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Dear Rajen,
This kind of things must be stopped in two fronts:
(1) Laws are very clear. This is a criminal
violation in Indian Penal Code. The perpetrators (the entire village panchayat
in this case) must be punished. During the Suttee Eradication Days in
1829-1837, entire villages were deported to kalapani for life --- that
eventually stopped Suttee. Current recurrences are very rare compared to what
happened in the 1800s.
(2) Law alone cannot eradicate a social evil. You
are very correct to say that the "caste system is very much there in the Indian
blood". We must work to "Change the Mind-set" of people at the grass-root. To
show them what is possible, I am planning to hold a religious ritual
in Puri in the month of January 2007, to be performed by Priests (Pujari)
who do not belong to any Brahmin or Upper caste Hindu. The Puja will also be
performed by Women Priests (Pandita), again belonging to the so called lower
caste. The Delegation of Priests will come from South Africa where they have
broken all the barriers right at the grass-root. The netters should be prepared
to help by raising funds to meet the expenses.
With love to everybody,
Himendra
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, March 25, 2006 10:44
AM
Subject: [Assam] Fw: Caste System
Ramgopal:
This shows that some Hindus are not allowed to
temple and caste system is very much there in the Indian blood.
RB
hindustantimes.com
BHUBANESWAR, INDIA, December 15, 2005: Another controversy
over temple entry has hit Orissa. In Keraragard village in Kendrapara
district, four Dalit women who entered a temple were beaten and later
fined US$22.24 (a considerable sum) by the village panchayat. Sebati
Muduli, Annapurna Mahali, Jharana Jena and Sakuntala Muduli had entered the
Jagannath temple in Keraragard as a matter of right, as only non-Hindus are
barred from entering some temples. But this invited the wrath of the priests
and upper-caste villagers. After the women were beaten, the village panchayat
issued a decree to recover $22.24 from them -- to spend on temple-purification
rituals. BJD MP Mohan Jena said, "If the women who entered the temple are
Hindus, then why should they be barred from entering the temple? The mindset
of such upper-caste people who oppose the entry of Dalits into temples should
change, otherwise the Hindu religion will crumble." The priests, however,
remained unmoved. Niranjan Panda, head priest of the temple in Kerargard,
defended the practice. "The entry of scheduled caste people has been
prohibited for many years," he said. Kendrapara SP Pratik Mohanty said: "The
district collector has ordered a probe. Depending upon the findings, the
district police will take action."
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