Business to the Buddha

Tag: Basav-Anna

  • Cast(e)ing doubts – Crematoriums in India







    This blog is in the series of blogs on – against – the caste system of India. In the new year once again* I wish some day we would value people on their

    Capabilities and not Caste
    Action and not Ancestry
    Character and not on Color of skin

    Disclaimer – I belong to Lingayat (Veershaiva) community. Here is the blog I wrote on the community I am born in  Cast(e)ing doubts – Lingayats!

    I strongly feel that we need to grow as human race. I am critical about my community but the problem is with all communities in India. As always I wish we would all be more just and value person as a human and not as his/her caste.

    Unfortunately in Sept 2013, I saw a front page news in The Times of India Mumbai edition – “Jaisalmer will have crematorium based on caste“, yes that was front page news. A long way to go for us.

    I feel utterly shocked that even a dead body is considered Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya etc… that is height of stupidity. Thankfully, in Rajasthan, people this time around have voted out such government which could plan to make crematoriums based on caste!

    Hope and wish one day sooner rather than later we would value people on their being what they are rather than what caste they belong to. And specially at least we will consider a dead body, well “a dead body”

    Note *-

    My Barasti Dubai experience – racism

    Other blogs on cast(e)ing doubts

  • Cast(e)ing doubt – Lingayats!







    This blog is in the series of blogs on – against – the caste system of India. I wish some day we would value people on their

    • Capabilities and not Caste
    • Action and not Ancestry
    • Character and not on Color of skin

    That we all connected there is no two (non-duality) no big vs small no higher vs lower. So let us first understand what is one of the challenges before we reach there.

    First thing first – I have a special love affair for Lingayats (a community in India), let me put a disclaimer – “I am a born Lingayat… (well as per the current Liangayat followers …not practicing Lingayat though.”) It might have been an accident that I am born in this community, but it is all logic and belief that I am beyond the so call Lingayatism.

    A brief history of Lingayatism. It was found (or resurrected) by Basaveshwara in Karanataka. When Basav Anna founded the basic premise was “no-caste system” or in larger perspective – All Humans Are Born Equal. The hypocrisy of this seemingly one of the youngest religion is – it has more than 16-17 different sub-castes. Check Wiki for more details and before someone reads about the Hypocrisy of Lingayats and deletes the reference here is an image from Wiki –

    Fight against caste systemlingayatism-wiki

     

     

     

     

    So Basava fought caste system. It all started by the story of marriage of a Brahmin and an untouchables. Now look at the so call matrimonial sites of Lingayats (image thumbnail below, click to enlarge). Basava must be crying in his grave for such blatant contempt of his fight. Poor fellow fought his fight for eqaility and against caste system (apparently by calling a marriage among Brahmin & untouchable) and here Lingayats have first division as Lingayats and Jangams. Within those two factions they have more division.

    When people ask “What Lingayat are you?” I feel Basava’s fight has gone in vain. No meaning of him having a community which has completely shattered its own foundation of existence. Now read Wiki article on Lingayatism as well you would understand what actually I mean and what is practiced.

     

    Image sources – Wikipedia, www.lingayatmarriage.net and http://www.lingayathmatrimony.com/

    Lingayat Matrimonial site imagesLingayat Marriage 2Lingayat Marriage 4Lingayat Marriage 3 Lingayat Matrimony - Bharat Matrimony 1 Lingayat Matrimony - Bharat Matrimony 2

    Lingayat Matrimony - Bharat Matrimony 3

    Related blogs

    Cast(e)ing doubts – Narendra Dabholkar

    Cast(e)ing doubt – What’s your (last) name?

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

    We the societies