What does equality mean to you? To many who live in the United States, the first thing that comes to mind is racial or gender equality. To many living in Southeast Asia, this will question not just their culture and traditions but also their religion. To many, this system comes from a religious background according to which Hindus are divided into groups based on their karma(work) and dharma(duty) from the past life. Depending on your good deeds and sin from your past life, you will be sent to a higher or lower caste family when you reincarnate. Although the caste system is often associated with India, countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka also partake in this.
The most practiced caste system has five levels. At the top of the system are the Brahmins. They represent the head of the Hindu god Bharma and are very knowledgeable which is why many of them are priests and teachers. In many of the Hindu texts, they play an essential role in teaching the rulers and princes. The ancient Indian teacher, philosopher, economist, and royal advisor Chanakya is an example of a Brahmin. In the second level are the Kshatriyas, who represent the arm of Bharma. They come from rulers and warriors. An example of these rulers and warriors are the Pandavas from the epic Mahabharata. The Vaishyas come from the thighs of Bharma. They come from farmers, traders, and merchants. Many Vaishyas during old times worked for the rulers and help them run their land through cultivation and trade. The Shudras are the fourth level of the system and they come from the feet of Bharama. They are the working class. They repressed people who used to cook for the ruler’s family, take care of their children, and help build palaces. The Dalits are known as the outcastes and are separated from the other four castes. They are said to come from people who do the “dirty” jobs in the community. The water they touch becomes “unpure” for many of the other castes. They are not only separated but also looked down on by many Hindus that follow the caste system.
Rohith Vemula was a 26-year-old Ph.D. student at Hyderabad Central University in India. He was an advocate for Dalit rights and belonged to the Ambedkar students’ Association. The college he went to had many caste-related incidents in the past. This created hostile situations for students that went there. Rohith and his four friends faced an allegation that they were behind the attack on a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad Party (student party of the BJP- party that the current prime minister Modi is backed by). They were cleared of all charges in the first inquiry but then the decision was reversed in December of 2015. They started protesting against their expulsion from their college housing facility. This led to Rohith and his friends gaining national attention and support from other Dalit students who for years were discriminated against because of their caste. Many protests were held for the Dailt students' rights. During these times the slogan “Jai Bheem” became the chant for their fight against the biased decision. Rohith dreamed of creating change and he was smart enough to do so yet his dreams were compromised just because he was from a lower caste. On 17 January 2016, Rohith committed suicide. A young mind who fought for the rights of many Dalit students no longer had fight left in him.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-35650616
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-07/indias-untouchables-how-caste-system-affects-politics/10900280
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-35349790
Rohith’s Letter:
https://thewire.in/caste/rohith-vemula-letter-a-powerful-indictment-of-social-prejudices
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