The caste menace

 I never really fathomed the extent of caste rot in the Province, till I actually started fulfilling my responsibility as the Economer of the Province. Over the last couple of years, I've seen first-hand the prejudices, anger, bitterness, irrationality and absolutely nonsensical idiocity of confreres swayed merely by caste affiliations.  It has amazed me how strong and deep are these connections that cloud the mind and heart so badly that one grows blind (and deaf, and dead and what not) to the most evident facts of life. If only some of these confreres (not even all such 'infected') were half so passionate about Christ and his Gospel values, we would have worked innumerable wonders.  Anything and everything is viewed and interpreted based on the caste equation. Even common sense, leave alone, spirituality and ethical reasoning, goes for a toss.  It is sickening!  

Religious life, or priestly ministry, or for that matter Christianity itself, has no place for caste.  As Salesians we either leave out the dirty caste politics out of our apostolate, or show ourselves out of the congregation and the Church.  

Certain hope

We do so many things in life, some of which are clearly geared towards a far distant dream.  We are hopeful and in a sense sure of achieving that dream - we wouldn't be spending all that time and energy if we were not 'so sure'.  However, not everything has to go our way either.  Things may go haywire and our sustained and years of effort may be totally lost, in view of the intended purpose.  It certainly causes pain and heartache. But I think what causes real pain and suffering is when you realize that the effort is 'wasted' not because it was worthless or you failed, but for some silly and absolutely ridiculous reason as your caste, or religion, place of birth, or some else's like or dislike. How to face angst? Helpless anger?

To see a life, especially a young promising and enthusiastic life, killed in some senseless violence.   To see an activist being murdered for fighting what everyone knows is a just cause.  To hear of a whole family shattered by the rape of a young daughter, only because they belonged to a particular caste, or religion or section of society.  To come to know of a friend who has been denied promotion or benefits due to him only on account of him being of a different group than the one in authority... all of this puts to question the notion of having a dream, slogging it out for it... If all one works for can be wiped off by something so trivial and for no reason, then why strain? 

Yet we do!  We invest our time and energy in our plans.  We slog it out for our dreams.  We plan for years ahead of us.  We hope! If we let doubts or fears grow, we'd not be able to do anything at all! 

(But merely having hope is like walking carefully through a minefield - hoping that we do not step on one!  As long as I'm not the one stepping on, everything is fine.  Doing something about the minefield itself is an act of courage.)  

Mochi

On my way to London, at the Hyderabad airport, I saw this shop. Selling footwear. Nothing unusual.  The same post airport shop.  But what caught my attention was the name... Mochi.  In hindi it means 'cobbler'.  And as if the name wasn't enough, it also had the traditional tool of the mochi for its logo. 

It is a typical Indian name and a profession which not everyone appreciates, at least not the ones in it.  Those in the profession of making footwear for others are treated as one of the lowest category of people in the (caste-ridden) society.

What amused me was that if a real mochi, were to have managed to reach to that shop - somehow making his way through the security and all that blocks - he would have been thrown out in a jiffy or certainly got arrested.  But the name... mochi! 

Marriage woes, even otherwise

Being the first of the month, I distributed the salaries for the staff and did spend quite some time talking to them just about anything.  One of the main points for discussion or you might call it a debate was the point of dowry, marriages and caste system.  I was surprised to hear from the kitchen staff that not only is dowry given away when a daughter is married off, the parents of the girl have also to give a portion of the dowry for the boys' sister, if any!  That would be to say that the bride's family has to pay not only money for the bride but also for her new sister-in-law!  Gosh!

And if there are a couple of marriages in the villages, everyone - literally, everyone! - in the village, and more especially those closely related to the families are all bankrupt that month.  Reason: the gift they OUGHT to offer at the wedding function.  This is kept record of and when there is a marriage in the visitors family, the one now receiving has to pay something MORE than what was given to them!  And so if there are more than 4 wedding functions that a family has to attend in a month, the 'gift' would drain their whole month's salary! And if there is a fifth one, they'll borrow and 'gift' the amount!  While the staff resented this whole procedure, none would try to break this vicious circle - all for fear of what 'they would say'.  ... the same rationale is given for all matters concerning inter-caste marriages, dowry, girl-child atrocities.

Having heard, spoken and debated with them at length, I only said aloud, "Thank God, I was not born in Gollalapalem (their village), and not as a female!"

Relationship gamble

Speaking of convictions and choices that people make in life, especially religious and Priestly life, I was told that our whole gamut of relationships now depend on exactly this. My students back in Kondadaba, in more than one way, tell me (subtly) that what ultimately matters when back in the diocese is affiliations... to which group do I belong to. To stand alone is to be crushed and cursed. It is difficult for me to see the point. Yet I understand that their main problem is not which group to belong to or affiliate themselves to but their lack of inner depth which will help them take a stand and stick to it, come what may, say what anyone may.

The wrong kind of people hate you for good in you, and right kind of people love you after knowing even the bad in you. That makes a perfect definition for relationship.

Perpetuating caste system

The Centre Government's decision to collect details about religion and caste details during its census with regard to the Economic situation of the Indian citizen is in a way one of the most idiotic thing that it could decide upon. After a string of refreshing and empowering decisions arrived at, this present directive will certainly lead to regress. For years, the whole curse of caste has been gnawing at the Indian society especially the marginailsed. Today when young people are no more concerned or divided along caste lines, but are willing to see life as it comes, they are now again reminded about this dark past. Just the other day, Fr Louis proposed quite a remarkable proposal to get rid of this caste discrimination: let no school ask for which caste the child belongs to. According to his estimation, caste will, by itself die out in this way within 25 years. I fully agree with him.

The centre's decision now to collect details is another direct hint that we are not ready to give up this scourge but want to only perpetuate its tyranny over ourselves. So be it! But I pray and hope that the younger generation will not let this unnecessary 'detail' of our past will not darken our future.

When humanity is endangered...

The inhuman treatment of the Jews through eviction from their homes, separation of families, torture, labour camps, death ... makes one wonder how a human being can stoop to such a bestial behaviour. The worst is that it was not of one person (Hitler alone), but so many who perpetuated it (the Nazis). There may be several reasons why each individual choose to be so and not stand up against a system of dehumanisation. Yet, the fact remains, a whole nation, a whole race was targetted and almost annihilated. And their only crime? Being born a Jew!

The same story continues, more or less, when security forces storm and destroy three villages on Dantewada, Orissa. Their crime? Being labelled Maoists. If this is how each one tries to settle and eliminate every threat, there would be no one left. Each action of one would eliminate some but give rise to more. Everytime a jawan is killed, there are several who are inspired by his bravery and hence willing to join the armed forces. So too, everytime an innocent tribal is tortured and dehumanised, there will be several who would join the Maoists, not for its ideals but as against the armed forces!

Descrimination in death

At lunch yesterday while talking about the legal procedures to clear the corpse from the lake, I was a bit disturbed and also made a comment saying we are all worried about getting rid of the 'body' but we never felt any sympathy to the person or even prayed for him. That he later was found to be one of our own Parish boarders made us feel all the more touchy. But even otherwise, my first thoughts were about the relatives of the deceased. They would be searching for him or missing him (since the body was in the water for more than two days, for sure!).

Moreover the stench was so bad that none would approach the body. Four men had to be given money to get drunk and then venture into the lake to drag the body out on to the road. I remembered Charlie uncle. Doing a similar job, of course without drinking, for unclaimed bodies. I also remember the disdain everyone had for Krishna when he died in that road accident. None would come close, leave alone touch him. Just a couple of minutes ago he was a lively chatting young boy, one who had grown up with us in the house, and now with one stroke of life (or death) he was anything but Krishna! The very Salesians whom he lived with and worked for were not willing to even touch his body. Perhaps it was more of anger against them that prompted me to carry the body than love for him. But I always looked at him as 'our boy' even though I'd never met him before. I believe the way we treat our departed is the way we treat other living people too - if not physically, mentally for sure. There can be nothing more humiliating than being totally and absolutely rejected by our own - but the good thing, at least for the other, is that he is not there to feel it!

Another disgusting group of people are the police and mortuary personnel. Nothing would move - not even the dead body - unless each one is paid a bribe, each depending on their position. People do not hesitate, even a bit, to make a profit on corpses!

Being good

Yesterday I had the good fortune of watching some parts of the movie 'The Express'. The movie is about a black young man, Ernie Davis and his coach, Ben Schwartzwalder trying to make a headway and live the game of football, at the height of the segregation era in the States. It is very inspirational. Beautiful acting by Dennis Quaid (the coach) and Rob Brown (Ernie Davis). The theme and the narration of the same is done very well. Watching these movies we see how foolish and idiotic history has been in believing being guided by something as trivial as the colour of our skin. It is all the more painful to see how this history is repeated in our times for the very same trivial or meaningless reasons. In times like these, it is truly great to watch people like Ernie Davis and Bob Schwartzwalder stand for values greater than shallow 'ideals' petty minds wallow in.

I liked the part where Ernie Davis thanks everyone for the Heisnman trophy and his coach especially. He describes his coach as a 'good coach and a good man'. That's a glowing tribute!

Humanity beyond caste ... 'we persons'

Among the many things and papers I discarded today, was the whole sets of papers regarding the ACPI seminar we had on Postmodernism and another one on the Subalterns. I hadn't even picked them up since I attended the seminars nearly a decade ago! Most people find packing a very laborious and time-consuming process. For me, it is very fast and I enjoy it. My policy is simple: what I have lived without for more than two years, I will not need it in a lifetime. Furthermore, what fits in two bags is necessary... the rest is burden!

Anyway, while glancing through the notes and reflections I had scribbled along the margins and in the free space of those seminar notes , I found something interesting.

We have a feeling of 'we' in every aspect except as 'we persons'.

Immediately my mind drifted back to the conversation I had with a confrere today. It was all along the caste lines. As he sat there talking in those terms, I once again thanked God and Mummy-Papa... for somehow all this talk does not really enter my head and I find it all illogical. In spite of so many years of formation and prayer, we still get entangled so badly in as menial and degrading things as building our relationships on the basis of caste.

The Kite Runner

Last night we watched a lovely movie 'The kite runner' (directed by Marc Forster) as part of the seminar on Human Rights and our Salesian apostolate. I liked the movie which basically speaks of friendship, loyalty and courage to stand for something. The tag line of the movie is very interesting: 'There is a way to be good again'. Set in the background of the early 80's when Taliban just came to power in Afghanistan and the struggle of the locals, the film is very gripping right to the end.
However, inspite of the introduction by Fr TD trying to say that the movie has much to do with human and child rights, I really did not see any great connection. But when Fr Palli, shared certain points this afternoon, and referred to some scenes and dialogues in the movie, I saw the connection. The instance when Hassan, for the sake of a kite he promised to his friend, opts to be abused by the elder boys is very touching. After all that is over, he does not say anything to Amir. When falsely accused of stealing Amir's watch, Hassan accepts it! That he goes to the extent of giving up his life for the sake of loyalty and friendship only shows that virtues are not the monopoly of only a particular section of society or the characteristics of an economic group only.