A different kind of Varnasrama dharma in Ethiopia

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Sharing a letter that my father sent me form Ehiopia.
Dear Sarada
I have just returned from from our anthropological visit. It has been very enjoyable. The route is beautiful. As there are no rains there has been a lot of dust. I had to wash it from my body and hair on reaching home. Because of the same reason road was not slippery.
They divide their town according to families Each family has an area. Each town has one clan. The people of one clan can only marry from another clan.
long back in a particular area two clans met and decided that they were actually related to each other and invented common ancesters to avoid blood shed
the society is divided in 3 tiers.
The elders( Vana prasthas) the middle aged or able bodied ( gruhasthas) and the children. On a particular day the gruhasthas decide to hand over charge to next generation. The have a big festival. When children are declared as adults. now they can marry and become gruhasthas. their parents become elders. all the children of the new gruhasthas are children until their parents decide to hand over charge to them. The middle tier should provide and protect their elders and their children. so in one generation one tier all are of them are not same age The first child of the clan can be  20 years older than the last.

While I favour the out-of-narmada theory on human evolution, the world at large goes with the out-of-ethiopia theory. And I am always interested in the strong similarities in traditions between Africa and India.

Archaeological Connections

Authorship and Copyright Notice : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved


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