Raju Korti
In a country where preaching and sermonizing comes more easily than practicing, the storm over Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi being called as "Janeudhari Hindu" is just another political fodder. His party spokesperson went ballistic, refuting that the young leader entered the Somnath Temple in Gujarat, (where else?) as a non-Hindu. Just the kind of cud we all like to chew in the social media until the next one appears on our plate.
Janeudharis are those who wear the sacred thread after the "Upanayanam", sometime after attaining puberty. Like many I went through this ritual and this what I was told by the priest performing it: The three strands of the sacred thread has symbolic meanings. A bachelor is supposed to wear only one thread, a married man should wear two and if the married man has a child, he must wear three. They symbolize three debts of a man which must never be forgotten: The debt of one's teacher, the debt of one's parents and ancestors and the debt of the scholars.
I have been wearing the Janeu since then but in hindsight, I suppose I would have repaid these debts anyway even if I were not to wear it born as a Hindu/Brahmin. Many of my friends, patently anti-Brahmin, would poke fun at me calling me a "Bamman" and the thread as a symbol of my caste superiority. A lot many friends would needle me saying that non-vegetarian food had become costlier ever since Bammans started eating it (A point well taken). That most of them eventually married off their sons and/or daughters to a "Bamman" is quite another story. I never took offence because I never practiced casteism. but the concept of debt quite appealed to me. Having been indebted to many people for various reasons, it wasn't difficult at all to adapt to the idea.
For long, I have seen people raise the caste bogey based on the discrimination by upper caste -- and there are others apart from Brahmins -- in the past. With the passage of time, Brahmin-bashing became the name of the game. So much so that most Brahmins today fight shy of acknowledging themselves as one. There is, of course, no denying that caste prejudice has happened in the past, but I refuse to accept that it obtains today to the extent it is made out to be. It is just one of the divisive cards that nefarious politicians use to further their selfish ends. The sad truth is even apparently the sane fall for this trick. On the social media circuit, it has expectedly boiled down to a Janeudhari Vs JNUdhari battle.
Those who debate how and whether a mere thread can symbolize or symbolizes a vision, should ask their wives why they wear the Mangalsutra which should then be interpreted as albatross around the neck. And then I know so many who criticize the thread and its concept but wear one themselves. Symbols are just symbols. It is the concept that should matter and I do not see anything objectionable in that unless you want to use it as a spanner to yank out the social screws. Everything else is just noise with ulterior motives.
Being called a Bamman doesn't offend me in the least, but it is high time we found out who are the real casteists. I am sure the statistics will shock you. Yes, I am a Bamman. I may not be proud of being one but I am not ashamed of being one either. Let Brahmin be a taboo word.
Merit has got me thus far, not caste.
In a country where preaching and sermonizing comes more easily than practicing, the storm over Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi being called as "Janeudhari Hindu" is just another political fodder. His party spokesperson went ballistic, refuting that the young leader entered the Somnath Temple in Gujarat, (where else?) as a non-Hindu. Just the kind of cud we all like to chew in the social media until the next one appears on our plate.
Janeudharis are those who wear the sacred thread after the "Upanayanam", sometime after attaining puberty. Like many I went through this ritual and this what I was told by the priest performing it: The three strands of the sacred thread has symbolic meanings. A bachelor is supposed to wear only one thread, a married man should wear two and if the married man has a child, he must wear three. They symbolize three debts of a man which must never be forgotten: The debt of one's teacher, the debt of one's parents and ancestors and the debt of the scholars.
I have been wearing the Janeu since then but in hindsight, I suppose I would have repaid these debts anyway even if I were not to wear it born as a Hindu/Brahmin. Many of my friends, patently anti-Brahmin, would poke fun at me calling me a "Bamman" and the thread as a symbol of my caste superiority. A lot many friends would needle me saying that non-vegetarian food had become costlier ever since Bammans started eating it (A point well taken). That most of them eventually married off their sons and/or daughters to a "Bamman" is quite another story. I never took offence because I never practiced casteism. but the concept of debt quite appealed to me. Having been indebted to many people for various reasons, it wasn't difficult at all to adapt to the idea.
For long, I have seen people raise the caste bogey based on the discrimination by upper caste -- and there are others apart from Brahmins -- in the past. With the passage of time, Brahmin-bashing became the name of the game. So much so that most Brahmins today fight shy of acknowledging themselves as one. There is, of course, no denying that caste prejudice has happened in the past, but I refuse to accept that it obtains today to the extent it is made out to be. It is just one of the divisive cards that nefarious politicians use to further their selfish ends. The sad truth is even apparently the sane fall for this trick. On the social media circuit, it has expectedly boiled down to a Janeudhari Vs JNUdhari battle.
Those who debate how and whether a mere thread can symbolize or symbolizes a vision, should ask their wives why they wear the Mangalsutra which should then be interpreted as albatross around the neck. And then I know so many who criticize the thread and its concept but wear one themselves. Symbols are just symbols. It is the concept that should matter and I do not see anything objectionable in that unless you want to use it as a spanner to yank out the social screws. Everything else is just noise with ulterior motives.
Being called a Bamman doesn't offend me in the least, but it is high time we found out who are the real casteists. I am sure the statistics will shock you. Yes, I am a Bamman. I may not be proud of being one but I am not ashamed of being one either. Let Brahmin be a taboo word.
Merit has got me thus far, not caste.
This simply showcases the clean mind and pure thoughts that make up your humble persona. I wish to hug you when I meet you with your book on Rafi Saaheb.
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