Inter-Caste Marriages
A friend was worried that her niece is marrying someone of another jathi. She is well read in the scriptures and she must know that many of our national heroes were the children of inter-caste marriages. A very popular one is Vidura, son of Veda Vyasa and a Dasi (maid – in this context). Vidura was so wise that he was called Dharma. And he was actually far more competent than the blind Dhritarashtra or the cursed Pandu to rule Hastinapura (Delhi).
Indian Caste System: Then and Now: Jati, Varna, Kula Brahmans Then and Brahmins Now. Karna Jambavantha Rakshasas
Science tells us that hybridization leads to the best variety of plants and animals. Then what are we really worried about? We are worried about “memes” not about “genes”. We feel somehow, that our culture is preserved not in our Itihasas, vedas, upanishads and Puranas , but in our 4000 layered caste system.
We are open to Western science and technology, our swamijis use cell phones and preach on TV. Hasn’t technology changed our culture? We are open to western education for our children, few teach their children the Vedas. We are open to western jobs. To dollars, pounds and dinars. Agnihotram is only for marriages, gruhapravesam and a few other occasions.
Every Indian jathi is absorbing western culture, in its own way, and to its own extent. But there is a fear of inter-mingling at a genetic level. We are afraid of the cultural differences, that do exist in food and speech. We are afraid of who will marry the children of the inter-caste married couple. We are terrified of the adjustments that we will have to make.
Will we have to become completely westernised before we become completely Indian?
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