From: sundar@indigo1.hsis.uci.edu (M. Sundaramoorthy)
Subject: Re: Casteism in TN in the last century
Newsgroups: soc.culture.tamil
Organization: University of California, Irvine
Date: 27 Aug 92 01:40:25 GMT
Distribution: world  

In article <BtLLLq.5J8@ireq.hydro.qc.ca> srini@ireq-num.hydro.qc.ca (K.Srinivasan) writes:
>sundar@indigo1.hsis.uci.edu (M. Sundaramoorthy) writes:
>MS>Till the British arrived in India, all the three classes, Brahmins,
>MS>Kshatriya and Vaisyas were cooperative among themselves. Brahmins
>MS>took the religion, the Khshatriyas were the ruling (and land owning)
>MS>class and Vaisyas were the business class. These three classes
>MS>were in close cooperation and oppressed the sudras
>
>MS>During and after British the rule, power sharing became open to all the
>MS>three upper classes and the struggle continues till today and so
>MS>the classes which cooperated among themselves earlier, became
>MS>bitter enemies.
>
>1. I think 'Kshatriya' caste is practically non-existant in Tamil region.
	
	Yes. Prof. Rajgouthaman does mentions this in a foot note:

	"thamizhaga varalaaRRil, 'caththiriyar' enRu thanic_chadhiyinar
	iruppadhaagath theriyavillai. vELaLaril peru_nila_vudamaik 
	kudumbangaLum, padaitha_thalaivargaLaaga viLangiya maRvargaLum,
	naayakkargaLum 'caththiriya'th thozhilaana aracaatchith thozhilai
	mERkoNdirundhaarkaL".

>4. As regards 'oppression' of the sudras, the two were entirely different
>   in my opinion. The Brahmins 'oppressed' them in a social manner.
>   But the others exploited them economically.
>5. The two problems should be treated differently. Social discrimination,
>   should be removed by social decrees. Not by punishing a whole caste
>   including the poor, financially.

	Social oppression and economic exploitation are inter_related in
	a feudal system. 

	I don't really understand what you mean by 'punishing' a whole
	caste. Giving a helping hand to the underpriviledged doesn't mean
	punishing others, in  my opinion. 

	While the 'exploited and oppressed' class has been psychologically
	prepared to accept that for centuries and still largely true,
	the upper class, which had the priviledges,
	is not prepared to concede some of their priviledges to the 
	oppressed, if the intensities of pro- and anti-Mandal agitations were
	any indication. (Since I have already expressed my opinions on
	caste based reservations I stop with this). 

>6. Even education wise, though the percentage was certainly high, there
>   were those with poor education and in poverty among the Bramins also.
>   They are among those who are most affected today.

	I agree there are poor among Brahmins. The categories that are shown
	by many (including my friends) are Priests (and Prohits) and the
	'cooks'. But I don't know what is their % among Brahmins. (I wonder
	they make any significant proportion, compared the  'poor' among
	the other low castes).
	
	But in any debate, they are 'used' to justiy to oppose the reservation,
	rather than showing any concern for them. This is no different from the
	'backward elite' supporting the reservation. Ironically, even in the
	net discussion this issue never surfaced. 

	(Aside: Still the temple priests and prohits who perform rituals are
	well paid and respected by the common folks than many other low caste
	people who are still involved in traditional professions. Their
	economic progress (may be a section, though), may be judged by the
	TVS-50 ad. with a 'gurukkaL' riding the moped and a caption:
	'paNditharkaL munnERiya kaalam').
		
		
>
>MS>P.S: If there are no objections, I will post the translation of
>MS>Rajgouthaman's article. Please send personal mails. 
>MS>M. Sundaramoorthy
>MS>sundar@indigo1.hsis.uci.edu
>
>I doubt if discussing about the evaluation of the past by different
>authorities, will help the 'present' and the 'future'. The mistakes
>of the past can not be a justification for mistakes of the present.

	In that case we should not talk about history, culture, heritage etc.,
	if one feels they don't have any influence on the 'present'
	and the 'future'.
 
>
>K. Srinivasan  srini@ireq-num.hydro.qc.ca

M. Sundaramoorthy
sundar@indigo1.hsis.uci.edu
sundar@esv1.hsis.uci.edu  
Newsgroups: soc.culture.tamil