[Assam] Hollywood's NRI youth agree: Caste -Free Priesthood & temple internships - must for Hindu equality

Mon Aug 7 00:27:19 PDT 2006

Hi,

  Last week while visiting my Gujarati ex-roommate at North Hollywood area in Los Angeles -after Universal picturs Hollywood park trip -- I was forced into a discussion with atleast two of his roommates -from South India ec - which went on for hours that night in its dishevelled surroundings  (reminding me of the times when I used to discuss at Kirorimal College Hostel, Delhi in early 90s with my batchmates and seniors - who promoted communis-style secularism [many were cardholding members of Communist Party -incl one grandson [Harish Damodaran - "D.D."] of EMS Naboodiri Pad from Kerala- he was a genuine social worker -while many others were pseudo-communists -for getting notes of communist seniors and profs.).

  One was adamantly against India and its job quotas based on caste (though on H-1B work visa and doing Masters in IT also ) also talking about Hindu religion and philosophy and "why young (so-called) Brahmins are rebels?" Perhaps he was praising me by including me also in his ideology . He hated being in the dingy environs -blaming his parents of forcing him to go to US --the other seconded him. 

  He hated his job (bio-medical - to make/invent medical equipment)  -and so did the other one --and questioned why we have to live this life etc. It seems he had a brush with some student evangelists at college in US -who were convinced he should not convert -but that he should sign their form that they did try -they would get college credit for that!! He might have confused them too. I'm glad to say that AssamNet's discussion training was good enough for him to realize that I was right -and he tried to convert others to my view -which was:

  For life etc - I had no answers but that one needs to eat and sleep and buy medicines - for that one needs to work. I do not know about reincarnations but for this life also -one needs the dough. He was surprised to learn that I like doing my work - my line of work--even being in USA-even against my family's wishes. I was in US despite my family's wishes - they were there becos of it.

  I had answer to each of his objections regarding the issue of -- job quota for non-Brahmin priests in Hindu temples -as a pre-requisite for any demand for removing job-quota elsewhere.  my quoting Geeta (as I do many times ) they agreed that a Brahmin is not by birth -hence anyone is eligible to be a Brahmin and so also a priest -- the way it is in ISKCON (where I was to go for chariot fest in LA after a day) and in religious schools of other faiths. 

  Uptill now Hinduism (as a society) has never come up with a comprehensive document where the non so-called Brahmins are granted equality with so-called Brahmins (the priestly class). It has been the secular Indian govt which has granted job-quotas to so-called lower castes ---- the Hindu so-called upper castes (incl the educated elite) have never done anything on a comprehensive level. Gandhi-ji had done something at an individual level -as are many doing even now. But no body of the so-called upper caste groups (there are so-many -even in US) -ever has come up  document (like signature petitions which float around even on the internet [ whose 15th anniversary is today] against caste based job quotas in India ). 

  I gave the argument about USA -whcih had neglected the rights of Blacks for nearly 200 years after becoming a nation (in 1776 ) -till 1965 when the US govt agreed to allow Blacks to vote. The whites of USA might be guilty of mis-treating Blacks for long (like so-called uppercaste Hindus in South Asia mistreating Dalits for long) - but they made up for it by creating a comprehensive document-they even fought a war over it later though. Even though there might be complaints about harrassment of blacks even now the whites can say with a clear conscience that they atleast given them equal rights on paper-showing the Right to vote for all -in US (even illegals can vote -noone sees the idenity cards when you enrol as a voter though :-) but thats a differnt issue) .

   Hindus on the other hand-as a social  community -not got a document  readied up even now - whereby Hindus all over the world can say that though there is still harrassment of Dalits going on --we as Hindus of all castes etc --do NOT condone it --here is our document hereby we assert that for the positon of Hindu priest any one is eligible to become one -regardless of his/her birth. My discussion partner was perhaps impressed when I said that when a delegation of American Hindu Foundation (from nearby San Francisco etc) inlcuding myself went to meet US Senators and Congression at their offices on Capitol Hill in Washington DC -last october - but we had no words (or only words) to disprove Mr Curry's claims (the assistant to Human Rights Committee Chairman Wilson [?] ) that Hindus of so-called lower-castes are being harrassed a lot --we could not say that Indian govt is doing this and that. Indian govt is not a Hindu body  -which Hindu body, which Hindu leader (who also
 runs prestigious Hindu temples) talks of Hindu equality? Many talk of Hindu brother-hood or sister-hood - perhaps as someone as elder sibling and someone as the younger one --NOT equal!! Wy do not Shankaracharyas, Birla Temple owners, US temple owners say that any Hindu can become Hindu priest -and come up with a proposal of inducting regular temple devotees into temple rituals -such as washing and dressing the statues of the demi-gods and demi-goddesses etc --for a start. WHy not starting the intership system -- esp during summer break -whereby NRI kids can learn the art of temple rituals(and esp. doing Pujas or worships fr other devotees). The entry and acessibility to the idols -esp. touching,cleaning,dressing and chanting the mantras etc are key to such internships. Temple management is in many places caste free - but idol-management and worship managemnt is still 100% under so-called Brahmin control even in US -be it Washngton DC or Los Angeles.

  So the logic goes that first come up with a comprehensive document -then a projet plan, then task schedule etc -- then some level of implementation (all regarding the above -caste -free priesthood ) then only dare to talk about caste-free jobs and school admissions. He said it would lead to riots -how is it possible. I said maybe not in villages - but village folks always follow (with a time lag) what city folks do -incl fashion sense. And city folks in South Asia always follow you guys do here in USA etc. So it starts with you guys.

  Any comments?

  Umesh

  PS: Maybe he found something he could like doing in US -worthy of his rebellious nature- while going about the boring business of earning the daily bread (for him -perhaps like "Waiting for Godot" as in Samuel Becket's famous play - I saw it thanks to my playwright collegemates/opponents at Kirorimal College hostel-with perhaps the finest drama team in Indian colleges -superstar Big B an alum of the college and the hostel) . He did start promoting my arguments with his roommates the other day.

Umesh Sharma
5121 Lackawanna ST
College Park, MD 20740

 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]

Ed.M. - International Education Policy
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University,
Class of 2005

weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/

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