Comments on Peel the Onion: Caste System

This is so complex and difficult for an outsider t...

2010-06-24T17:56:22.891-07:00

This is so complex and difficult for an outsider to understand...and at the same time in my country there are many prejudices that make absolutely no sense to me either...I know that I am not free from this way of thinking/feeling from time to time...I have my judgments about others...that is natural to human beings I think...preferences that relate to our comfort with others who are different (in my case, differing political views are really hard for me to find peace with)...ultimately though, aren't we all just reflections of the Divine? How can one human be above/better than/more worthy or holier than another? they can't be. As a world, as a human family we must all wake up to recognizing God in one another...it is long past time.

blessings to you gentle friend

My mom and dad were both muslims but Mom was Shia ...

2010-06-17T08:41:43.908-07:00

My mom and dad were both muslims but Mom was Shia and Dad Sunni so there was lots of opposition from both their families specially my Mom's because they were the rich class and my Dad was initially brought as a helping hand to work under her uncle.
The honor killings are really very silly and I really feel very sad for those young lovers who are killed mercilessly in a country where Kasab is still living

I get asked these questions pretty often here. Bol...

2010-06-16T15:53:32.243-07:00

I get asked these questions pretty often here. Bollywood, serials and even the way a lot of Indians make jokes on caste attract my Western friends' attention. In fact, a lot of jokes have such casteist or regionalist slant to it, that we don't even realise it till someone points it out. However, in these modern times when you expect these things to be restricted to only jokes, they continue to assume monstrous proportions..The honour killings and this idea of higher-lower caste disparity sickens my stomach every time I read about it..

Sharmila, Thanks, hope I will find a lovely angel ...

2010-06-16T02:41:30.234-07:00

Sharmila,
Thanks, hope I will find a lovely angel soon :D. I am not sure people from other part of India are aware of Periyar. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periyar_E._V._Ramasamy I became an atheist because of him, my thoughts are mostly influenced by his.
The citation awarded by the UNESCO described Periyar as "the prophet of the new age, the Socrates of South East Asia, father of social reform movement and arch enemy of ignorance, superstitions, meaningless customs and base manners"
If you notice the Tamil people names will not have a caste name attached,which is still common in other parts of India and even among educated. Periyar is the solo reason to eliminate it. BTW,I cited this example to show his determination to eliminate caste. :)
Dhanasekar S

Kanyadaan,the play by Vijay Tendulkar is perhaps t...

2010-06-16T01:27:48.571-07:00

Kanyadaan,the play by Vijay Tendulkar is perhaps the strongest work one has seen on the caste system. It leaves one spooked for a long time.

All the best Dhanasekhar.....go and meet some girls!

This is why i always question if education has rea...

2010-06-15T19:40:32.235-07:00

This is why i always question if education has really opened closed windows.
Last time i went to an IIT festival i was shocked to see students grouped regionally and inwardly nurturing malice rather than unity.
Regionalism,Casteism...will we ever get rid of it?When you see this happening in premier institutons it is not surprising if u find these among the semi-literates.
Appalling still how people choose to remain so passive when such heinous crimes are committed.
Chalta hai duniya hai...oh God when will this be replaced?

It is a far cry to eradicate caste system in our c...

2010-06-15T07:13:48.177-07:00

It is a far cry to eradicate caste system in our country and the irony is that even younger generation is also in to it including dowry system.

Bhagat Bhagat.....he is changing things now. BUt s...

2010-06-15T07:02:39.239-07:00

Bhagat Bhagat.....he is changing things now. BUt still, there's a lot to change. Intercast marriages are most probably in love. And that's how it should be. How about 'the Japanese wife?'

Wonderful post, but the bitter truth (truth is alw...

2010-06-15T04:18:45.054-07:00

Wonderful post, but the bitter truth (truth is always bitter BTW) it still prevails in most parent of the country. My parents just started looking for a bride, first criteria is caste, I am atheist, quite radical but not able to convince my parents. It is not possible to wake a person who pretends sleeping :). May be the caste system is not so common in urban India, but if you notice we divide people by economic status than be caste here. So reality is discrimination cannot be eliminated it will converted from one form to another. I think, reason behind this is fittest of the survival instinct of human.
--Dhanasekar S
http://testingideas.wordpress.com

I feel the caste system is very much prevalent, ev...

2010-06-15T03:39:41.660-07:00

I feel the caste system is very much prevalent, even in modern India. Very few of the educated class actually think freely and accept people for who they are when they marry.

In arranged marriages, people check the caste, gotra and horoscope of the couple. It still happens all around us and most children bow down to parents wishes so as not to hurt them.

It has been entrenched in the way we think, for us to totally remove it, government needs to take steps to remove caste as a section from all official papers and forms. That would be the way to go..and I believe it is possible to change the mindsets..just need strong measures.