Grow up from your casteism and statism, Future demands growth

FYI: How to read this in a way so it makes more sense? - Keep connecting dots. 

This topic was back in mind from long time, actually from the time when I completed my schooling and went to college.  This one is tricky one and 95% people will not agree with it but my target audience is those 95% people only. So let me start with the way stories were there in schooling time. 

Once upon a time there was a poor Brahman in village. Everyday he used to go to each house of the village and ask for the "bhiksha" and that's how he gets his meal for a day.  There were other Brahmins who owned their on gurukul and used to get "Dakshina"  from their students.  [Story continue in some other parallel universe....]

Once upon a time there was state owned by Raja Harisinh. His army of brave Kshatriya soldiers was keeping state safe from the attack of neighboring state. He was known for his integrity and "ruled" his "praja" well. [Story continue in some other parallel universe....]

Once upon a time there was a child from vaishyas cast. He was smart, intelligent  and he has grown his father's business from small village to whole state. Even his name became famous in neighboring states too.  [Story continue in some other parallel universe....]

Once upon a time in village there was a family of  Shudras.  They used to serve Kshatriya soldiers, Brahmin and vaishyas and that's how the family was surviving. [Story continue in some other parallel universe....]

Yes, you got it right. These are the VARNA from vedic period. The purpose of this varna system is to decongest the responsibilities of one's life and establish eternal order. This will also help to avoid all forms of disputes originating from conflicts within business and encroachment on respective duties.  

Well, are we still following this varna system? Do we need this? Aren't we assuming or characterizing about someone by their varna?  Ok, We will come to these questions. 

Culture, The essential part of once life. India is multicultural country. I am not going to say story about all the cultures we have in India. I want to put more light on what culture means.  It's a way we tell our stories, remember the past, celebrate and entertain ourselves. We become more creative and define ourselves by our culture and this helps us to see the world through the eyes of others. Apart from these intrinsic values, culture brings social & economic benefits.  Culture enhances our quality of life and increases overall well-being for both individuals and communities.  Well, how are you seeing your culture? Aren't we comparing and judging people by their culture? Are we really feeling proud of our culture or we are in a race to prove our culture as best among all? Ok, We will come to these questions.

I was on a way to the college for the orientation program. I got admission in one the engineering college somewhere in north Gujarat 315 km away from my city.. Same as most of the students, It was first time in my life when I stepped out alone from my home to pursue my dreams. I got window seat of state transport bus and I was up with excitement of new beginning & emotionally down for leaving home.  Bus started as per it's departure time and one journey of thoughts started in my mind on how the new life will be.  I was picturing college, hostel life and dreaming about white collar engineer babu wali job. 

"Kya college jav cho?"  

voice of the person seating beside me strike on my ear and broke my thought chain.  I nodded my head in reply to say yes.  Then there was voice of wind and bus engine for a while. May be he expected a verbal reply and he got signed reply and now he don't know what to ask. 

Generally people find it difficult to start conversation with me and if they start then surely it will be difficult for them to continue. My family member used to call it as my shy behavior until few years back when I came across the word Introvert.  

**Writing all conversation in English**

"What's your name?"  The same voice strike again.

"Raviraj"

"Are you a Rajput"

"Yes"

"Are you from Rajkot?"

"No, Dhrangadhra"

"Hmm, Mostly Rajputs are there in that part of city"

I nodded my head to reply yes. The to the point answers and no questions in return makes difficult for him to continue the conversation. Few years after that I realized that, people see me as an arrogant person because of my this natural behavior.  

I tried again to build my thought chain about college life but one question stuck in mind. How he knows my cast? I thought of asking him but I left it because of my nature and diverted my self dreaming about college life. 

Your name says more about your cast. I am sure this is not hold true in current scenario. 

When I moved to hostel other students (May be from those 95%) asked me about my cast. As the day passes there were forming of groups based on cast too. Luckily I was with a company of good friends and not in any groups.

When you learn a bit, your curiosity and your dreams asks you to go for higher study.  After completing my UG from state university I went to national university for my PG.  Now I found my self in an environment where I can compete my self with brilliant brains of other states, make new friends and learn about their culture.  We used to celebrate almost all the cultural festival from different different states of India. One thing I didn't like during those two years was groupism in the name of culture. Why we need a culture? I wrote it above and you can connect the dot here. 

Many time I heard that "He is from so and so state, so he will be like this only, he will do this only and that only..bla bla bla"  

Further to pursue my dream when I came out of my state I saw more such groupism based on culture and cast. We started using culture and cast to judge someone, to build their first impression in our mind. Aren't you ever did this? Surely you would have judge someone by his cast & culture. I still need to come to those questions raised in above paragraphs.  

"Mom, one girl is there and as you are looking girls for my marriage you can consider her"

"What's her name? Which cast?

"Preity, Cast I don't know I need to ask her"

"From how long you know her?

"Almost one year" 

"And you don't know her cast!!"

This was the first time in life for me to have a need to know someone's cast. None of the books which I studied till now taught me that first I should know their cast/religion/culture to know about them. I understood that cast is important factor for marriage in our society. 

"Can we go to the cafe and talk?" Pop up message on my office laptop from someone special left me with a smile on my face and I replied yes.

After lots of talk from here and there she asked me "You are from which cast"

"Rajput"

"So, You will be always angry and ready to fight" 

Here I took deep breath and from my past experiences I realized I should know her cast but somehow it feels meaning less to me & I didn't ask back that same question.  May be I should have I asked about her culture then :) 

We are still stuck at that vedic period or if I say it correctly then we haven't understood the purpose of cast system and having different cultures. We still use these to judge people and to judge their behavior. It's good to have proud on your culture, It's good to learn others culture too. You are not here to become a frog in well of your culture and cast. You don't need to put your culture in competition with other culture, learn to enjoy diversity learn from each culture they have good things which you can admire and grasp in your life.  The 95% I said earlier is not the imaginary number, It's the actual % of people with whom I had interaction on day to day bases and these are not from one state they are from all over our country.    

Luckily when ever during work I had interaction with foreigner they used to admire India for it's well known vast culture, they want to know more about it and they want to learn about it.  Of course same 95% will also be their on that side of ocean and I need to explore that.  You will also meet with those 95% people in your life who just talk about someone's cast & religion. Next time you come across those guys then tell them that our milky way is too big & beautiful and there are plenty of interesting topics to talk about.

When that guy in a bus asked me about my cast, was I really introvert or I was arrogant to him and keeping my self safe from getting dragged in that talk? Were there only 5% people in college who showed up in all cultural festival celebration or the remaining people who know their culture and celebrate their festivals only?  You know very well where you stand right now and the path you choose from here will decide whether your thoughts will grow or you will become a limited edition of your cast, religion and culture.

It's ok to ask someone that from which part of the country are you, but creating their first impression in mind based on their answer is where we lagged. If you want to know about someone than come up with a set of questions other than asking about their cast & religion. Have proud for your culture but stop show casing it as superior among all culture. Develop a mindset of knowing and admiring others culture too. We are in 2020 and future hold lots of beautiful things for us, If we stuck in our past and become a frog in our cast, religion & culture then we can never unleash the beauty of upcoming future. We need to grow up, We need to become united. 

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