had become priests and the practice of giving the Somras to the next generation people persisted. As a result of succession, many Brahmins were evolved. Because of Somras, they were considered as the best in all means and they outperformed others because of their inherent and intellectual abilities.
Similarly, the people who were physically strong involved in battling and military practices and they were named as Kshatrias. The Kshatrias became the rulers of the countries across the world who administered and safeguarded their countrymen. Similarly, Vaishyas became the businessmen who involved in trading and agriculture. Last category was Shudras who became the workers for the above two categories of people. So, rather by birth, the categorization was done based on the occupations of the people in the past and there was also compartmentalization in each of these categories because of various mythologies. People of those eras weren’t bothered with this kind of segmentation since they considered that this law was imposed by their lord (Supposedly Lord Ram. Till today, Ram Rajya (Government of Ram) is believed to be the best administration on earth). No much partition issues were recorded since the acceptance existed universally. But, later on, the transformation started occurring because of various influential factors in the history.
As centuries passed, the Brahmins tardily started migrating towards the administration and trade. As a result, the effect of Somras started getting diminished and with the phase of evolution they got involved in almost all means of lives today. So, the longevity and the lifespans of Brahmins slowly started belittling. Also, people belong to other categories undergone migration due to various changes throughout the history. The above mythology gives a glimpse of the sources which fueled Caste system in our country.
The above categorization is in practice from few thousand years ago which couldn't be eliminated on one fine day by merely implementing reservation and other upliftment policies by Dr.Ambedhkarji. Because, to achieve the mental change amongst the traditional humans by nature would definitely isn't a cakewalk. The time will change everything and these discriminations among the people will turn off slowly. Balanced society isn't an easy target in a country with such a mythological origin. On the other hand, it isn't a mirage either. May be will take more time unless we get out of this psychological disorder of societal segmentation. This history just revolves around "Hinduism" but every religion on earth has such an evolutionary story everywhere. Rest in India will again fall under another category named "Minorities" who are literally no more the minorities here (According to Sensex statistical report). If we get into this context, the post will become a tangent to its crux. So, its better to stay rid of it.
I want to state that “Religion” is discovered for the goodness of the mankind and not for its harm. If it is implied in a destructive or dejecting track, it is better to stay rid of it. That is what I am standing for ! If you are fortunately a Vaishya by birth, you are lucky enough to enjoy few concessions and considerations in this diluted culture, may be because of your ancestors. But, your neighbor who is a Shudra shouldn't be neglected from any of your opportunities. The society has to be undivided to become an open dais for everyone.
Almost every one here is living with this kind of irrational attitude and leading our life which won't paves way for a unanimous society. Stop bothering about one's caste, creed, origin and all the other (bull shit) discriminations which make no sense at all. To achieve this, you should attain a self actualization of realizing that you are merely an individual just like every other person on earth with no significant difference in physical and mental matter.
If your religion harms you in achieving it in any way, just chuck it out from your livelihood. Your god won't hurt you for this if he or she really oversees you. This idea might create waves in you. But, if you happen to have some commonsense, just think for a while out of your normal scope of contemplation.
What do you do with the purpose of life if you aren't knowing it and sharing it? If you deserve something here, your fellow men too should deserve to enjoy it. It is as simple as that. Why the hell you discriminate? If not you, what the hell is the source which tempts you? If you know it, why the hell you give space for it?
Similar kind of practices exist throughout the globe in various ways which originated at various times in history. Discrimination in color (Blacks and Whites) is something which is unacceptable at any cost which is still alive at various parts of the world. Rise of rationalism is the only source of the decline of these ridiculous practices at least to some extent. So, I would like to back it !
The earth is unanimous. Land, water and air is meant to be free for everyone. No one should encourage discrimination by any pious mean. If that is the case, then put period to piousness. I am neither an atheist nor a communist ! An anonymous human creature down to earth who is exploring answer for a recurring question of my mind !
As you figured out, it is "Who the hell am I?". If you find time amidst your useless activities of life, just spend a while to find the answer for it !!
Source for Hindu Mythology - "The Immortals of Meluha" Book written by Amish Tripathi
