Even in flood, India's `untouchables' last rescued

[THOA]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080901/ap_on_re_as/india_dividing_waters

Please know that this thread might be touching on really sensitive issues, but I feel that as a multi-cultural and multi-religious society (as if we are the only ones in the world, but that's beside the point), education is the key to understanding.

My lack of understanding and knowledge is preventing me having an objective opinion on the above article, so I am seeking help from our Indian or Hindu bros and sis who would like to share their thoughts.

I would like to know more about the caste system of Indian social and religious system. I would like to understand its significance, seeing how it has been adapted for hundreds, even thousands of years.

 

[BonAparte]

Learnt about the 'untouchables' in lower sec. The caste system still exists up till today ?

 

[THOA]

Some stuff are just hard to relinquish.

I know among my Indian friends, their family forbids them from marrying someone else of another caste, let alone another race. Yes, it happens even today.

 

[visa]

it's sad, but prejudice is very real. The lower-class Black community in New Orleans faced the same thing during Hurricane Katrina.

While active discrimination, like going out and beating up people of another race or religion or caste, is severely frowned upon and deemed criminal by the global community, most of us still choose to help our own before others.

The problem has become largely socio-economic. A lot of these people weren't given opportunities in the past, so they still simply can't afford to go to school or get jobs that would lift them out of poverty.

Education indeed, is the solution- but providing it is a very complex and difficult challenge.

 

[THOA]

While I do agree that prejudice is generally bad, in this case the fact that it stems from a system of belief that is rooted from old times makes this all the more complicated and needs to be treated with more care.

It is unlike the prejudice against the African Americans or Native Americans, where the prejudice and discrimination was rooted from the times of slavery, which is more to do with economic and social reasons. It is more like how the women in a lot of Muslim countries are being treated; which is more so a religious and cultural slant, much more deeply rooted, at least in the way the faith was interpreted.

 

[wyldeboon]

wtf sia..............................................

freaking stupid. dun understand the motive of bringing it to a 'practice' in years like this. let alone in a situation like in the article.


haiya... when will ppl learn......................

 

[martel]

Let me tell you all the truth about the caste system. From time immemorial, the great land of india has 4 castes which emanates from the preserver God Vishnu who is as bright as countless trillion of sun. From the head is the brahmins who are very close to God,and the lowest is Sudras. They have been properly classified due to their innate nature. For example,even if you get a PHD but your character sux big time due to your genes,you are considered as having a Sudra's quality. Someone better off doing toilet work or hard labour. Caste system is according to what nature you are due to the DNA of your genes. A lot of people fail to understand it and critizise hinduism. But you will get the idea when seeing righteousness prevailings amongst poorer people and common folks helping and caring for one another, and then seeing rich,educated selfish fool who eventually destroy their own family or murder their close ones. Thus caste system is justified.

 

[index7]

Some cultures believe that who you are born in this life is a reflection of what you've done in the previous life. As such - those born poor and downtrodden will always remain there - as it is a punishment. No one is willing to help them - because they deserve this lot in this life. Saw the result with my own eyes when I was visiting a country - not a pretty sight.

Note: I am not talking about Hinduism.

 

[Vimal]

I am an Indian to start with...

To be completely honest. You are looking at one of the worst states in India. Where things are sooooooo archaic! When the guy has a fight with another guy who has got connections, all the ladies in his family is raped. His wife and daughter are paraded naked in that shit hole state. Bihar is one state India is super ashamed of due to the crime rate and all these stupid caste system. Infact there is joke in India that says if pakistan wants to fight with us to get Kashmir...sure they can have it...but they must take bihar too...:twisted:

However, in most cities that are doing well (and I can tell you most are), Mumbai, Delhi, Banglore, Gujrat just to name a few... prejudice based on caste has gone down drastically compared to say 20 years back. Major reason for this is all the companies that are coming to India and offering jobs, even the lower caste doesn't care if these high class snobs don't treat them well. I come from the lower caste in India. But do I care...NO...do I give a damn to what these snobs say...NO. In mumbai are there snobs who bother about caste...NO!

But it is a bit sad to keep hearing about these things here and there in some not so developed states...But yeah...it does exist to some extent and I dont see in my lifetime that that will vanish from India.

Anyways, to the authorities in Bihar who were carrying out this rescue operation, SCREW YOU MORONS!!! HOPE YOU GUYS ROT IN HELL.

 

[martel]

Vimal,you can safely call them morons and shit,but the fact is most indians in singapore are low caste,yes you may get a degree or whatever piece of paper,but your DNA and blood cannot be changed. You are considered lucky in singapore,if you are in india,you better respect the higher castes. Those companies venturing into India needed cheap manpower,and most of them are not indians.What does a chinese or caucasian cares about your caste? they only wants you to work a certain number of hours thats all.But when you go to social gatherings you better stick to your own kind,dude.

 

[Vimal]

Seriously dude where did you read this??? That is crap.

Its something to do with how the society was. In simple terms, the kings would have scholars (priests and teachers) , warriers and rulers, farmers, traders, artists and labourers in their kingdom.

Scholars - Brahmins
Warriers and rulers - Ksatriyas
Farmers, traders, artists - Vaisyas
Labourers - Sudras

Obviously then some people started thinking they were better than others. Labourer's worked hard and cleaned roads, gutters etc and may be even smelt bad. What would a good clean scholars wife think of this person....Yucks so dirty...so will you touch him..NO. Thats how this shit of untouchables and stuff started.

No religion says there should be all of the above. Hinduism and I am sure all other religions say all are equal.

Let me tell you all the truth about the caste system. From time immemorial, the great land of india has 4 castes which emanates from the preserver God Vishnu who is as bright as countless trillion of sun. From the head is the brahmins who are very close to God,and the lowest is Sudras. They have been properly classified due to their innate nature. For example,if you get a PHD but your character sux big time,you are considered a Sudra. Someone better off doing toilet work or hard labour. Caste system is according to what nature you are due to the DNA of your genes. A lot of people fail to understand it and critizise hinduism. But you will get the idea when seeing righteousness prevailings amongst poorer people and common folks helping and caring for one another, and then seeing rich,educated selfish fool who eventually destroy their own family or murder their close ones. Thus caste system is justified.

 

[THOA]

Let me tell you all the truth about the caste system. From time immemorial, the great land of india has 4 castes which emanates from the preserver God Vishnu who is as bright as countless trillion of sun. From the head is the brahmins who are very close to God,and the lowest is Sudras. They have been properly classified due to their innate nature. For example,if you get a PHD but your character sux big time,you are considered a Sudra. Someone better off doing toilet work or hard labour. Caste system is according to what nature you are due to the DNA of your genes. A lot of people fail to understand it and critizise hinduism.

Bro, I kinda understand this part..

But you kinda lost me here:

But you will get the idea when seeing righteousness prevailings amongst poorer people and common folks helping and caring for one another, and then seeing rich,educated selfish fool who eventually destroy their own family or murder their close ones. Thus caste system is justified.

 

[dir]

=martel
that's a pretty convoluted explanation, try again please?

The lower-class Black community in New Orleans faced the same thing during Hurricane Katrina.

source for this? I don't think it's fair to blame the sub-par government response for hurricane Katrina on racial prejudice.

 

[betsybug]

martel=if you get a PHD but your character sux big time,you are considered a Sudra.

This runs counter to the accepted concept of the Indian* social differentiation that someone is born into a caste. That is, if you are born into a Brahmin (highest caste) family, you too are a Brahmin. Character doesn't enter into it.

If what you say is true then all Brahmins are good, and the lowest castes are criminally inclined. We know this cannot be true. So, your proposition fails a simple logic test (in fact, the first part of what you stated runs up against the second part).


*note that I use the word "Indian" and not "Hindu" as the caste systems in India is not restricted to Hindus only.

 

[martel]

The New Orlean's Hurricane Katrina has nothing to do with Caste system,it is only colour biasness and rich/poor distinctions.
Talk about colour,not all brahmins are fair and not all sudras are dark like charcoal,it is the caste which you are born in which makes the difference.But generally,more brahmins are fairer compared to Sudras. It is not only the dirty or clean issue,Vimal. A sudra can take bath too,although a brahmin traditionally is required to be very very clean.Three times a day.That's how clean they are supposed to be and the diet also counts. A sudra is allowed to eat even pigs,just an example.

 

[THOA]

source for this? I don't think it's fair to blame the sub-par government response for hurricane Katrina on racial prejudice.

I have been Youtubing about Katrina last night, and racism IS quite an issue during the rescue operation. But it is more on how the military personel apparently treated the survivors of the disaster. Sub-par government response as well as the issue of sub par condition of the levee prior to the storm remains to be the key failures.

 

[martel]

betsybug, bear in mind why sudras are not allowed to touch scriptures,they are not only crimminally inclined but unclean to the core within the DNA cells. Thus,it is the characters which evolved from the DNA structures of the certain castes. Even if someone from the sudra caste were to get a PHD he is and will always be a sudra. That is the stauch point i am making,and even if a brahmin is lazy,still he should be respected in all respect. Understand?

 

[martel]

THOA,it's very natural for people to save their own skin or own kind. In times of emergency i am sure more people of their own types will be saved. Only exemption should be Michael Jackson

 

[THOA]

Talk about colour,not all brahmins are fair and not all sudras are dark like charcoal,it is the caste which you are born in which makes the difference.But generally,more brahmins are fairer compared to Sudras.

So that means it is still possible for some Sindhis (for example, no offense meant to anyone), to be brahmins while others to be sundras then?

 

[Slash04]

I would disagree, but given the sensitivity of this issue, i respect your viewpoint, Martel.