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In article <4qvkra$11bi@thor.cmp.ilstu.edu>, Joseph L. Jeyaraj <jljeyar@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu> wrote: > > Traditionally, sanskritized Indians have idealized Gandhi to such an extent Err.. If India is "sanskritzed" then Italy and France are "Latinized". Quit using euphimisms. If you want to be anti brahmin then at least be overt about it. Most Brahmins (including me) know precious little Sansksrit. > that it is, for them, sacrilege to criticize him. However, since history > is merely a construct of what we put together to create a narrative, > revisionists views of history portray Gandhi as being the person who > compromised Dalit rights and, as a result, copped out of the job of > drastically changing Indian society. No one individual can change Indian society unless Indians want to do it themselves. Truth is that Indians (not just Brahmins) apparently want the caste system to survive. The only ones that want to do away with it are the lowest ones on the totem pole. Each caste wants to see its own status improve through reservations and what not. Intermarriage remains rare. Ordinary Indians do not want to do away with caste. For them it defines identity. It defines community and a sense of belonging. Pesudo-intellectuals like you (and me) may fail to see this and rant and rave about wanting to eliminate it. I think it will take a couple of hundred years to dissapear. In the mean while continue to post nonsese. If it relieves your tensions, it serves a purpose. > India needs to theorize and deconstruct the culture of racism and sexism > of sanskritized India. Would it be OK with you if tamils practiced racism and sexism or is Tamil racism and sexism somehow more benign than "sanskritized" versions of the same ? Ranga.