Me - Hey Learned one. Need your clarification on some doubts I have. I am doing some research on Dalits of India and was surprised to read about Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians. I thought once you convert to Christianity or Islam you shed the Dalit Tag? Do You believe in Upper caste and lower caste Christians/Muslim in Tamilnadu or Kerala ? Who is a Labbe Muslim ? Some clarification will help
A1-That's what the religions preach. But not so in practice. So now, amongst Christians, Muslims and even Sikhs, if a Dalit converts to one of these faiths, they are treated as Dalits. They even attend different churches. Religion is just hypocrisy.
A2-The caste tag is sickeningly sticky. Not just Muslims, even Christians cling to their castes. This is borne out by both Mangalorean and Goa Catholics, who chose to adopt this faith 500 years ago, together with name changes.
A3- That was the promise during conversion; but the converted continue to carry the caste label. Remember Daryl Corederio used to say he is a Brahmin Christian!
Me - Very Interesting had no clue and just got a reply from another IITM Buddy that two IITians Darel Codeiro from Goa and Rudolf Lobo from mangalore called themselves Brahmin Christians. I almost fell of the Chair. ....
A4 -Don't be surprised that it is the Brahmins who retain the tag. While the others (supported by the majority of the priesthood, who are part of the game, being the most educated, ie Brahmin) just take care to arrange marriages into 'suitable' families
A5 - I thought so too, but he openly said so in 2nd year. You remember Rudolph Lobo? The tall guy. He also said he is a Brahmin Christian! The Caste is part of the Indian Genome! A pathetic state of mind that has infected almost all upper caste Indians. Is there any chance India will ever get out of this curse sown by Manu 2000 years ago?
A6 - Ram, I have always maintained that we confuse religion with culture. You may change religion, but culture is more difficult or sometimes people do not want to change from their own culture. Caste is culture.
This is true of Sikhs, Muslims, Christians etc who go to worship only with their own caste. Elections are fought among castes of the same religion.
Hindus and Sikhs marry each other from the same caste. Nadars, Christian and Hindu marry each other. Same Nadar families have members of both religions.
South India has castes, may not be four Varnas.
General term Dalits is applied to both SC & ST. There is nothing in common, except that they are listed as separate schedules in the constitution. STs are far better off, they have their own culture. Not only politically banded as SC. But also culturally. They have their own set up and are from the same geographical area. They have a sense of belonging.
The interesting thing is no caste considers themselves lower. No Dalit will be happy if his daughter marries a non dalit.
Labbe must be a lower caste muslim. I do not know.
Just like India, you can not generalise. Varies from area to area.
There are purely Dalit Churches, Dalit mosques all over the country. Purely an Indian innovation.
Hindus have much more diverse caste discrimination. They are the masters of Caste.
Gods, Godmen all have caste and bias among worshippers.
Hindus will literally pray to the Devil, if they can get some benefit. The temple to Duryodhana near Quilon is testimony.
