>The other option is to gloss over and plainly deny the existence of >all these >aspects (as many on this net do) and then to march >forward with a very >selective view of Hinduism that is in >consonance with modern society and >liberal values. The trouble with >this approach is that in all honesty, you >cannot be very sure of >what it is you are clutching on to & therefore, in the >long run, >are bound to run into certain contradictions - perhaps as >your >children question you....
*** Well said Santanu. But I am not sure the inquisitive children are enough of a deterrence to that attempt at living in a make-believe world. I have seen 'children' of those who would choose to live in a delusion, raised, indoctrinated and molded in the image of their parents :-), who grow up perfectly willing to perpetuate the myths and the delusions. At 9:57 PM -0600 3/26/06, Roy, Santanu wrote: >Saurav, > >Thanks for your knowledgeable note. > >Two observations: > >1. There are probably quite a few historical instances where castes >have been fostered within a non-Aryan jati or community that has >come into contact with mainstream Hinduism at a late stage. Indeed, >the process by which an outside jati enters into mainstream Hindu >society must logically consist of at least two social processes. >First, the way the existing mainstream society - the upper castes - >in particular, view the community in question - an exogenous aspect. >Second, the way the jati views itself and reshapes & redefines its >own social stratification using the adopted language and mirrors of >mainstream Hindu society -an endogenous aspect. Indeed, these two >processes need not be congruent. The relics of these processes are >found in several low caste untouchable communities that have their >own "Brahmins". To the mainstream outsider, they are all >untouchable, but to the insider there is a caste system within - a >microcosm of the society that lies above them. A similar stru! > cture is also observed with respect to many tribes prior to the >importing of Brahmins from mainstream society. > >2. The varna system, like many other aspects of Hindu society, is in >fundamental contradiction with modern society. The question in my >mind is not whether Hinduism can be reformed. The real question is >how will Hindus resolve these contradictions between what they ought >to hold sacred and the needs of actual material life in today's >society. > >One option is to stand by the varna system and all other traditional >mores, to oppose liberal western values and in effect, do a >fundamentalist jig. > >The other option is to gloss over and plainly deny the existence of >all these aspects (as many on this net do) and then to march forward >with a very selective view of Hinduism that is in consonance with >modern society and liberal values. The trouble with this approach is >that in all honesty, you cannot be very sure of what it is you are >clutching on to & therefore, in the long run, are bound to run into >certain contradictions - perhaps as your children question you.... > >A third option would be to abandon the grand tradition altogether >and, in effect, convert to religious orders that have their own >philosphical systems that, even though historically rooted in the >grand narrative, actually offer a distinct axiomatic system >(Buddhism and Jainism were among the many such early orders, as were >some of the Vaishnava orders). The third option is essentially >fractious and inimical to the cause of a grand Hindu identity. But >it may well be the most honest and logical way out for those who >seek a religion. > >Santanu-da. > >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of xourov pathok >Sent: Mon 3/27/2006 4:37 AM >To: assam@assamnet.org >Subject: [Assam] caste system > >a short note on the caste system: > >the varna system, which found its first mention in the >rig veda itself, has been the only unbroken tradition >of hinduism. gods have come and gone (from indra to >rudra to krishna), forms of worship has changed (from >yajnas to puja) but the varna system has persisted. >there is an oft repeated dictum, that hinduism did not >have a name for itself earlier. this is not true. >the name of the religion was varnashram dharma. the >varna system is the most defining aspect of hinduism. > >another dictum is that it divides. this also is >untrue. in fact the varna system makes it possible >for a jati to place itself in a readymade order. this >is important because there is no personal conversion >system in hinduism. instead entire jatis are >converted (by placing them in the varna system), like >the scythians and the koches were made hindus by >placing them in the kshatriya varna. this is >important. because it lets, say, a sarma or a barua >from assam relate in a some meaningful way with a >aiyar or an iyengar from tamil nadu. > >since the varna system is the most defining aspect of >hinduism, how can you remove or reform it out of the religion? > >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around >http://mail.yahoo.com > >_______________________________________________ >assam mailing list >assam@assamnet.org >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > >_______________________________________________ >assam mailing list >assam@assamnet.org >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
