CASTE….???
The 21 century brings with it many changes…certain changes which are easily accepted by the society and certain others which are just above the mental comfort zone.
The caste system, being one of the important social barriers India has faced, has been perceived in different ways by different generations through centuries.
Like say to our grandparents, the need for caste is just “unexplainable”. It is something that our ancestors have been following and following such traditions is jus the matter of being true to our ancestry. While the older generation would say that, the more previous one would think a step further in understanding that no conclusion would be reached without reason behind it, they half mindedly have agreed that concept of caste system was done as people varied in their capabilities to respect and understand certain cultural actions…what I do not understand is how such minor differences have bought such major divisions among us. The culture that one should show should be imbibed in him or her through encounters in life. What is this culture that Im talking about, it’s not the religious aspect of life, culture is defined in the smaller aspects of life, like for instance the courtesy to acknowledge someone’s need, or mannerisms. Such type of cultural differences has led us to look at others in a different eye.
Just because my friend’s parents do not show the same level of background as my parents do. .does it mean I look at my friend in a different way? If people in my class eat different food or talk with a different accent, follow different traditions or if their parents are of completely different thinking does it make a difference to me? Or to the relationship with my friend? Ofcourse not.
It’s the 21 century, a generation to which caste is just a mere word, something we read about in our history textbook. It means nothing to us more than a mere phrase in history.
But ofcourse I can not deny that this discrimination is all around us ….but our eyes are shut to it, by our elders, elders who talk about improving our society and extinguishing social barriers...the same elders who turn their face to people who they consider lower to them. Lower to them in what way..Caste!?. I believe that a person should be measured not by his parentage nor his actions related to his ancestry but by his views, achievements, practicality, and moreover truthful thinking. We are born only as mere humans; it is our struggle to be a person that defines us... it does not matter about the type of clay used to make a vase that is important but how well it is polished to make it look beautiful.
The 21 century brings with it many changes…certain changes which are easily accepted by the society and certain others which are just above the mental comfort zone.
The caste system, being one of the important social barriers India has faced, has been perceived in different ways by different generations through centuries.
Like say to our grandparents, the need for caste is just “unexplainable”. It is something that our ancestors have been following and following such traditions is jus the matter of being true to our ancestry. While the older generation would say that, the more previous one would think a step further in understanding that no conclusion would be reached without reason behind it, they half mindedly have agreed that concept of caste system was done as people varied in their capabilities to respect and understand certain cultural actions…what I do not understand is how such minor differences have bought such major divisions among us. The culture that one should show should be imbibed in him or her through encounters in life. What is this culture that Im talking about, it’s not the religious aspect of life, culture is defined in the smaller aspects of life, like for instance the courtesy to acknowledge someone’s need, or mannerisms. Such type of cultural differences has led us to look at others in a different eye.
Just because my friend’s parents do not show the same level of background as my parents do. .does it mean I look at my friend in a different way? If people in my class eat different food or talk with a different accent, follow different traditions or if their parents are of completely different thinking does it make a difference to me? Or to the relationship with my friend? Ofcourse not.
It’s the 21 century, a generation to which caste is just a mere word, something we read about in our history textbook. It means nothing to us more than a mere phrase in history.
But ofcourse I can not deny that this discrimination is all around us ….but our eyes are shut to it, by our elders, elders who talk about improving our society and extinguishing social barriers...the same elders who turn their face to people who they consider lower to them. Lower to them in what way..Caste!?. I believe that a person should be measured not by his parentage nor his actions related to his ancestry but by his views, achievements, practicality, and moreover truthful thinking. We are born only as mere humans; it is our struggle to be a person that defines us... it does not matter about the type of clay used to make a vase that is important but how well it is polished to make it look beautiful.
