On the last day of a whitewash contract, while my
team of Painters was working in a flat, the lady of the house told the man of
the house that once the work is complete, we need to throw away the bottle from
which the Painters drank water.
Following the same pattern, which is way too common,
i along with my team of Painters, noticed that the cups in which tea is served
to us in the afternoon, are either plastic or paper cups or are designated
cups, which are discarded or kept separate or distinct, once the work is
complete.
Welcome to the World of Casteism and Untouchability
in Indian homes. Casteism in India is a deeply rooted phenomenon, is alive and
thriving well in the well-to-do, educated, working professionals (including IT
professionals), working in Multi-National Companies, many of whom have even
visited foreign countries and are exposed to US and England's culture.
And yet they refuse to let go of this despicable and
shameful Caste discrimination based solely of social status. All of the times, I’ve
experienced this, I felt awful. It is so shocking to see such actions from
individuals who reside in societies, whose children study in best of the
English medium schools.
All of the education, exposure to international
culture, travels to foreign countries are futile and have failed to eradicate
or alter the mindset of Indians. Casteism and Untouchability is an inherent part
of social structure. Indians cannot and will not comprehend the fact that
people who are doing manual work are no lesser than them. Manual labour, in any
form, is considered a menial job and thus to be looked down upon. They themselves
won’t and can’t do it and yet they won’t respect others who do it for them.
With their little brains, they can’t comprehend the
fact that whitewashing or home painting involves Art as well as Science.
Painting a home or a flat involves mathematical calculation as to the amount of
paint to be bought and consumed, based on the size of walls and ceiling,
understanding of colors and their association with each other, labour days and
labour cost to be calculated based on the size of flat or a house, customer
handling skills, and communication skills. A Painter holds the paint brush or a
roller in such a manner that not a drop of paint falls on the ground. It is a
matter of Art that he or she ensures that while painting the edges of walls, he
doesn’t let the brush or roller touch the other wall or surface. In addition to
these, a Painter or a Contractor needs to possess honesty, integrity, and
marketing skills, an understanding of different cultures based on religion,
language, age, education, sex and geographic location.
Caste system and Untouchability is here to stay and I
don’t find any near end to it. There is one way around for those at the
receiving end to react to such inhumane, shameful discrimination by understanding
and studying the mindset of individuals practicing Casteism and Untouchability.
First, those who are involved in manual labour like
painting a home or whitewashing a flat should work on their personal grooming.
Wear good, clean and fitting clothes, shoes, and socks. Attend to your personal
hygiene. Have an hair cut, apply hair oil, cut your nails, apply cream on your
arms and hands (during winters and after every day’s work), have a clean work
overalls, quit chewing tobacco, clean your teeth, abstain from using abusive
and filthy language.
One of the most
effective ways to change or alter the mindset of an individual is by making him
or her change his or her preferred taste in music and movies. A vast majority
of those who practice Casteism in India and the ones at the receiving end are
the ones who are still engrossed in their regional music and movies. Allow them
to be exposed to the finest nuances of English music and movies. An exposure to
the finest of music and movies from a very tender age is bound to completely
alter the hearts and minds of Indians who still believe and practice discrimination
based on the despicable Caste system.
