The discrimination based on caste linked with occupation or profession has its origins in the Later Vedic period of the Vedic age of ancient Indian history and is still practised in Indian society despite being outlawed by the Constitution. But regretfully it seems that we as a Kashmiri Muslims have borrowed some of it's features and added it to our Society. Almighty Allah enlightens us in the holy Quran about equality in the sight of our creator. "All of you are equal in the eyes of your Lord".In islam there is no place of humiliating or insulting others because of their caste, creed, race etc. In an authentic hadith, our beloved prophet Mohammed (pbuh) said, " The best among you are those who have the best manners and characters".But unfortunately, we have confined these teachings only in academic lectures, awareness programs and religious gatherings and do not practice on them.If we see through a lense, in our Kashmiri society, people belonging to Shah, sayyid, Nazki, Mufti, Qadri, Bukhari etc castes, considered as higher castes are treated in a formal and decent manner. While as people belonging to Hanji, waza, watal or Sheikh (sweeping community), Ganaie, sofi etc castes, considered as lower castes are treated in an informal and indecent way.I will try to highlight the caste related realities of our society in a microscopic view.
In our towns and villages, if a person is an administrative official or a big zamindar by occupation or profession, he is respected, greet with lowered-head and talked in a very formal language and on the other side, if a person is sweeper, Mason, labour, carpenter by profession, he is hardly greeted and respected and not to think of formal language. For example, there are two persons with same name- Ghulam Mohammed Sheikh residing in a lane, both possessing different professions with one being a government employee and young in age and the second being a sweeper in old age, the former is called with proper name Ghulam Mohammed and the latter is called Ghul sheikh because he is from lower caste. The difference in our behavior with them is actually based on the nature of profession and status they have. We have become so blind that we value, greet and respect their wealth, employment, branded clothes and status they possess and not to a human being who deserves to be. This is our selfish nature and Self-centric conscience that we differentiate humans on material things and not their merits and deeds.
Casteism has exerted a great influence on our lost traditional neighbourship. We have now avoided visiting or exchanging small cooking items with our low caste neighbors that our simple and innocent mothers used to do.
We feel insulted and below our material status to mingle with Hanji, Sheikh, ganaie people and even call them with improper and weird names. This leads to their mental harassment and they feel themselves a separate community in their own society.
In markets, our manners and proper way of dealing with low caste and poor street vendors, fruit and vegetable cart sellers is very rude and negative but positive and very formal with shopkeepers displaying furniture, smartphones, refrigerators, fake branded goods etc. We feel like we have achieved a big victory when we buy any item from poor street vendors on a small rate that he sells often out of his profit but we feel ashamed for bargaining at any highly decorated showroom.
In our masjids, we have reserved the brooming and cleaning work to low caste men despite the huge claims of sahabas used to fight each other on sweeping process and the men of high caste regard it awkward to offer Azan and below their standard even to pick a broom and small litter in masjids. Shamefully, they are always in the waiting room to lead the prayers and be appointed as accounts and masjid presidents. Our Imams, often poor boys from low caste or far flung areas who study in Madrasas, are shouted at and even fired when they are sometimes two minutes late to lead the prayers and the same shouters are unaware of the fact they used to attend government offices at 12 P.M. The current pandemic has even intensified the caste discrimination in masjids. As social distancing is being followed during prayers, I went to afternoon in a nearby masjid, a low caste labour with stained clothes mistakenly came close with a senior retired government employee of Mir caste and the latter rebuked and humiliated the former in front of everyone. Low caste people are also humans of the same clay, they also need to be greeted, respected etc like others.
When a guest with a variety of fruits visit us, we often serve him/her with cold drinks, tea and wazwan made meals but when a low caste relative visit without any gifts then he asked, if he drinks tea or not and later he is complained as shikslad showed his khaslat.
Casteism is playing a deciding factor in our marriages too. We often tie the knots of our children with families of high caste, privilege, wealth etc and completely avoid settling with low caste families.
When the members of low caste families commit any crime or a shameful sin , they get highlighted in the next morning's shop front talks and are loudly discussed. But when the same crime or sin is done by high caste family members, thick and long curtains are dropped on them and some black blankets and it seems like nothing has happened.
Our schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, administrative offices and other departments are also having a huge space of caste based discrimination. In schools, peons or sweepers are called with caste surnames by teachers especially by female staff and later students copy and also call them the same bad names. Students of lower caste families are also treated and discouraged. This discloses the lack of proper guidance by teaching staff towards their students. Few years back in college, an Assistant professor with Phd devalued a classic level sports employee on a small issue and told with right hand flying in the air, "you should have been a carpenter instead of being here". I personally felt very unhappy on the latter's behalf but at least I could Write now on that. These caste based remarks by a Phd scholar is something sensitive and doesn't suit him.
Municipal committee employees show their muscle power while removing and destroying the goods of Hanji(fisherwoman) or of vendors who occupy a small space in the market to make their living and the same department have no guts even to question the illegal construction owners of high caste families.
Caste based discrimination is in every nook and corner in our society. This leads to the corruption and exploitation of weaker sections of society by upper caste people.I have observed this menace in your children and youths now. They enjoy a lot while making fun of children of low caste sitting in a group or at other places. Our lads give preference to those in friendship who are earning, having wealth and cars to go for trips.This can't be completely rooted out but to some extent can be reduced by our rational efforts. Following steps can be helpful in dealing with casteism:
1. Parents play a crucial role in the development of their children's personality. They should inculcate in them the importance of social values and make them understand the complete rejection of casteism in Islam.
2. Teachers must rectify their communication behavior with peons and sweepers in school and then they can teach their students about casteism in reference to the Quran and hadith.
3 .Inter-caste marriages(exogamy) must be patronized and promoted so this will make our social relations better.
4. We should read commentaries on the Quran so that we could understand what our creator wants us to convey related to casteism.
5. Secular social events must be conducted.
6. We need to revive our traditional friendship where we used to exchange visits with neighbors irrespective of caste, creed and low status.
And lastly, we should also spend time with Tabligh work, where the best and perfect lessons of equality are taught.
Author is from Nebripora, Bandipora and is Pursuing MA history, IGNOU
