In a lift one person, an old 70-75 year or so, looks at the other, smiles and thinks – New guy in the building! Looks educated ‘I can talk to him’. He asks – What is your name?

Other person responds – Pravin

Old man – Pravin what?

2nd person – Pravin is my name.

2nd person looks at the old man with a question mark on face, what does that mean?

Old man – I mean your last name?

2nd – I call myself KRD Pravin and my friends call me KRD (at times KRD P).

Old man stares with a complete blank (!) and question on face?

2nd person continues – Does not it sound like JRD (Tata)? One step ahead, that is in alphabet “K” comes just after “J” right? Smile!

Old man – what does KRD mean?

2nd person – KRD stands for my last name and father’s name.

2nd person smiles and the old man insists on an answer.

Old man – Ok! But what is your last name?

2nd person (possibly getting the hint of apparent insistence now) – so you wanted to know my last name and not the name, is that right?

Old man completely taken aback by such question, because he was only interested in the last name. What goes on in the mind of old man is – ok lad looks educated, but does not have manners, arrogant!

Perhaps the old man is thinking – “I have a suitable girl for him in my mind?” Wait without knowing if 2nd person is married or not, how can one think like that? Anyways jokes apart.

This is the reality, of few discussions (elevator talks). People are more interested in what someone’s ancestors did than what this young lad is doing? This is the problem of our caste system.

I writing a series (on and off) of blogs on – against – the caste system of India (include black skin for other parts of the world). This is another installment in the series.

One of my school friends (this is not a fiction he was indeed like this) used to make friends based on last name, he at times used to ask “what are you people? (that is you belong to what/which caste?)” If the other person does not fall in “his choice of category” he wont make friends with them. His selected types were – Hindus (in religion), Vaishya, Brahman and Kshatriyas (in caste). In the language of Indian quota system – he wont make friends with SC, ST or OBCs. I was surprised but well I made a note of this!

I think we all were forest dwellers, once farmers. A blacksmith and mason is nothing but present day engineer. The more we developed the more we regressed actually! Even before the baby is born – he/she is black/white/sub-continent dweller. The day a baby is born we tag him/her as Christian/Hindu/Sikh/Muslim etc. Next tag is more clarification – You are a Shwetambar Jain, Or Saryuparayan Bramhan etc.

What is this – why we do differentiate on caste? In India there are temples where even Hindus (shudra/Dalits/Untouchables) can not go. All over India this is widespread.

Dalits give ‘donation’ to enter temple 2013 – The Hindu

Dalits told to keep distance from temple 2013 – Times of India

Dalits enter TN temple first time in 100 yrs – Times of India

Below two news are almost same difference is the year. News from The Hindu newspaper site (by far the most respected and authentic newspaper in India)

Dalits enter temple amid tight police security 2013

Dalits enter temples with police protection 2009

Thy God is different than mine!

When the creator is different there certainly is comparison – whose God is better?

Meri Kamiz teri kamiz se safed hai

मेरी कमीज़ तेरी कमीज़ से सफ़ेद है

My shirt is brighter (better) than your shirt

As if God is a trifling shirt or trouser! Who (which) can be better or worse.

Related blogs –

Cast(e)ing doubt –  everyone’s tears are salty

We the societies

When Buddha dies schools are born