Child of the greater caste
Ever since man has learnt the tricks of a trade called exploitation, humanity has cried foul of socio-economic and political subjugation of the child of the lesser man, the lesser God or the lesser caste. And now, may I have the shameful honor of familiarizing you to the latest in this lineage of the lesser sons of my dear old India; Say hello to the child of the greater caste, for whom, as a consequence of the recent reservations policies, studies got just a bit more of a riskier investment of both time and money.
Once, reading the Bible, a verse from the gospel of St. Matthew seized my notice. It read, “You are the light of the world.” I was now in reception of my first ever spiritual insight that God, quite literally, never lied. As an engineering aspirant, at an hour past midnight, mine is the only window in my neighborhood, which bears light into a night plunged in the darkness of night and the silence of sound slumber. In the awe of an examination called the JEE, I happily sacrifice what an English poet once called, “O blessed barrier between day and day.” Not that I chose to do so but that I have no choice.
When in his book “Five point someone”, Chetan Bhagat wrote about the IIT that – “If you lock yourself up in a room for two years and throw away the keys, you have a chance to make it here” he was not using hyperbole. However I may assure you that this is a mere taster of the rigors of an engineering aspirant in this country of a billion brains. But then, why should the policy makers, who move from one air conditioned ambiance to the other, be bothered as to why I toil twelve hours a day, breaking me head on Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics problems with no electricity to power my ceiling fan.
Nehru, in his Independence Day speech, said, “Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny…at the stroke of the midnight hour when the world sleeps, India will awaken into light and freedom.” Possibly, he may, for a moment have thought that the shackles of the British Raj that left behind India as nothing more than a plundered colony, had finally been shattered. Nehru today, must be in heaven but rest assured, not in eternal idyllic peace in union with the almighty, for in the present day, politics is no longer patriotism personified. Welcome to the neo-modern age of vote bank politics. Divide and rule at its dirtiest best. What has haunted India since 1400 BC is today nurtured and fostered under the perpetual tutelage of hands who’s skin is not white but brown.
Allen Jose George
Ever since man has learnt the tricks of a trade called exploitation, humanity has cried foul of socio-economic and political subjugation of the child of the lesser man, the lesser God or the lesser caste. And now, may I have the shameful honor of familiarizing you to the latest in this lineage of the lesser sons of my dear old India; Say hello to the child of the greater caste, for whom, as a consequence of the recent reservations policies, studies got just a bit more of a riskier investment of both time and money.
Once, reading the Bible, a verse from the gospel of St. Matthew seized my notice. It read, “You are the light of the world.” I was now in reception of my first ever spiritual insight that God, quite literally, never lied. As an engineering aspirant, at an hour past midnight, mine is the only window in my neighborhood, which bears light into a night plunged in the darkness of night and the silence of sound slumber. In the awe of an examination called the JEE, I happily sacrifice what an English poet once called, “O blessed barrier between day and day.” Not that I chose to do so but that I have no choice.
When in his book “Five point someone”, Chetan Bhagat wrote about the IIT that – “If you lock yourself up in a room for two years and throw away the keys, you have a chance to make it here” he was not using hyperbole. However I may assure you that this is a mere taster of the rigors of an engineering aspirant in this country of a billion brains. But then, why should the policy makers, who move from one air conditioned ambiance to the other, be bothered as to why I toil twelve hours a day, breaking me head on Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics problems with no electricity to power my ceiling fan.
Nehru, in his Independence Day speech, said, “Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny…at the stroke of the midnight hour when the world sleeps, India will awaken into light and freedom.” Possibly, he may, for a moment have thought that the shackles of the British Raj that left behind India as nothing more than a plundered colony, had finally been shattered. Nehru today, must be in heaven but rest assured, not in eternal idyllic peace in union with the almighty, for in the present day, politics is no longer patriotism personified. Welcome to the neo-modern age of vote bank politics. Divide and rule at its dirtiest best. What has haunted India since 1400 BC is today nurtured and fostered under the perpetual tutelage of hands who’s skin is not white but brown.
Allen Jose George
(wrote this an year ago, frustrated at the resevations made in Indian higher education institutes)
