Re: reference to caste in tyAgAraja kIrtanalu
Bapa Rao (brao@pollux.usc.edu)
Thu, 16 Apr 1998 11:25:32 -0700 (PDT)
>From Vasu garu:
...
> No other contemporary society finds its present so much tied to its
> past as much as ours' does! We will probabbly never be
...
I invite Vasu garu to either substantiate the above quantitative statement
in some way or clarify that it was simply a rhetorical flourish, an
atiSayOkti.
In my opinion, (a) if we look closely enough, with open-minded and
knowledgeable eyes, virtually all contemporary societies trace their
practices and institutions to their past. Perhaps one distinguishing
factor about our society today is that there is a tremendous amount of
debate about the past and our ties to it; lack of such a debate (possibly
because one particular set of cultural traditions has had unquestioned
dominance in people's thinking) shouldn't be confused with a lack
of continuity with the past. Also, the failure of society A to have a
culture similar to another society B is not prima facie evidence that
society A is more tied to its past than society B. (b) I frequently
encounter a certain attitude among my Indian friends with overachieving
consciences :-), which basically amounts to the emotional equivalent
of, "Indian society is the worst and most horrible thing ever,
nabhUtO nabhavishyati." I submit that this may offer some temporary
emotional satisfaction (as, for example, we may feel that being really
superior types, we are holding ourselves to a higher standard than others
by excoriating ourselves even more), but ultimately the emotion is as
bogus and unhelpful (practically speaking) as feeling proud that
varNaSrama dharmam and vedic jet planes prove that India is, and always
was, "the best."
My personal views.
Bapa Rao