Thanks for the comment, you raise some great issues, and for most of what you say I can't agree more. By the way, these kids are probably not untouchables, its just the image caption.
KolkataResident
11-Feb-2005 19:38
You mean to say the children came and told you that they are "untouchables" or you simply think that they are untouchables? And if they are really "untouchables" how come they are "polluting" the water? Or is that a place where the "untouchables" are forced to bathe?
Knitting "stories" of Kolkata is favorite past time of many people.
Having lived in communist ruled Kolkata for 25 long years I see a ring of untruthfulness in the description. While the caste system is still prevalent, no one in Kolkata really cares much about it in daily lives. That has been one of the biggest postive achievements [along with maintaining racial harmony] of the communist movement [everything else the communists did has been wrong]. Bengal's social movements against caste system and other social ills have also helped in this regard.
In Calcutta, the caste system is more of a handy tool of exploitation used by Missionaries to convert people to Christianity. They keep constantly reminding and pestering people of their caste and brainwash people into believing that somehow the good lord is going to save them if they convert. There's nothing wrong in hoodwinking people to meet conversion targets. But it is a hypocrisy that is well couched in blue border sarees, name of the Lord and pretensions of compassion.
Hopefully someone, somewhere and someday will have the guts to question the million dollar scandals going on in the name of Christo.
