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Today we know that a very famous Hollywood actress says that she is Hindu and follows Hindu practices. There is another very famous TV personality from the USA she claims that after coming in contact with the Hindu thoughts through a spiritual guide , she has started practicing Hindu way of life.
While Hindu ( Sanatana) dharm is a non-proselytising , its spread in some parts of Europe and USA in recent years is amazing. But there is another aspect. The same Sanatan dharm is criticized and vilified by Indians and some of them are Hindus. Although all religions are criticized by some or others, the criticism of Sanatana dhharm has shaken out the adherents from slumber they constantly lapse into. The main thrust of criticism is the atrocities committed by upper caste Hindus against lower caste. Also the claim that caste is determined by birth makes even Some upper caste Hindus squirming. Although some experts claim that not caste but ‘Varna’ is determined by birth.
However caste has become pervasive and very rigid. It was thought that after independence Indians will progress speedily making caste irrelevant. As a first step lowest caste people were given special reservation in employment to raise economic condition at first and as a consequence raise social status.
However, now after 80 years of independence, the situation has changed. Now upper caste are trying to portray themselves as lower caste. Because they see economic benefits if they can establish that they are lower caste. They don’t care about social status as long as they can have economic benefits. This points towards the possibility of development of caste in the earliest periods as an economic system for distribution of means of production and services.
In the past ,Over a longer period, Brahmins based on their ‘ work’ started arrogating at first social status and later on political and economic power. Similar to what present day people related to judicial systems are doing. Later on maybe it developed into system based on birth to propagate their family. ( May be present judicial system become like Brahminism in future. )
After the invasion by Muslims, the Brahmins forgot their Dharma of guiding the society. Everyone was scared and for everyone survival became priority. Instead of finding ways to counter Invaders by uniting all Hindus, the Brahmins concentrated on their own benefits leaving others far behind. The fact that Muslims ruled Indians by committing atrocities and at the pain of violence for almost 800 years made caste system very rigid, ossified, as it became a means of survival.
Present day agitation by Upper caste Marathas in Maharashtra to portray themselves as backward caste for getting economic benefits by ignoring social status associated with lower caste points again that caste system is evolved as economic system.
Time has come for adherents of Sanatana Dharma to abandon caste and in this endeavor Brahmins must take lead.
It’s now time for Brahmins to unite by sacrificing their economic and social gains inorder to prepare India for future challenges..and ask for forgiveness from all the Indians, for failing to faithfully carryout their religious duty of acquiring and spreading knowledge amongst all Indians and for previously committed atrocities against lower caste Hindus.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.