Valmiki, thank you for a most informative post triggered by my questions on the Bamon Ladder. As usual, written in your own distinctive style, it makes for easy reading and even easier understanding. Most writers would give their eye-tooth for this skill.
I do admit to making casual observations supported only by short stints in Goa although with eyes wide open. Your opinions are drawn from a lifetime in Goa supplanted by much reading to base it upon. So I surely defer to what you say. Didn't quite understand your para about the 3 Brahmin families of Kshatriya Aldona. Do you really mean that Aldona was K-majority? Or were you referring to Assolna mentioned at the end of your sentence. I look forward to Senhor Tavares's views after the Nobel week is over and he is more at ease. With reference to your: quote This distinction of class within the same caste is not a feature only among the 'higher castes' but every caste down the ladder! The only chaps we all forget in these great debates are the tailend Mhars and Chamars, both Hindu and Catholic -- it is only among them that I have found no distinctions. unquote Goa must have once seemed like this: Upper rung Bs looked down on lower class Bs Lower class Bs looked down on upper class Ks Upper class Ks looked down on lower class Ks Lower class Ks looked down on upper class Ss Upper class Ss looked down on lower class Ss And lower class Ss and everybody else looked down on the Mhars and Chamars. How I wish I were a Mar in the golden days of Goa. I would have had my own brand of fun. Roland. 416-453-3371