Symposium on Jaati, Varna, and Caste | Valedictory Address by Dr. Rajiv Malhotra
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 16 апр 2023
- The English word and concept of “caste” is often used as a translation for the emic words and concepts of jaati/kula(mu) and Varna, which are often mutually conflated. This word and concept have gained attention on global, Indian national, and regional forums, both from an academic and activist perspective. However, from the beginning of the colonial and modern discourse, the word “caste” has been used in a pejorative sense to mean a discriminatory and inhuman social system. As a result, both the words Varna and Jaati acquired the same pejorative connotation, which makes it difficult to interpret and understand pre-modern classical Sanskrit and other Indian language texts.
This problem leads to issues in both academic and activist aspects. At an academic level, this problem can be resolved only by exploring the possible positive sense in which the word Varna could have been used in these texts. Additionally, there is the problem of interpreting traditional oral literature such as folk and tribal literature, where words such as jaati/kula(mu) are used in a neutral or positive sense to express and discuss the self-esteem, hereditary occupations, customs and traditions, deities, worship, rituals, and rites of passage of the jaati/kula(mu).
There is also a problem in textual interpretation, as debates around the validity of Varna-based superiority claims in ancient Buddhist and other texts are in conflict and contradiction with the expressions in the ancient texts where Varna is treated as a ‘Dharma’, a social order that deserves to be followed and protected by the rulers. Similarly, the word jaati/kula(mu) has a similar problem of textual interpretation, as there are expressions in oral and written texts of Bhakti and Yoga movements where a ‘right’ to spiritual practice and attainment is argued not to be based on jaati/kulam(u).
The pejorative use of the word “caste” at an international level has reached such a level that today, it is universally used to mean any discrimination towards a human group anywhere in the world. However, there are academic endeavors in which the positive and neutral ideas behind the emic words and concepts of Jaati and Varna are being brought to light through decolonizing and modernity-critiquing efforts.
Another major area that is receiving attention is the changing contemporary reality regarding the continuity or discontinuity of different features of jaati and/or Varna in contemporary society. The categorization of jaatis into SC, ST, OBC, and General OC categories due to policy provisions, studies on horizontal and vertical mobility of castes/jaatis during modern times, and the role of jaati/caste in contemporary democratic politics are also being studied. Additionally, cultural anthropological studies on Indian society, Indian village, and other aspects such as Dominant Caste, Jajmani System, Bara Balutedar system, Sanskritization, Kshatriyization, etc. are contributing to a better understanding of the words and concepts of Jaati and Varna, particularly in relation to the concept of caste.
INDICA is organizing an online symposium on the topic of Jaati, Varna, and Caste to bring together colonial, modern, decolonizing, and modernity-critiquing discussions on the topic.
I admire Sri Rajiv Malhotra’s activism spanning from sciences & technologies to civilizational social sciences with an intent to raise awareness and self-esteem of desis and pravasis for sustainable civilizational ethos. Though many of Rajiv Malhotra’s views are eye-opening, some of his ideas are extremely patriarchal. Therefore, hope that his research, proselytization and evangelism of Vedic Social Sciences is NOT regressive BUT forward-looking, imbibing modern sciences & technologies and intertwining rational, logical and critical ways of life.
I apologize for expressing anything inconvenient, incorrect and wrong due to limitations in my time, my understandings and this comment space. I wholeheartedly felt it is my duty as a human being to write here and encourage your critical thoughts based on my life’s experiences and research before I lose high-tech communication due to inflicted disabilities and subsequent poverty, and then probably may even die sooner due to you know what, and you know who since last 75 years.
It’s insatiable and only natural for people to jump from needs to comforts to luxuries. Preaching otherwise, like it happened since last 10 thousand years or so, results in inaction and disasters happen which are also a threat (internal/external) to national economy, development, law-enforcement, indigenous technologies, integrity & security. The resultant poverty and sickness due to these disasters strain other state and central government ministries and their corresponding departments.
Thus, my only aim to make aware to Scholars of Indian samskriti that samskriti is not set in stone. Only traditions are. And those traditions may be upgraded by few schools of social sciences, if not all. The Indian cultures and traditions invented and or upgraded now in 21st century will be viewed as classical in 22nd century. Therefore, forward progress must always be made.
Also, I realized that it’s a synergy, for city/country development, for universities to have as many departments as possible (of medicine, technical, business, politics, sciences etc.) in the same campus and University system. You see Harvard University produces lawyers, engineers, world-famous doctors, US presidents, Facebook founder, world-famous writers, actors, movie directors, producers, Nobel Prize winning scientists, historians, mathematicians, Journalists etc. In India, we must all ask what is the meaning of a University if only few subjects are being taught and excelled at? India's tertiary education must be modernized for the interaction/mingling of student youth from across all disciplines. It’s unfortunate that many Indian universities are segmented like only Technical/Engineering or only medical and they have no interdisciplinary departments either on the same campus or under an umbrella of same University system. And Indian universities graduating those in law, BCom, BSc, Arts and other Social studies are far away 20 kms or so from Technical/medical universities as if either of them will get infected from strange diseases and entrepreneur/political ideas if placed on same campus or under same university system. Isn’t it beneficial for the city/country when a group of students (Management & Engineering & Medical & Law etc.) become friends and socialize? Look how Harvard is, how Stanford is, UCLA, UC Berkley, UIUC, Tsinghua, Fudan, NTU, Tokyo etc. how other universities across the world’s richest nations are and how separated IIMs, AIIMS and IITs are… Thus, youth of different disciplines of studies must be stimulated to align themselves for greater purposes of improving the standard of living, beyond the ‘culture’ advocated by Indian politicians and their media. Hope this situation changes with National Education Policy 2020.
With a population comparable to China, India still struggling in high-tech innovations and blaming it on the democracy of India is ridiculous. You see, the power of China does not lie in their sweat shops anymore. The power of China lies in their university system with more than 351 globally ranked universities (rankings are from 2023 US News report of Best Global Universities Rankings). If someone checks this report of globally ranked universities, one may notice that the nations with highest GDP have most number of globally ranked universities. According to the report, there are 289 globally ranked universities in USA with a population of just 33 crores and only 99 globally ranked universities in entire India with a population of over 139 crores which is more than 4 times USA. In other words, there is one world ranked university for around 12 lakhs people in USA. In India, there is one world ranked university for around 140 lakhs people implying that many states of India don’t have a world-ranked university in STEM fields at all provoking the intelligent youth of those states to start thinking whether they should leave the country. Thus, India must also have numerous multidisciplinary universities, the brain(knowledge) power centers of any civilization.
Discussions, Debate and Dissent forms of communication are duplex communications which must again become the basis for Vedic Social Sciences. Different schools of thoughts and ways of life now suffering due to incompatibilities of Western Social ways and Vedic Social ways interlaced in the 21st century India must be carefully diagnosed and necessary remedies must be researched for smooth transition and better understanding NOT only between successive generations but also among the same generations with different ways of life. Such researched remedies must be created/upgraded now in 21st century instead of only depending on age-old wisdom of bygone times since last 3500 years.... For those nostalgic, if Kautilya was alive, he would have said the same thing. What will be written in 21st century will be time-tested and will become gems for next few thousand years of Bharatiya Samskriti. There is so much potential and room for growth in Indian (South Asian) Social sciences. Wonder what’s wrong with Indian Samskriti? Should we settle down for a South Asian Rate of dysfunctional pluralist civilizational progress?
In India, many confuse culture and traditions to Samskriti. Samskriti is more culture and less tradition. Usually, Sampradayam is synonymous with tradition. It is due to culture, traditions are set in place as best practices. Then those traditions are cultured/refined from time to time in congruence with what Jana manas want or like. Thus, Vedic Social Sciences research must come up with remedies to heal everyone now confused whether their way of life is more sustainable compared to their opposite polarity. Thus, how to help this bird of Indian Civilization fly its course optimally by strengthening both its right wing and its left wing and not confuse it to just wiggle its tail around the world for its longevity?(Sustenance?)
In simple sentences, Western Social Sciences are viewed as modern, progressive and inclusive imbibing latest sciences and technologies while Vedic Social Sciences are viewed as archaic, regressive and excluding shunning latest sciences and technologies. You see, even now in 21st century Indian civilization is known mostly for curry, cows, coconuts, colors, cricket, crimes, caste, coolies (including IT slaves), celebrations, cinema and celebrities. How can this image of South Asian Civilization be rectified by research in Vedic Social Sciences for a Sustainable South Asian Civilization in the 21st century?
I apologize for saying anything inconvenient. Majority of people in this world reason though they may be afraid to express themselves in public. My dream is to see every Indian university student in every university all over India, given 24/7 access to a super-computer nearby, so they can research on history, politics (local & international), jurisprudence, various other social sciences, latest gadgets, medicines, AI, drones, robots, spacecrafts, global warming, climate change, biodiversity etc.
Concluding, I’m able to watch this video from a few thousand miles away in a different time-zone and write here because I have a high-speed internet connection, though I do not have an expensive TV connection. What about those in India who do not have electricity and internet and whose voices are not heard?(especially in small towns and villages). Therefore, let us accelerate the proliferation of internet technologies and make the gadgets cheaper to mitigate ignorance and strengthen ties between all “human beings”(Manavatha Vadi/Insaaniyat). Hope one day, one doesn’t need to pay high tuition fees or travel across the world to study if one has no money to study sciences, religion, business, law, politics, technologies, sociology, philosophy, medicine etc. Just a computer and internet connection will do. Also, girl children under several restrictions by their traditional-parents can get educated from their homes under supervision of their traditional parents. If a Tea-Seller can become Prime Minister of India, then why not a girl-child of farmless laborers of India?
BETI BACHAO! BETI PADHAO! BETI JAGAO!
Thus, Vedic Social Sciences must propose the best 21st century solutions for even the other half of the population of Hindus, who play a vital role in the progress of a sustainable Vedic civilization. I apologize for saying anything inconvenient. Majority of people in the world are afraid to express themselves in public. Satyameva Jayathe!
🙏 well thought out
Rajiv Malhotra: Should the various types of fishermen, the gillnet, the purseine and trawling fishermen, be referred to as the various kulas of the same jaati or should they be referred to as various jaatis of a common Varna?
Question: Can you explain the differences among 1) Caste, the British created and imposed British Caste System imposed on Hindus with the fraudulent census and the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871 which banished and impoverished 30% of Hindus (now 30% is about 450 million), 2) Jati (Sanskrit term meaning born, breed, descent), 3) kula (Sanskrit term meaning clan), 4) tribe (clans living in forests and away from villages and cities), and 5) Varna (Sanskrit term meaning universal categories based on the combination of three basic characteristics namely satva, rajas, and tamas gunas, into four categories namely Brahmana (learned in the subject of Brahma (Vedic, divine)), Kshatriya (learned in military arts), Vaishya (learned in business and agriculture), and Shudra (learned in production and service vocational subjects)?
ChatGPT: Yes, I can help you understand the differences between these terms:
1. Caste: Caste refers to a hierarchical social system that existed in India for centuries. It divided people into different social groups based on their birth, occupation, and social status. The caste system was traditionally divided into four main categories: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. However, with time, it became more complex, and thousands of sub-castes or jatis emerged. The British used it to their advantage by imposing the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871 and categorizing different groups of people according to their caste for administrative purposes.
2. Jati: Jati is a Sanskrit term that refers to a sub-caste or a community of people who share a common occupation, social status, and culture. Jati is determined by birth and is an integral part of the caste system.
3. Kula: Kula is a Sanskrit term that refers to a clan or a group of families that are related to each other by blood. Kulas were traditionally important social units in Hindu society, and people often identified themselves by their kula name.
4. Tribe: A tribe is a group of people who share a common culture, language, and territory. Tribes in India are typically associated with indigenous communities who live in forests and remote areas, away from mainstream society.
5. Varna: Varna is a Sanskrit term that refers to the four main categories of the caste system: Brahmins (priests and scholars), Kshatriyas (warriors and rulers), Vaishyas (merchants and farmers), and Shudras (artisans and laborers). Varna is determined by a combination of one's birth, occupation, and personality traits (known as gunas).
It's important to note that while these terms are distinct, they are also interconnected and have influenced each other over time. Additionally, the caste system is a complex social phenomenon that cannot be reduced to a simple set of categories or definitions.
Dr, Ajaantha Subrian shows how caste has distorted merit in the in the Hindu context. even in ITIs
Equal Education policy needed for India:
If English medium education is better in India then why not translate all English curriculum and Sanskrit literature in regional languages and provide equal education/information to all? Don't people read PM's Mann kī Bāt in all regional languages on websites? Don't they teach the Bible in all Indian languages? Sanskrit scholars provide Vedic knowledge to westerners in English via translation and transliteration but not the same way to fellow Indians who protect languages and culture in Indic scripts.Gujarat has given great political leaders as well as simple script to the nation and yet Hindi is taught in a complex printing ink wasting script despite it’s simplification into Gujanāgari script.
If pundits were happy with the complex printing ink-wasting Devanagari script they may not have created various scripts under different rulers for vernacular languages to divide the country. Nowadays Devanagari Lipi Parishad prefers a single Devanagari script despite it's simplification into Gujanāgarī script for all Indian languages to slowly eliminate vernacular scripts the way they did with Maharashtra's MODI script.
Westerners learn Sanskrit in English via translation and transliteration and challenge Indians but Indians are not allowed to learn Sanskrit the same way in vernacular languages.Why not make the same efforts in teaching mother language as you do for Sanskrit? How is modern Sanskrit going to be better than Vedic Sanskrit in providing knowledge? Does the government spend an equal amount of money on the promotion of all state languages?
India needs to create more jobs for Indic translators to provide equal education and information to all in Indic languages.
Also India has more English speakers than Great Britain and yet Indian English doesn't have itś own Indian English dictionary with pronunciation key to challenge IPA with highly phonetic Indic alphabets. sanskrit-ai.com/threads/mappings-for-devan%C4%81gar%C4%AB-indic-roman%C4%81gar%C4%AB.333/
Since Sanskrit has complex grammar and lengthy sandhi words in sentences it may not be good for effective speech, for rhyming poetic words as well as for voice to text typing, dictation and effective translation without lengthy interpretation.
If India's four percent of pundits can earn livelihood by praising Sanskrit, performing rituals and reading Satyanarayan Katha to villagers, why should they learn Sanskrit the hard way ? Sanskrit is taught in schools and colleges and used in Vedic rituals but how many of these people are fluent in Sanskrit?
NCERT prefers to provide education in Hindi and Urdu but not in regional languages. Why? If Hindi can be written in Urdu script then why not in regional scripts the way Sanskrit can be written?
Newly added Sanskrit on Google Translate could pose a challenge to Indian pundits who traditionally impart Vedic knowledge to Westerners through translation and transliteration tools but not to fellow Indians who defend scripts and culture in local languages.
India needed Macaulay to acquire Sanskrit knowledge through translation and transliteration in each language the way he had achieved in English.
Brahmins will come out with some or other strategy to maintain caste hierarchy 😂All of these are drama 🤣Your caste strategy will fail in this modern world
There is no caste system in hindu
, katwe
51:32 A person's Gunn is the one predominant, eg: Satvik- Rajasik, Satvik-Tamasik , so is satvik but there's another secondary. Doing some work doesn't make us entirely it, and giving up lineage occupation will kill traditions and system will inevitably collapse to a brink on edge-ventilator.
The four varnn already live with many customs whether optimum or not all take pride, a girl born in some environment if thrown elsewhere will suffocate or exaggerate, garden flower dieing in water flooded rice fields or a weed taking over all of Bengal initially grown for maybe beauty and be called vegetative terror later Eichhornia.
If Varnn is not given critical importance then Brahmanns and Kshatriyas will be shamed, and women be victim of domestic labour and filth for lowkey hatered in inter marriages by American supported- 'others' for decades long before 'wokeism power transfer' who aren't clean themselves;>who are the abducted children, the prostitutes, significantly brainwashed Brahmann girls being very friendly sexually to people having 'ideologies and have clear aim' - they wanna target use and sell- very obvious examples known here🧏 over years of observing.
If they don't continue their traditions then women who wanna escape conflicts will become open in many ways[(socially, sexually, be sold-out (ch1 B.G)] to appear adorable- nice. No continuation of the rehearsal of Vedic knowledge systems, who's gonna replace it when other than Brahmanns when no one is habitually revising widely used literature-practices-etc, people take blessings to invoke the qualities they develop due to daily strict lifestyle( surely Brahmann children are subtly targeted in social network into wickedness-addiction, their parents themselves don't put any awareness and practices which can't be done forcefully when ecology is collapsing causing agitation in people) ultimately to link with or taste the true-pure self, if a khatriya is not a karm Yogi[mentally- physically (ahuti) resting karm on omniscient Brahm though also not accepting good and bad of any(ch 5 B.G] then the bloodshed though necessary will also cause inner-outer karmik clash and is generally inevitable because being karm-Yogi requires hard : Shravan/vedic study(has multitude of meanings-many time each letter in a word representing intention-collectively forming meaning), kirtan/refreshing everything about Brahm+creation through heart strings, Dhyan/infinite possibilities of use, pujan/vast possibilities, prarthana/sharnnagati/maamekam sharnnam(ch18 B.G), all this difficulties make Brahmann more closer to Param, though khatriya karm is most praise worthy. However through karm a Shudra is best devotee(Sri Bhagwatam) for being able to do much more than others.
[Sri Bhagwatam : Shravan, kirtan, Dhyan, pujan- nitya karm. Says should also do prarthana.]
@user-gs3bt5cc7s
Shreemad Bhagvad Geeta