The unblurred lines of antiquity

My schooling amidst the dewy greenery of a convent in the east of India rarely allowed the ensconcement of caste identities. Class distinctions? Well one could never escape that. I easily recognised the entitled ones—their pens, colour pencils, backpacks and pencil boxes being objects of intense desire. At university, in the arid heat of north India, the tables however turned. I became the ‘entitled’, not because of my class, but my caste, an identity that had held no relevance for me until then. 

I am a rebel. Never conforming to the caste, class or gender hierarchies laid down centuries ago. But today I am near certain, that despite the best efforts of a handful of stereotype hackers, the majority are willing to fall back on a system enshrined in the Vedic idea of India. At least that is what the data says. Being an empirical, evidence based researcher, it would be difficult for me to turn my back on what myriad experts contributing to this special issue of G’nY are pointing out, as clear as daylight.

The egalitarian changes are barely perceptible, they cite. The caste alignment overrides the class, they say. There are no geographies of alternative identities, they add. The monolithic placing of communities are actually more stratified than is perceived, they share. There is no hope it seems for the rebels of the system. Yet, I dream that one day caste will no longer matter—merit, hard work and equal opportunities is all that will count.