Ah, the Indian caste system, a long-standing tradition that has woven itself into the cultural tapestry of the subcontinent over many generations! And who might we consider responsible for this intricate web of social structure? Well, according to some great intellectuals, legendary historians, and cultural observers, it’s neither Brahmins nor Vedas, but those mischievous Brits invented and injected the evil caste system into the beautiful Indian minds.
Let’s disregard the thousands of years of complex social order, the religious scriptures that shaped caste norms, and the entrenched discrimination perpetuated within the system itself. Instead, let’s blame it all on those tea-drinking, empire-expanding British!
Imagine, as the British and Portuguese sailed towards India, they must have cooked up quite the scheme “Let’s ponder.” They might have thought, “How can we truly stir things up in an Indian society that is flourishing with equality living without any kind of discrimination or oppression? Ah, I’ve got it! Let’s devise a convoluted system of social hierarchy that will oppress millions for ages to come!” or May be they choose only India out of the large empire they had in past.
Never mind that the caste system existed long before the British ever arrived, spanning millennia. Forget its deep roots in Indian religious and cultural practices. Did the British possess a time machine, perhaps? Did they venture back to plant the seeds of caste discrimination, then leisurely sip their Earl Grey while observing the ensuing chaos?
It’s a stroke of colonial brilliance, one might say. Disregard the British fascination with the exotic customs of the subcontinent, their dabbling in Orientalism, and their romanticization of the very traditions they purportedly aimed to dismantle. Ignore their centuries-long rule over India, with ample opportunity to address the caste system if they had so desired.
But no, let’s attribute everything to the British, Portuguese, or Mughals. It’s much simpler that way, isn’t it? Why face up to our own societal challenges when we can just point fingers at the former colonial masters?
So, the next time you find yourself gridlocked in Mumbai traffic or wading through the bureaucratic maze of government offices, remember: it’s not solely the product of centuries of social hierarchy and systemic injustice. It’s all the doing of those cunning Brits! Here’s to that, old chap.
For the benefit of readers – The British summed up all Indian religions and named them ‘Hinduism’. Earlier, there were numerous religions within one caste itself; their gods and traditions were different. One cannot find the word ‘Hindu’ in any religious texts; does that mean Hinduism was invented by the British? Similarly, ‘Caste’ is the Portuguese word used to sum up the existing social hierarchy in India.
