An encounter with Caste in the City

Caste system, a mechanism which ‘supposedly’ came into existence for say, maintaining the division of labour, did everything to oppress and discriminate one section in the caste hierarchy, who were ‘made’ to serve the so called higher castes. But even after working on Dalit rights, and hearing about some colleagues not being able to rent houses on disclosing their caste (enquired directly and indirectly by landlords) a thought would cross my mind as to how caste lives in cities. This question would occur because in cities the caste structures may not be very apparent as in rural India, and I had also not really come across such direct instances in thought or action in my experience of Delhi.

However, an incident few days back shook me. Some days back, I was in a beauty parlour, only to discover the ugly thoughts of this lady. I was taken aback with her thoughts because she was the one who once shared with me her pro-interfaith marriage stance, of placing love before blind religious dictates.

It so happened that while I was undergoing some serious painful business at that time, the sister of my beautician started talking to me very fervently about women's emancipation and freedom, stating that she was a feminist herself in views and thoughts. In just little time, both of us were discussing a range of issues that function and exist to suppress women's sexuality and identity other than the accepted lifetime roles of a good daughter, sister, wife and mother. Then our talks took a leap to touch upon the daily soaps where the subdued and ever abiding female characters played the protagonist, who became the ideal ‘betis’ and ‘bahoos’ for the middle class masses.

Having talked all this, it was now time for me to leave, and while I was just about to step out of the parlour, she asked me where I worked.  On hearing the name of my organisation, she was speechless and visibly discomforted. She did not hesitate to suggest me to look out for some other organisation. This was just enough for me to read her mind. Anyhow, I wanted to expose her ill thoughts and therefore, gave unclear responses to her suggestion, for her to speak up her mind upfront. And yes! There she was, as I had thought, trying to manage her words carefully by telling me to try for organisations which works on 'up'er ...'.  It was almost as if she was worried that working for Dalits was bringing me in close touch with the outcaste and ‘former’ untouchables which she could not stomach.

She was, however, fortunate that I had to exit when she brought this up. Still, I had to remind her that just as some while back she chanted the beads of gender equality, women emancipation and attacking stereotypical characterisation of women, and this caste was also nothing more than a social construct, alive for over 2000 years, sanctioned by the Hindu religion and promulgated fiercely by the priestly sections. Not to generalise, but I now understand that while caste is visible in rural side, it is existent in the urban minds. It is just that one is not born with the imprints of one’ caste on the forehead, otherwise, caste segregation and discrimination would have been no different from that of the countryside.

Caste lives in the minds of the city dwellers who keep passing it on to their ancestors. This cycle continues. Structural reforms may come but it is extremely difficult to cleanse the casteist mindsets. Once this mindset is conquered (which I regret to state is unlikely) legal or structural reforms would not matter. Alas, it is a dream farfetched. What can be more disastrous, impure and sinful than discriminating and excluding the human being on the basis of caste- an element I detest the most. Even though was a small incident, it managed this expression out of me. What about those who live with it and don't have enough and secure spaces to voice it out?

Picture courtesy: PDFCAST.org