To All Those Whom It May Concern and also the Unconcerned.
Dear All,
Not a single day passes when one community or another does not discover the extent of its backwardness that has somehow remained hidden from the society at large as also its own eyes. It is astonishing to find that none of the communities mischievously labeled upper classes have yet been able to do so. It seems that they have been duped by the label that the system has forced upon them.
And the fact that my own community has failed to perceive its backward status despite the indignities suffered by it, comes as a big surprise to me. Upadhyayas, together with a few other sub-castes, are considered by the Brahmin community to be their lowest members sitting at the margin that separates Brahmins from others. You could well call us SMBs (Small and Marginal Brahmins.) There are derogatory sayings that highlight this SMB status. One goes like this - "बैल, उपधिया, ऊसर, इन कर दैव दूसर." It roughly translates to this - Oxen, Upadhyayas and barren land, these three truly belong to a different God! The other saying goes like this - "मारिन गाय बैल किहिन बधिया, यही पाप से भये उपधिया." This translates to - "Those who commit a cardinal sin like killing a cow or castrating a bull, are bound to be born as an Upadhyaya."
A more civilized explanation for the low status accorded to my community relates to our profession in earlier times. Upadhyayas were teachers. Other Brahmins thought of this, selling knowledge for money, as heretical.
Whatever be the reason, the fact is that we are treated as outcasts in our own community. Those belonging to the upper strata don't like to give their daughters to our sons in marriage. The reason given by their womenfolk is simple. How can an Upadhyaya ever deserve the respect accorded to a son-in-law of our community!
When one is born in a lower cast, he learns to accept his lower status as a given and that somewhat blunts the pain. But when you are born in the uppermost caste and then discover upon growing up that the higher sub-castes look down upon you with disdain, the pain is too much to bear. This lowers our self esteem and keeps us from marching ahead in life.
This discrimination has been going on for centuries and the time has now come to rectify it through positive discrimination. We call upon all political parties to ensure that suitable job reservations are immediately made for Upadhyayas. It will help them blend in smoothly if the reservations are made in class 1 services including teaching jobs.
All Upadhyayas are requested to carry out a mass worldwide meditation to generate positive energy to gain the benefit of positive discrimination through reservations. The date and time will be communicated separately. Other SMBs are welcome to join in.
Yours faithfully
AK Upadhyaya
SMB.
;) :D
Dear All,
Not a single day passes when one community or another does not discover the extent of its backwardness that has somehow remained hidden from the society at large as also its own eyes. It is astonishing to find that none of the communities mischievously labeled upper classes have yet been able to do so. It seems that they have been duped by the label that the system has forced upon them.
And the fact that my own community has failed to perceive its backward status despite the indignities suffered by it, comes as a big surprise to me. Upadhyayas, together with a few other sub-castes, are considered by the Brahmin community to be their lowest members sitting at the margin that separates Brahmins from others. You could well call us SMBs (Small and Marginal Brahmins.) There are derogatory sayings that highlight this SMB status. One goes like this - "बैल, उपधिया, ऊसर, इन कर दैव दूसर." It roughly translates to this - Oxen, Upadhyayas and barren land, these three truly belong to a different God! The other saying goes like this - "मारिन गाय बैल किहिन बधिया, यही पाप से भये उपधिया." This translates to - "Those who commit a cardinal sin like killing a cow or castrating a bull, are bound to be born as an Upadhyaya."
A more civilized explanation for the low status accorded to my community relates to our profession in earlier times. Upadhyayas were teachers. Other Brahmins thought of this, selling knowledge for money, as heretical.
Whatever be the reason, the fact is that we are treated as outcasts in our own community. Those belonging to the upper strata don't like to give their daughters to our sons in marriage. The reason given by their womenfolk is simple. How can an Upadhyaya ever deserve the respect accorded to a son-in-law of our community!
When one is born in a lower cast, he learns to accept his lower status as a given and that somewhat blunts the pain. But when you are born in the uppermost caste and then discover upon growing up that the higher sub-castes look down upon you with disdain, the pain is too much to bear. This lowers our self esteem and keeps us from marching ahead in life.
This discrimination has been going on for centuries and the time has now come to rectify it through positive discrimination. We call upon all political parties to ensure that suitable job reservations are immediately made for Upadhyayas. It will help them blend in smoothly if the reservations are made in class 1 services including teaching jobs.
All Upadhyayas are requested to carry out a mass worldwide meditation to generate positive energy to gain the benefit of positive discrimination through reservations. The date and time will be communicated separately. Other SMBs are welcome to join in.
Yours faithfully
AK Upadhyaya
SMB.
;) :D
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