Saturday, September 10, 2005

Hinduism – Unjust and Unequal

The Title may trigger anguish to many of the followers of Hinduism, but it deserves the title for its wicked content and immoral principles. This blog illustrates the practices persisting in the religion which deteriorates the society and its own people.

The common people of India have suffered for a very long period, for about 2000 years, under religious influences and social institutions that are inimical to their freedom and advancement. The social system emphasized by Hinduism, orthodoxically known as Vedic Sanathana Dharma, is unequal and unjust. It prescribes and sanctifies the graded birth-based inequality among various castes organized on Varna system.

The four-fold Varnas are Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisiyas, and Sudras. Those outside the Varna fold are known as Avarnas, Panchamas, Chandalas etc, called ‘Untouchables’ and ‘Unseeables’. People born in Sudra, Avarna, Panchama etc castes form the lower and the lowest rungs of the social ladder. In this graded inequality, they have been denied educational and other facilities to develop their mental faculties and moral stature. They were kept illiterate and superstitious by religious heads and priests.

The scriptures like epics (Ithihasas), mythologies (Puranas) and Codes of Conduct (Dharma Sastras) taught them that by birth they belonged to a servile class. They were made to believe, by the principle of Karma, which they were born in a low caste because of their misdeeds in the previous birth.

Being mentally shackled, the vast majority of Indians, the Sudras and Panchamas, forming more than 80 per cent of the population, were made to lead a wretched life for several centuries under monarchs who ruled according to the principles and Codes of Conduct laid down in the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Manu Dharma Sastra etc.

Such scriptures condemned these people as sinners by birth (Paapa Yonih.) Among the servile classes, the lot of the Panchamas was the worst, being treated as untouchables. Condemned to live in the outskirts of the villages or in the slums of towns, they were prohibited to use public streets, lakes, wells, schools, temples etc. They were not allowed even to clothe decently.

Sati is the traditional Hindu practice of a widow immolating herself on her husband's funeral pyre. Sati was considered as a most virtuous and meritorious act which inflamed innocent women in the name of religion.

Devadasi system is the religious system of votive offering of girls of particular community to the deities in the Temple. The system forced the Devadasis to prostitution in the name of God and religion. This ignominious Hindu tradition kept destitute and hapless women shackled for a very long duration of time.

Hinduism entertains the practices of Sati, Devadasi, Child marriage, Bigamy, Untouchability and characterized by caste system and inequality is certainly the menace to mankind

6 Comments:

At 4:18 PM, Blogger melloman said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

 
At 6:00 PM, Blogger eyeStreet times said...

Looks like an informative post. And looks well researched.

I suppose any and every religion or way of life that has survived thousands of years would have in them the relics of the past. Thats only natural.

We have had lot of reformers in India who have rightly identified these outdated practices and have gone about preaching their removal from the hindu way of life.

We may not have reached 100% success but we are moving in the right direction and are getting there.

But to condemn a whole religion or way of life because it has outdated practices is like throwing out the baby with the dirty bath water.

We should resist such temptations.

 
At 1:08 PM, Blogger Sunday Thoughts said...

Thanks for the Comment Eswar.
Let me be clear on two points with respect to my blogs.
1. I don’t mean to hurt any individual’s sentiments or beliefs by anyway especially my friends like you.
2. There are many activists, volunteers and speakers are present in India to speak and fight for social justice. But there are very little to write about it, especially in English. It is my contribution to the movement by registering the importance of social justice in the form of writing.

The blog was not any emotional outburst. My views are inline with the views of renowned social reformers like Buddha, Mahatma Phule, Periyar and Dr.Ambedkar.

 
At 5:29 PM, Blogger eyeStreet times said...

Dude, its my intention also...not to hurt sentiments.

The exchange of diametrically opposing views and ideas only brings about a better discussion and understanding of the other sides view point.

Each of us may have strong views on the topic but it does not stop anyone from questioning them or agreeing to disagree with them.

We should maturely make use of the Freedoom of speech and expression.

 
At 10:35 PM, Blogger Rags said...

Dude..Those days the division was made based on the professions and not to supress people. People in those days desied such thing to retain the specific skill and expertise.

Many of these divisions no longer exists today. We rarely hear about Sati, Devadasi etc in today's world..

We need to accept that no system is perfect and we are constantly learning from our mistakes...

 
At 12:04 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Tharani,
Please accept my congratulations for focusing your blog on the need for social upliftment of less-priveleged and hardships faced by them.

I understand that you are well- read about ills plaguing Hinduism, duly highlighted by our social reformers.

The title you have chosen for this blog makes me assume that you have come to this conclusion after also reading & analysing views from those who have been model Hindus and spiritual masters. If not, may i invite you to views of two famous personalities.

1) Gandhi
http://www.gandhiserve.org/information/writings_online/writings_online.html

2) Swami Vivekananda
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/5208/

Regards & Wishing you the Best.

 

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