Leela of Maya
Maya and Leela are two fundamental terms in Hinduism. 'The World' is a 'Leela' which is a cosmic play in action. There is no object required for 'Leela'. It is an existential fact. It needs no object or purpose. Leela is enacted with the help of Maya.
Maya is 'deceptive dynamism' of this world. Things are not what they appear to be and on top of it, things are changing with a rapidity that it is difficult to notice clearly what they are or were.
It is no irony that the leader of downtrodden is called 'Mayawati'. But first let's go into the 'Caste Problem'. How does caste come into existence? Why it exists at all? The caste is moulded and fermented by Endogamy.
Endogamy
Endogamy is practice of entering matrimonial alliance within the community or tribe or ethnicity or caste. The last being limited only to the subcontinent of India. Caste survived even after conversion to Islam and ChristianityccxiiSee http://www.dharmaramjournals.in/ArticleFiles/The%20Problem%20of%20Caste%20within%20the%20Church-Jebamalai%20Raja-January-March-1999.pdf and http://www.dalitchristians.com/Html/cbci1.htm . In Bihar's Muzaffarpur, Muslims divided a road on the basis of caste.ccxiiiSee https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/muslims-in-this-bihar-village-divide-road-on-caste-lines-1405849-2018-12-09 The above links pertain to discrimination within Christianity and Islam. But discrimination is a different problem. First the birth of community.
Marriage and community
Community is a vague word which means different things at different times. Psychologist also call it as peer group. We often refer to as a society. It consist of imaginary people with perceived notions. Let's see by an example of royal family of England.
New Delhi is the capital of India. Foundation of the capital was laid in 1911 by British King George V, who was then Emperor of India.
New Delhi was designed by architect Sir Edwin Landseer LutyensccxivLutyens was a racist with these views: "The very low intellect of the natives spoils much. I do not think it possible for Indians and whites to mix freely; mixed marriage is filthy and beastly and they ought to get the sanitary office to interfere." See https://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jun/23/biography.art For the record his wife Emily the sponsored the Indin philosopher J. Krishanmurthi who revered her like mother. and Herbert Baker, on the basis of ancient architecture of India. For example the round building of Parliament is inspired by the Chausath Yogini Temple, Morena, M.P. also known as Ekattarso Mahadeva Templeccxvhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chausath_Yogini_Temple,_Morena and many other similar temples.
Lutyens also designed the India Gate, as war memorial for British soldiers and 150 meters to it's east is a canopyccxviThe canopy is based on architecture of temple of Mahabalipuram in Tamilnadu. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_of_Monuments_at_Mahabalipuram which housed a statue of King George V, the then emperor of India who had died in 1936. This statue was removed and relocated at the coronation park in 1968.
On February 25, 2019 PM Modi inaugurated India'sown War Memorial nearby India Gate. It is constructed on 40 acres of land at the cost of 176 Crores. PM Modi said that the National War Memorial is a symbol of the nation's gratitude to those brave-hearts who laid down their lives after India's Independence.
King George V was succeeded on 20 January 1936 by his son Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David. In short Edward VIII, whose reign lasted less then a year as he had to abdicate the throne in favour of his brother George VI, the father of present reigning queen of England, Elizabeth II. Why?
Edward VIII, wanted to marry an American and two time divorcée Wallis Simpson. She was not from any royal family of Europe, as well. This caused an uproar. Every one opposed it, including the Prime Minister and political parties. Edward VIII chose to abdicate the throne in favour of his brother. If he had not abdicated, present queen of England, would not have been there at all.
Fast forward to 2018. Meghan Markle, an american actress; famous for the TV show Suits; half black and a divorcée, married Prince Harry in 2018 and not a feather was ruffled this time. The English community had changed in last 83 years.
All societies have perceived notions of tabus. They exist on dogmas which change from time to time. If dogma exists in English society whose feudal history trace back to nothing more than 900 years, a society which is over 9000 years old is likely to have more dogmas.
It appears that dogma and marriages have direct relationship. Unless there is a community to psychologically influence it's population to stay in marriage, the institution does not last. As a lawyer, I get to see more matrimonial disputes and in all the disputes hardly less than 5% occur in which both parties are well known to each other for a long time (or form a community).
There is nothing inherently special about marriage, except the belief that it is sacrosanct. This belief is a direct product of whole community saying that keeping a marriage intact is important. As per studies too ethnicity determines the longevity of marriage.ccxviiISBN 978-0-8406-0582-5: Cohabitation, marriage, divorce, and remarriage in the United States. Hyattsville, Md.: Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, national Center for Health Statistics. 2002. pp. 17–18.
It appears the idea of endogamy or marriage within community arose from the need to keep marriages together. There is nothing in writing to refer to, but the reasoning is implicit from the results. Societies with random marriages, do not produce lasting marriages. America with almost half of it's marriages resulting in divorce is a prime example. Rise of nuclear families in urban cities and decline of communities in urban India, has accelerated the divorce rate, like never before. Family courts In New Delhi are bursting at seams to manage matrimonial disputes.
The marriages in which there are common relatives on both sides have an advantage. Relatives serve better then professional counsellors to support in difficult times. The creation of communities is not new but it is also a fact that new communities are still being made.
Army day
When an author is looking out of window, staring a stray cloud in the blue sky, he is working. On a bright but cold January's Sunday, a day before Army Day, a friend invited us for lunch in Army Club.
In a typical Nehruvion tradition the Club is called 'Defence Service Officers Institute". It is a nice building with several bars, restaurants and lounges. Everything comparable to any five star hotel but at one tenth of cost or even lesser. However if it is compared to 'Civil Service Officers Institute' (the IAS club) it looks like a collage canteen.
Our (army veteran) host is now citizen of Canada, where he shifted about three decades back. There also he had served in army. Thus he has experience of two armies, Indian and Canadian. Every alternate winter they are in India to spend quality time.
We were sitting in lounge sipping chilled beer when I asked them if they had similar facility in Canadian Army Club? Somehow I suspected it. His reply was 'Not at all. There is no class."
While we were sitting, there were several families around. Some in three generations. Few kids were also running around. 'You mean the clubs over there are more like army mess or college canteen?' I inquired. Quick came the reply. 'Exactly.'
This was a British legacy in India. Five star officers' clubs (for officers only), which were renamed Service Institutes after 1947 or so. Similar Clubs exists in Railways and other Government Servants and all are named as Service Institutes. This suddenly reminded me of a new community which had developed.
Take a look at matrimonial advertisementsccxviiiFor a sample see https://www.advertisementindia.com/p/matrimonial-sample-advertisement . Apart from caste of religion and linguistic advertisements, there is a new category in which alliances are sought. This is 'Service'.
Advertisements are explicit for alliances in which prospective bride or groom should be from the family of 'Servicemen' i.e. from the family which may have served in Army, Navy or Airforce. The life style is an addiction. Besides the spouse of a defence personnel has to have extra patience and ability to carry extra burden. Especially the emotional burden.
India, an ancient civilisation, was contributing 50% of GDP of the world abut 1000 years ago or so.ccxixISBN: 0226034631: Economic and World History: Myths and Paradoxes by Paul Bairoch (1993) University of Chicago Press. What were they selling?
First of all, it was a time when America, Australia and New Zealand were not discovered and India was (and is) the only country which had agrarian weather around the year. This enabled it to produce all kinds of agriculture products. With the help of human and animal labour, this produce was processed and sold.
Periplus is an ancient recorded Greek documentation that lists the ports and coastal landmarks, in order and with approximate intervening distances, that the captain of a vessel could expect to find along a shore. Following is a passage from this Periplus:
"Beyond the gulf of Baraca (Gulf of Kutch) is that of Barygaza (Bharuch) and the coast of the country of Ariaca, which is the beginning of the Kingdom of Nambanus and of all India. That part of it lying inland and adjoining Scythia is called Abiria, but the coast is called Syrastrene (Sourashtra region of Gujarat). It is a fertile country, yielding wheat and rice and sesame oil and clarified butter, cotton and the Indian cloths made therefrom, of the coarser sorts. Very many cattle are pastured there, and the men are of great stature and black in color. The metropolis of this country is Minnagara (Karachi), from which much cotton cloth is brought down to Barygaza."
It is implicit that India was an entrepreneurs' country who used to process and manufacture a variety of products. Weaving of thin muslin cotton remained a speciality until British violently broke down their machines and thumbs, to promote British factory made cloth. The skilled artisans were reduced to mere labourers. Shashi Tharoor sums it up as under:
"….The India that succumbed to British rule enjoyed an enormous financial surplus, deployed a skilled artisan class, exported high-quality goods in great global demand, disposed of plenty of arable land, had a thriving agricultural base, and supported some 100 to 150 million without either poverty or landlessness. All of this was destroyed by British rule. As Wilson points out: 'In 1750, Indians had a similar standard of living to people in Britain. Now, average Indian incomes are barely a tenth of the British level in terms of real purchasing power. It is no coincidence that 200 years of British rule occurred in the intervening time.'..."ccxxSee An Era of Darkness by Shashi Tharoor, (2016) Aleph Book Company, New Delhi.
In this traditional artisans' family everyone contributes. It is in the nature of things. Even today, in family businesses, every member of the family knows about business and they contribute, if required. Even in well off or wealthy family position is same. Food and hotel industry is most laborious and service oriented. It is a daily 20 hours routine. Visit any restaurant, in all probability it is run by many members of family.
Now this becomes a new community. It is preferred that future daughter in law knows about the business and may not have any hesitation in involving with the business, if so required in emergency. It becomes even more necessary, in less wealthy family where every member has to contribute to the family business on daily basis.
Many surname have it's connotation in trade. For example it is said that Modi's actual surname was Modh-Teli. Teli means edible oil extractor which was an ancient business/profession. It is said that at the time of admission to school long surname was shortened to Modi to keep it simple.
It appears to me that endogamy therefore begun as a commercial necessity and then it turned into a superstitious practice.
Varna
Article 50 of Constitution of India stipulate that there shall be separation of power among various organs of state i.e. Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. This is modern concept of separation of power, considered necessary in a democratic republic.
Ancient societies in India were divided into 4 categories. Kshtirya, Brahmin, Vaishya and Shudra. Kshatriya meant warrior, Brahmin meant Teacher, Vaishya means Trader and Shudra means Service provider. According to original plan these four sections of the society would employ people most suitable for each section. It also means separation of respective powers.
None was to hold wealth except Vaishya. None would have arms except Kshatriya. Only Brahmin will have knowledge and would dissipate it. Land could be owned only by Shudra for agriculture. All were equal. None inferior or superior. The thinker was prohibited from having material resources. Brahmin had to live on alms.
Idea was to create an interdependent society in which no section had monopoly. Each required other to complete the existence. The arrangement was very similar to present day corporate structure in which the policy makers do not undertake field work.
There was no paper yet invented. Knowledge was preserved through human memory. The code of conduct or "Dharma" was codified. Young children were taught and they crammed the Vedas in Sanskrit from childhood and knowledge would pass from one generation to another. Writing on wooden slides etc. also happened but later. But memory transfer required identification of children with good memory. If such children with good memory could be found within family, why go out side. This resulted in Brahmin caste or community. Perhaps this is how the Varna became caste.
Then there is sub caste. Those Brahmins who memorised two Vedas became Diwedi. Those who knew three Veda became Trivedi. Those who knew four Vedas were Chaturvedi. This is no coincidence that most 'Pandey' people have a connection with Kashi, the oldest and divine city full of priests and temples and a large number are practising priests.
Saraswat were most 'superior' Brahmin as they had Godess of knowledge 'Sarswati' within their reach. By the way a prominent ex Chief Minister of Kashmir, admitted in a private talk that before conversion they were Saraswat Brahmins. The reference to youtube video could not be found, hence it remains unverified.
Every action has equal reaction. The Brahmin Endogamy perhaps resulted in endogamy in other communities as a reaction. It is laughable when people who had never set foot in India, carry placards 'Down with Brahmin Patriarchy' because there is none. It was Endogamy. (The fact that in some areas, there was exploitation of some sections is a different matter.)
Kings were made by sweat and labour. Varna System ended long back when kings were defeated. British turned the varna system on it's head for their own advantage and historians have a purpose to hide those stories and keep the melting pot of caste boiling to reap political gains.
Caste became successor of Varna System which was a political tool. Caste was now a tool of manipulation of groups. How criminally callous was British attitude can be seen from following preface of Census of 1931, which conducted the entire census without any definition to discriminate the people:
"…..The term 'caste' needs no definition in India', tribe was provided to cover the many communities still organised on that basis in whose case the tribe has not become a caste, it was likewise determinate enough and no attempt was made to define the term 'race' which is generally used so loosely as almost to defy definition. Nor is it intended to do anything o rash to define it here…..."ccxxiSee https://archive.org/stream/CensusOfIndia1931/Census%20of%20India%201931#page/n437/mode/2up
They had no clue as to what is caste or race or tribe nor they tried to understand, yet they classified entire population on that basis and a few decades later introduced reservation in jobs on that basis. The Land Lords or Zamindar were also appointed from so called 'upper' caste of brahmin and kshatriya.
It may be noted that in this very period, several kings appointed by Maratha Chhatrapati were not from so called 'upper' caste.
Caste and Community
Caste and community is the same thing but often used differently. Caste is derived from Portuguese word 'casta' which means race or lineage on the basis of ethnicity. Hindi counterpart is 'Jati'. The term 'Jati' in English means race. Tribe is the same as community in non-Hindu community. Similar tribes exist even today. But as extracted above, the British were more interested in creating division so as to 'Divide et impera' or divide and rule. And they did it rather successfully. The brown sahib who replaced them, continue to do the same.
Europeans had deep belief in their own racial system. The Kings did not mix with peasantry. English did not mix with any race in their empire. Not even with the white Irish people who were almost in their back yard. In one of earlier American Supreme Court judgements it was held that inter racial marriage was against the order of nature.ccxxiiSee Pace v. Alabama, 106 U.S. 583 (1883). The race as understood was white, black and yellow etc. on the basis of colour of skin. Something which never happened in India. In India the skin colour of females is fairer in all caste or communities defying the basis of English racial system.
Next is the point about untouchability. If we look at the buildings of ancient Indus Valley Civilisation where each household had toilets connected to drain, it is clear that the toilets were not 'dry'. Concept of dry toilets started under Mughal rule who used to have a harem full of concubines. They used dry toilets in which human excreta had to lifted and carried away for disposal. They used prisoners and slaves. This gave a new community of untouchables. By some accounts, similar practice continued in Maratha kingdom as well. These untouchables are now called maha dalits. It is unfortunate that the name dalit is used even today which in Marathi, means broken.
Coming back to Varna system, it appears it became a community system with endogamy and original separation of resources concept, broke down completely. As back as in 300BCE, the King Chandragupta Mourya, was not a Kshatriya. Kautilya or Chanakya, his brahmin teacher, hand picked Mourya to train him to be the King of India. As a child Chandragupt use to take cattle herd for grazing. Was he herdsman who use to sell milk?
History is full of examples. Mohd Ghazni used to attack India and would go back with loot. In 11th century Ghazni's nephew Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud attacked India and went as far as to Behraich where he was defeated and killed by King Suhaldev . Various communities, Jains to Rajput have tried to appropriate him. Now both these communities themselves have appeared recently i.e. few hundred years earlier than this war. Jains are followers of Jain religion. Though generally they are Vaishya but no one can say that few generations back they all were actually Vaishya. It is possible that people of other varna may also have followed Jainism, as essentially it was a new religion.
What was the caste of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj of Maratha Empire, the last greatest King before British took over? Do look for it. He was not Kshatriya and is worshipped even today like an incarnation by millions. It is unfortunate that so many Commissions have been appointed but no one has gone into this myth of lower or upper caste, the root cause of disparity and discord. Of course backwardness is there and must be addressed but the fiction of upper and lower must have been discarded publically, by now.
Another example is from Telangana. When Allauddin Khilji attacked India, in the south at about present day Andhra Pradesh, there was an empire called Kakatiya or Kakita between 1175 to 1363. Rudrama DeviccxxiiiSee https://books.google.co.in/books?id=GW5Gx0HSXKUC&pg=PA553&lpg=PA553&dq=rudrama+devi+death&source=bl&ots=QgM7FsL2Ag&sig=Ov_sXK_FisCSXdcg3Bo1dGRz37g&hl=en&sa=X&ei=RGm4VKfGCcWgNoq5g9gK&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=rudrama%20devi%20death&f=false ruled this empire between 1262 to 1289 when she was succeeded by her grand son Prataparudra II. Publication Division of Government of India has also published a book on the Queen.ccxxivSee http://www.publicationsdivision.nic.in/index.php?route=product/search&search=rudrama%20devi This empire owned the famous diamond 'Koh-i-Noor' at that time.
Allauddin Khilji ordered his general Malik Kafur to subordinate this empire. Kafur attacked it's capital Orugallu (present day Warangal) in 1309 and kept it surrounded till February 1310 when Prataparudra II surrendered and accepted subordination and tendered the Koh-i-Noor to Khilji along with other tributes. In the village named Chandrapatia in Nakrekal division, inscription has been found.
It is written that "…..the Kakatiya dynasty, praised by the entire world and belonging to the fourth varna, then came into existence. In it was born the king named Prola, who was renowned for being exceedingly judicious."
In some of inscriptions, the Kakatiyas are linked with the solar dynasty of the ancient kshatriyas, stemming from Ikshvaku through Dasharatha and Rama. Now link this to the fact that in Thailand, every King is named Ram. Present King of Thailand is Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun who is called Rama X. The X is roman ten. Similar practice is found in the Kings of CochinccxxvRead Wikipedia about Royal Family of Cochin here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Cochin who existed later till about arrival of British. Therefore what is considered as the lack of consistency regarding the varna rank of the Kakatiya dynasty is actually no inconsistency at all.
Notice the name of Queen Rudrama. Rodra or Ru-Dra (Rudra) in Sanskrit means a movement with roar. 'Rudra Rupa' is the sanskrit term used to define some one in an appearance which terrify others. The word "Dra" is used to indicate movement. Ni is associated with NO hence the words like Nishedh or Nidra (No Movement) use 'Ni' prefix. Similarly in Sanskrit, the term "Sh" is prefixed to indicate auspiciousness. That'show words like Shubha (meaning auspicious), Shri (meaning honorable) are formed. How the word "Shudra or Sudra" become a dirty word is no more a mistery.
Gudiya which means doll is frequently used to denote daughter. If we ask any body in north India: 'How Is Gudiya' it would be meant that question is addressed to his/her daughter.
Pappu is another recent word which has become dirty. It was customary in northern India to call a child 'Pappu' which denoted a cute little boy or child. It was male counterpart of 'gudiya.' Now by calling a dimwit politician as 'Pappu' again and again it's meaning has changed. Presently it means a 'dimwit' person. If we study the origin of word 'stink' it originally meant odour but now it only means 'bad odour'. It appears something similar happened to the word 'Shudra'.
Naipaul had called India a "Wounded Civilisation". Reality is that India is a 'Crushed Civilisation'. First by Invaders and now by it's political leaders.
Another fact to be noticed is the simple or ascetic life style. A great part of South India remained untouched by Mughal or the British. There are descendents of Hindu Kings. They all live a simple life. Their predecessors were Kings and would often do business like agriculture etc. In neighbouring Nepal, the ex-King owns factories.
Queen Rudrama when declared that she was SHUDRA it simply meant that they rose to the status of queen from being a peasant or farmer and were owners of land which other three castes were prohibited to own as per Varna System.
Another fact creates doubts about present day fixation of castes on the basis of surnames. Chandragupta was not Vaishya but in Central India, Gupta surname is considered Vaishya. In Bengal Dasgupta are considered Brahmins.
Another anomaly is Yadav or yaduvanshi who belong to same community to which Lord Krishna hailed. The same Krishna who was founder of mythical Dwarka city in Gujarat and who over saw the Mahabharat war and initiated it with Bhagwat Gita (the divine book). Krishna is considered complete incarnation. Lord Rama was incarnation of Vishnu as 'Maryada Purushottam" or duty performing Dev. But Krishna was incarnation of all three 'Brahma Vishnu Mahesh'. He was Manager of Brij (Mathura), Creator of Dwarka and acted as destroyer in the war of Mahabhartha. But his community is backward in Uttar Pradesh. All Gujrati people greet each other as "Jai Sri Krisna". They do not use common 'Namastey' but Yadavas dont. So why the backwardness of Yadav in U.P.?
Before invention of steam based industries, all the tasks of producing goods of human requirements were produced by human skills in India. In 10th century India's share in world's GDP was 50%. For anglophile people, this is not my opinion, it is a conclusion of a study made by western economists.ccxxviWorld Economic History: A Millenium Perspective by Angest Madison. Read online https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/development/the-world-economy_9789264022621-en#page5
British, by violence, racism and sheer unfair trade practices destroyed skilled economy of India. Shashi TharoorccxxviiISBN: 978-93-84067-88-5: An Era of Darkness by Shashi Tharoor, (2016) Aleph Book Company, New Delhi. and Roy MaxhamccxxviiiP-ISBN: 978-93-5264-090-4: The Theft of India (The European Conquests of India, 1498–1765) by Roy Moxham (2016) HarperCollins Publishers India. and many others have written many books about it. A side effect of these is that these skilled people, lost their jobs and lost their wealth which also resulted in loss of social status.
After the armed revolt of 1857 in which British had almost lost India but for the their newly invented faster communication technology in morse code (Telegram). There after they ruthlessly implemented divide and rule policy. They also enacted laws like Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 to quarentene certain communities including those which affect their trade like couriers or transporters, which forced them to become scavengers or rag pickers. British also introduced the kind of 'caste' reservations in jobs. There was a clamour to be termed backward. The same clamour continues even today.
Recently the British parliament has passed some law recognising caste and purportedly to abolish discrimination in England but it has been kept on hold.ccxxixThe so called research paper on the basis of interview of 32 persons is here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/85521/caste-discrimination-summary.pdf and another article opposing the move is here: http://indiafacts.org/british-caste-law-reflections-role-hindus/ This has been called an act sponsored by Evangelical bishop only to insult Hindu religion.ccxxxWatch an interview explaining the whole issue is here: https://youtu.be/tkybwLF0sMM It would be interesting to note the overlapping of Khalistan supporters in England who complain caste discrimination in England.
A whole book can be written on this topic of caste but for want of space we have to restrict this subject by one last example.
Lord Rama, the incarnation of Vishnu, is most revered divine personality. The festival of Deepawali or Diwali is based on his arrival. He had two sons named Lov and Kush. Love founded Lahore which is now in Pakistan. Kush, it appears remained in Ayodhya. According to a theory the Kushwah caste in U.P. are direct descendents of Lord Kush. However whole community of Kushwah in Uttar Pradesh who identify them as backword. But there are Kushwah in Punjab who identify as Arora which means Vaishya or Baniya. Why this anomaly?
The only answer is that caste is myth and a fiction which must be thrown out by all. Does that sound outlandish? What authority do this author has to declare this?
What if there is a proof of lineage of each person and that contradicts the caste system? Would you then believe that caste is a fraudulent denomination? The real proof of lineage exists and it is called Gotra.
Gotra
Recently when Rahul Gandhi President of Congress Party visited the Temple of Brahma in Rajasthan and performed puja with the help of priest he used Gotra 'Dattratrye' and surname or caste 'Kaul'. The Gotra belonged to his great grand father Jawaharlal Nehru. There was some debate as to how it can be used as Gotra of father is transmitted to son. In other words the Gotra is determined by male lineage only. The priest later appeared before the press and stated that it was permissible to use Gotra of paternal side of grand mother. Priest was right.
Gotra is a secret family name. In past few decades a few people have started using it as surname but otherwise it used to be a family secret. Now we know about the x andy chromosomes which determine the gender of a child. We also know that it is the father's chromosome which determine the gender of child. Therefore Hindus keep their lineage pure with the help of a name of that lineage. The name is known to the family and is told to child whens/he grows up. There is a scientific basis to keep it on male lineage basis. It is explained as under:
"The word GOTRA is formed by combination 2 sanskrit words Gau (cow) & Trahi (shed). Thus gotra means cowshed. Gotra is like cowshed protecting a particular male (or female) lineage. We identify our male lineage/gotra as descendants of the 8 great Rishi (Saptarishi + Bharadwaj rishi). All other gotra evolved from these only. Each human carries 23 pairs of chromosomes each with one from each parent. Among these is one pair of sex chromosomes which decides gender of child. X is female and dormant. Y is male and prominent. All females have XX and all males have XY. During conception mother can contribute only X while father can contribute either Xor Y.
In case of daughter X from mother can either be X from mother's father or X from mother'smother; and X from father from father'smother mother who got it from either her mother or father. Therefore it does not guarantee a particular lineage.
In case of a son while X from mother once again can have ambiguous origins, Y from father definitely comes from father, who on turn got it from his father and so on. And in this manner the lineage is continuous and guaranteed.
Women never get Y and their X can be from either parent so they can't identify a particular lineage. Our Rishis therefore determined that man being the carrier of unique Y passed from father to son, is the carrier of Gotra of his forefathers, whole woman acquires Gotra of husband.
They are 8 different Y chromosomes from 8 Rishis. If we are from Same Gotra then it means we are from same root ancestor. Marriages between same Gotra increase the risk of causing genetic disorders as Y chromosomes cannot have crossover and it activates the defective cells. If this continues, it reduces the size/strength of Y chromosome which is crucial for creation of male. If no strong Y chromosome is present in this world, it shall make males extinct. So Gotra system is a method to avoid genetic disorders and maintain a good gender ratio."
But why could Rahul Gandhi used his great grand father's Gotra and why it was right to do it? That depends upon the purpose of Gotra, which is to prevent in-breeding.
There is enough modern scientific evidence to show that inbreeding i.e. marriage between the brother and sister or cousins aggravate genetic disorders.ccxxxiWatch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzQndaIGSVw Gotra is meant to prevent that problem. As per Hindu Laws, which is now codified by law of parliament in 1957 i.e. Hindu Marriage Act, a marriage between two spindas or sagotra is void. Please note it is not illegal or voidable but it is void. Which means non-existant. Two persons with same Gotra are spinda of each other. Therefore Rahul's Indian part of ethnicity is determined by Dattratrye Gotra and he can not marry any girl of that Gotra.
Needless to say, in true tradition of India, opposite of this also exist in the south. Where they follow female lineage or gotra and marriage between cousins or with maternal uncle is permissible. But that is another story.
Why Gotra is kept as secret? Is that not obvious? The very object of keeping the Gotra as secret has been defeated by caste system. Gotra was kept secret so that there may not be partiality or discrimination in daily social life. It was revealed only at the time of marriage to rule out spinda. Of course it is also mentioned at the time of puja (formal prayers) and other religious ceremonies so that it is known and kept in memory of the family.
There is another misgiving. Why all Gotras have names of some ancient Rishi or hermit? One view is that we are descendents of 8 Rishis. This view was more acceptable to west as they understood it very well.
Here is another explanation. In earlier tradition, when people used to renounce world and enter asceticism, they would discard the names and titles as well and sometimes would only keep their Gotra as their identification. This also explains why there is some time misgivings about time or era of a mystic as they seem to have existed in multiple eras.
It could be an idea to switch back to the Gotra as surname but we know what we did with with surname. One can only wonder what atrocities will be committed in the name of Gotra.
In India, for those who do not know their Gotra, they can find out from cousins. Else there is another way. If you know the details of last few generations, you may find the details from genealogist priests who exist at Prayagraj and Haridwar etc. where Kumbh takes place. These genealogists keep record of past generations by a unique method. But that is another story.
Discrimination
Endogamy is a discriminatory practice. No doubt about it. But then there is no such right to insist to marry a particular person. Endogamy is a notional discrimination. Actual discrimination is in the form of untouchability. Article 17 of the Constitution of India, abolished untouchability in 1950. But it's actual practice continued surreptitiously. It was then made a punishable offence.
In reality, it's practice actually ended with arrival of general prosperity in society. When need of manpower outweighed the superstitious belief, the practice became obsolete completely in cities but only partially in villages.
In Hotel industry employees are trained to be polite and to please customer. Stay in any hotel in India and start asking questions about the caste of the staff. They may not give back any harsh stare but may decline accommodation, the next time you visit. As regard the question of caste, suddenly every waiter serving you would be a brahmin. Actually they lied, and got rid of you.
British had mandated that recording of caste in every official document was mandatory. Most state Governments have discontinued this practice. But some still continue in some department. Subordinate judiciary in Rajasthan still records caste (jati) of accused. It is atrocious.
Society always knew that untouchability is wrong if not sin but leadership did not come forward in right way. This is the Dalit people's stated experience in society now:
"….The other big question is—where were Dalit businesses located? Since higher castes often do not want proximity to Dalits, a third of the Dalit businesses were located in areas with a majority Dalit population—in many cases they were extensions of their living quarters. But half of the respondents said they worked from mixed localities with a majority of non-Dalit population. Surprisingly, almost everyone said that they faced no discrimination at the location of their business, and they had no issues relating to their caste in the place of work……."ccxxxiiSee ISBN-10: 1137279613 ISBN-13: 978-1137279613; Recasting India by Hindol Sengupta (2014) Palgrave, India.
Human history is full of disgustingly shameful practices and these must be stopped. But it can not be removed if we continue to keep polishing the birth marks. So much so that the so called egalitarians, the Muslims in India, too have caste and community but more about that has already been discussed under the caption "Factor M".
British started doling out jobs on the basis of caste and started exploiting groups. A simple divide and rule straight from the animal kingdom. First give jobs to only one caste. Let resentment be built up. After a decade, switch to another caste. Keep the pot of resentment boiling and rule. Shashi TharoorccxxxiiiISBN: 978-93-84067-88-5: An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India by Shashi Tharoor (2016); Chapter 4: DIVIDE ET IMPERA. explains it in these words:
"….Since the British came from a hierarchical society with an entrenched class system, they instinctively tended to look for a similar system in India. They began by anatomizing Indian society into 'classes' that they referenced as being 'primarily religious' in nature. They then seized upon caste. But caste had not been a particularly stable social structure in the pre-British days; though there were, of course, variants across time and place, caste had broadly been a mobile form of social organization constantly shaped and reinvented by the beliefs, the politics and quite often the economic interests of the dominant men of the times. The British, however, promulgated the theory that caste hierarchy and discrimination influenced the workings of Indian society. This is arguably a very narrow definition of how Indian society actually functioned in the pre-British era, and it is thanks to colonial rule that it has now become conventional wisdom..."
Sikh Gurus tried to remove the practice by insisting the followers to drop the surname and use suffix 'Singh'. After some time, the surname was also added to it and the object was defeated.
Notice this resolution of UNESCO against racism:
"...The biological fact of race and the myth of 'race' should be distinguished. For all practical social purposes 'race' is not so much a biological phenomenon as a social myth. The myth of 'race' has created an enormous amount of human and social damage. In recent years, it has taken a heavy toll in human lives, and caused untold suffering..."ccxxxivSee unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001282/128291eo.pdf
Why there is no similar stand of Government of India on caste? Why the politicians do not demand it from the Government?
The practice of reservation in employment has continued after independence. May be that was necessary but why so many illiterates and poor are there in these castes, even now? Why there are no special scholarships? Why there is no study in the history of caste system? Why it is now exploited by politicians as it was exploited by British to their advantage in their divide and rule policy?
The problem lies in the approach of saviours of downtrodden. Let's see what they have done for the masses and themselves.
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