What to do with this Caste (written in 2011)

An unconscious collective of shared memories and actual experiences relating to caste has been stashed away in the recesses of my brain and body.  These have made me wiser (I believe) and cautious about the way I deal with people. This collective has not turned me into a raging revolutionary as it should have!  In the words of Dr.Izzeldin Abuelaish, 'I have the right to feel angry.’ But I don’t feel much at all. However, thanks to the bold new generation of friends in the social media who ‘think’ – I too have started to think. So, like a bovine (there you go) I settle down and the caste cud gushes forth from my insides eager to be chewed!

 Just a little background information – I was brought up entirely in Chennai, I went to convent schools, I lived in middle class environments and had a happy childhood.  My parents’ instruction to us was on the practical lines of discipline and example.  They did not talk about caste oppression though they distinctly made us feel comfortable with our caste which I later on found out was ‘low but not that low’.  Their goal for our lives was clearly to practice the Christian faith, to study well, to be happy, to get a good job and to be kind – nothing else mattered!!   But even in this protected life, caste does leave its mark and I am not quite sure what to do with it.

Some memories and experiences in random order

1)      A recent incident: I saw an old lady in the middle of the road trying to cross it. She was standing at the same spot even after I had finished my quick shopping. Deciding to help her crossover, I went over gesturing to guide her by placing my hand reassuringly on her arm. She smelled and looked fresh manjal (turmeric) - going to or back from a ritual. ‘DON’T TOUCH’ she said in English. 

2)    -  I must have been in my 8^th or 9^th standard and was travelling to Bombay by train alone. My brothers ensured my safety in the ladies coupe.  I remember that my co passengers were a vegetarian family group and I had bought non-vegetarian dinner.  So when they started eating with gusto, I said I will go to the upper berth where I was to sleep and have my diner there.  Half way into my chicken and chapathi combo – the lights were switched off!  After repeatedly calling out to the aunties to switch on the lights in vain, I blindly felt and finished my dinner in the dark. My Frooty tetra pack straw rolled away in the dark and so I ingeniously used my hairpin to make a hole and sip out the mango juice. After which I slept peacefully.  I don’t remember the rest of the journey as being unpleasant either.

3)   -   Around a year back, our family was driving home after church and I thought I saw something drop from the scooter which was going a little ahead of us.  We were separated by many other two wheelers who didn’t stop to alert them. Not very sure whether something dropped or not…we anyway decided to race up to them and confirm. It took us a good 3 or 4 minutes to catch up and signal them to stop at the sides. They did reluctantly – an old man and his daughter. She immediately confirmed that an important document in a plastic cover is missing – but before she could turn to retrieve, the old man gave us a shocker.  In a very disappointed and thankless tone he said in the distinct upper caste Tamil lingo, “Couldn’t you have told us a little earlier”? 

4)   -   My mother once told me that when she walked in a particular street in her village – the upper caste woman who lived in that street used to stand in front of her house and shout ‘othadi, othadi’ (move away) when she saw  my mother and other such people using the street. This was to ensure that they did not go too close to her entrance doorway!!

5)   -   Over the years, I have read Indian English short stories (I ignored Tamil Literature till recently) that were ruthlessly transparent about caste atrocities. But they were just stories I read – even Bayen by Mahasweta Devi did not trigger me. I was not affected directly and we were anyway appreciating the literary contribution.

6)     - Yes, now and then, over the years I have seen headlines and statistics about untouchablitiy and victims harassed to death. I have seen a couple of Tamil movies that touched upon the topic here and there along with their comedy tracks.

7)   -   Some months ago, I was sharing tips with my maid who helps me in the cooking and cleaning. She is a widow who was severely abused by her husband, slightly deaf in one ear, superstitious, sincere and hardworking. She has migrated to the city with three children and life goes on. She belongs to a ‘low caste’.  I happened to mention that ‘beef’ when cooked in a particular manner is very tasty.   She was aghast.  She took two steps backward away from me in my already small kitchen.  She exclaimed – “Oh my God, do you eat beef?” her body wrenched and her face distorted – she added, “I didn’t know that. How disgusting” she finished.

8)     - I have heard a very funny story too.  One of my grandfathers’ was a firebrand. The upper caste people in his village did not allow others to draw water from the only well in the village.  So after repeated squabbles over the use of water - he masterminded and executed the following deed.  One night he mixed human faeces and other available ones and threw the mighty mixture into the well in dispute!!  Apparently the war was won. The water was potable after many moons.

I urge readers to see the pattern in these incidents and memories, to acknowledge the fault lines in the upper caste attitude, the feeling of upper castedness by anyone who has even one caste below them, the naïve stupidity we exhibit by accepting bad behaviour as natural, the feigned ignorance and stoic apathy of those who have escaped the caste disadvantages.  These recounted details have not in any way stopped me from achieving a good life. I am blessed and lucky?

So what am I supposed to do now? I live a comfortable life.  I have many upper caste friends whose friendship I cherish.  When I looked out for a school for my children I made sure that there are decent people there (decent means a combination of caste and class). The sad truth is that the caste system has been so cleverly designed and propitiated that even the so called low caste member’s mete out the same treatment to those castes that are perceived to be slightly lower than them! And if we successfully escape ‘caste’ claws we rapidly fall prey to the ‘class’ claws.

I am aware – but what am I supposed to do? Why am I turning a blind eye to the people still suffering from caste related issues?  Why do I give more importance to global warming, animal rights etc. I do not want to hate or curse. I want a future, a hope.  I do not want to dig up the past.  But will such idealistic thinking lead anywhere?  What with the upper caste’s clear dominance in today’s world.  I know for sure that in the corporate world and the giant IT companies the top positions are for them.  The powerful ‘media’ that has gained acceptance, readership and viewer ship is definitely owned and run by the upper caste.  Whatever is praised as classical, heritage, culturally significant and praiseworthy here in South India almost always bears the upper caste mark. 

Should I keep remembering the fact that some of my ancestors were not even allowed to cover their breasts in front of upper caste persons? Many of them were ill-treated for wanting to be educated. What about the fact that lower caste people are still (i.e. 2011) denied basic rights in many regions of India.  Then, I should also remember that there were shining stars from the upper caste such as Mahakavi Bharathiar who challenged his own community and its injustices?  Where are the new Bharathiar’s? Are there no more Kamaraj’s?  All everyone wants to be is a Tata Birla Ambani Mallya.

Will an equable society be possible with our children studying in city schools that are caste or class conscious? Schools which are not conscious are either hopelessly expensive or hopelessly poor quality.

I am no activist but I do not wish to be passivist either. What am I supposed to do?

Rhoda Alex

P.S.  Happy to add that my maid and I have reconciled. She confessed later that she has tasted pig.

P.P.S.  If you have the time, read this please  http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0300811h.html#ch-17  

 P.P.P.S.  There is one more incident in my poorly maintained blog if you have the appetite for more ramblings. It even led me to do a research!

Rhoda Alex, contrary to what the name may suggest, is a Tamilian of India. A mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend neighbour and a freelance communication design consultant.

rhodalex@gmail.com