Caught in a matrimonial column
V.M.Tarkunde too agrees endogamy is an essential characteristic of caste. So if you 'think' you are above such narrow considerations as caste, it doesn't mean that you don't belong to one. Or that you are breaking down the caste system.
'Caste is an extension of a joint Hindu family. However, while the family remains a laudable social institution, the caste system is undoubtedly harmful. It is harmful for two reasons. In the first place, there are social gradations in the caste system, some castes being higher and superior in status to those below. The higher castes had till recent times the monopoly of education as also of economic resources. The lower castes remained educationally, economically and socially backward. There was, and there still exists to a large extent, a definite social hierarchy between all castes, from the Brahmins at the top to the Scheduled Castes at the bottom. The second defect of the caste system, which really sustains the first, is that every caste continues to be endogamic. Marriages are confined almost always to couples belonging to the same caste. The caste system is stabilised by endogamy as well as by social gradation. It is a harmful social institution but its harmfulness is increasingly greater as we go down in the social gradation and reach the level of the Scheduled Castes.'
posted by obc voice @ 2:59 AM
8 Comments:
So,how many OBCs are marrying Dalits?
please read the article i linked to. it says 'the caste system is stabilised by endogamy'..and the article i linked to in the preceding post says castes lower down the ranking order tried to mimic/imitate/emulate the traits/customs of those above them (like starting to practice endogamy, for instance)..the hold of endogamy is not easy to break - the upper castes would have to start marrying outside caste first, and in really large numbers so that the idea percolates down.
If a Brahmin jumps into a well, will an OBC do that too? Is that what you are saying?
'..the status of a caste in the Hindu Society varies directly with the extent of the observance of the customs of Sati, enforced widowhood, and girl marriage. But observance of these customs varies directly with the distance (I am using the word in the Tardian sense) that separates the caste. Those castes that are nearest to the Brahmins have imitated all the three customs and insist on the strict observance thereof. Those that are less near have imitated enforced widowhood and girl marriage; others, a little further off, have only girl marriage and those furthest off have imitated only the belief in the caste principle...' this is from :
http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/Misc/Sss/whcastep.htm
in practice,more foolish things than 'jumping into wells' have happened during this process of imitation (than even dr.ambedkar could think of).. a few lower castes in 19-20th century north india(mostly in certain areas in present day uttar pradesh) tried to follow the upper-caste custom of sati. the rayas of vijayanagar, in the south, who were shudras, too 'religiously' followed this practice.
So, it does seem like if a Brahmin jumps into a fire, OBCs will follow suit.
what do you think?
So obcvoice you need to realise something. All thats happening around you is no longer a caste issue.. its an attempt to divide a nation.
Even if this were a caste issue, it should bother you enough to raise a voice against reservation because the enforcement of reservation would result in further building up of walls of hatred and discrimination between non-OBC's and OBC's. Dont think so? History has proven this time and again.
I suggest you try to analyse this because it is extremely important that OBC groups also be involved in the protests. India is being divided at this very point in time into a country where various groups, sub-groups, units will fight against each other for survival instead of helping each other to rise to their potential while politicians sit back to enjoy some personal short-term profits. We all need to stop this from happening and build an environment where each individual is respected irrespecive of caste or creed and the only way to do this is to denounce efforts to separate us based on caste. True this very thing was done in the name of caste to destroy the lives of so many people years ago.. but we dont live in those times now. We know that was bad and its time we learned that and ensured it doesnt get repeated ever.
Here's to all you fellow Indians.. lets change this country for the better of every single Indian! Lets decide to henceforth not make a single decision based on caste's and religions!
r4y,
how can anyone disagree with you?
so i should join you and ask the government to roll back mandal and other reservations , fine. so what are you going to do for me in return - will you ask the government to hang all those people who blocked mandal from 1980 to 1990 and dragged it till 1993 only to be implemented partly and then stalled it until 2006? the government asked for mandal, accepted its recommendations, parttially, but failed to implement even that truncated agenda fully even now. someone/some people are responsible for this. will you launch a movement to demand punishment for these people?
as i said i'll give up my demand for reservations..but can you promise me you'll demand the severest punishment for those people too?
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