Hindu divisions in different states

[Believer]

Namaste,

It appears that every state in India presents unique challenges to our leaders to get Hindus united. Most of us don't know and are totally oblivious to what goes on in other states of the union. In this thread I intend to present some of the nuances of stratification of Hindus, to promote an understanding of why things happen the way they do, why people vote in certain ways. My humble request is to not turn the thread into a discussion forum. Of course additional inputs to augment whatever is presented are always welcome. Thank you.

Pranam.

[Believer]

Namaste,

Following is one person's summation of the evolution of Hindu varna/caste groups in Kerala and how communism took a hold there.


KEY1. Savarna = Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Shudras.2. There is no Vaishya varna in Kerala; the role is performed by Christians.3. Avarna = Those not considered part of the 4-fold Varna system and therefore not Hindu. Until 1862, any Avarna could be legally enslaved by Europeans.

Why Kerala Hindus vote for communism1. I've been asked this many times so here's a simplistic explanation. There are many complex reasons but I'll stick to the basic historical one. Until 1936, Avarna Hindus of Kerala were not considered Hindus by the Savarnas.

2. Avarnas were less valuable than cattle, Christians and Muslims. For instance, these three groups could walk on public roads where we couldn't. We Avarnas comprised 70-80% of the Hindu population, but were not treated as equals.

3. In pre-1936 Travancore, a member of my Ezhava community had to get down from his car and walk through the muddy paddy fields along the main road while his Muslim driver could drive up the road and wait for his master at the point where Ezhavas could legally travel on the road.

4. Let's go back a little further. Until 1888, Avarnas were not allowed to worship Vedic Gods. Incredible but true. Such demonic discrimination was unheard of in the rest of India. In 1888, a Shiva idol was finally consecrated by social reformer Sri Narayana Guru at Aruvippuram.

5. Ezhavas being the most Sanskritized of all Savarnas, we rapidly built modern schools and new Vedic temples. In the 1920s, many of these schools and temples were demolished by Savarna Hindus and Christians who were in cahoots. They jointly beat up Ezhavas in Travancore.

6. Some Savarnas also joined sided with Ezhavas in their campaign to be treated equally. When the communist movement started in Kerala, it was extremely attractive to many Hindus because communism sought equal rights, land reforms, abolition of slavery and end of untouchability.

7. Most Savarnas sided with the Congress Party, but a small but significant section of them went over to the Communist Party of India. Only Christians and Muslims stayed away from the CPI. Ezhavas who formed at least 30% of Kerala's total population voted overwhelmingly CPI.

8. It made complete sense for Avarnas to vote for the party which would emancipate them, introduce land reforms. They gained a lot - especially in terms of political power and education.

9. Caste discrimination in Kerala was the exact equivalent of US slavery. If you can't drive on roads, how can you do business. Ezhavas were a business community so you can imagine what a handicap it was not being able to travel freely, or buy/sell where you want.

10. When the Congress came to power in the 1960s, they made an Ezhava (R. Shankar) the CM. Again Savarnas and Christians colluded to bring down Shankar govt. There is hardly an Ezhava who has forgotten this. Imagine your fellow Hindus colluding with Christians to bring you down

11. Even today, most Ezhavas are working class so they continue to vote CPM or CPI. Plus, the CPM seeing the Ezhava vote slipping away to the BJP, finally allowed two CMs - the late VS Achudhanandan and Pinaryi Vijayan. CPM is actually more casteist than any other party in India.

12. Most Avarnas, including the SC communities of Kerala, follow Ezhavas as we helped them a lot in gaining education including job of priests in our temples. So Ezhavas are like a loss leader of the CPM.

13. I believe the chance of Ezhavas leaving the CPM are remote. Plus, there is considerable brainwashing. Many educated Hindus believe the BJP is an Aryan party. The CPM propaganda machinery works in 24/365 mode. Kerala education standards are abysmal so Hindus are easily fooled.

14. On a lighter note, I personally face considerable hostility among auto drivers in the hinterland as they think I'm a privileged fair skinned Aryan north Indian. Brainwashed to believe in the class enemy, they start the auto with reluctance + resentment on their face.

15. For all I know, my auto driver may be an upper caste communist, mistakenly being envious of an OBC, thinking I'm a wealthy north Indian. However, I'm getting darker as I age. Plus, I'll wear a thin, cheap, working class mundu in future.

The current Kerala left ecosystem bashes the Brahmin & Nair community mercilessly. They also mock Ezhava community to a great extent. (Especially in TV shows, how they depict Vellappilly Natesan and his son).

Pranam.

[Believer]

Namaste,

The Bengalis have divided people into three groups. The first one is themselves, the native Bengalis. The second group is called Madrasis, which is anyone from the Southern states. Anyone not falling in those groups is a Marwari. Marwari, the business community from Rajasthan have settled in Kolkata in large numbers and all North Indians are lumped with them and collectively called Marwaris. It is assumed that they all support BJP. So, voting for BJP in the eyes of Bengalis is equivalent to voting for outsiders, who if successful in elections will control them. Even though most, if not all of the people fighting elections on BJP ticket are native Bengalis, the general Bengali population has this notion that voting for BJP means accepting outsiders to rule over them. For this reason, they would rather vote for Mamta, who is supported and controlled by Bangladeshi muslims than for BJP. This is the most unfortunate situation as her party is facilitating getting all the paperwork done to convert the illegal Bengladeshis into legal residents of WB. Because of illegal immigration the muslim population has swelled to about 30% and with Hindus being divided, they have become the kingmakers. Of course this support is not free and large amounts of tax money are spent on their welfare programs, turning a blind eye to their crime sprees and letting them grab public/private land for their mosques, housing and burial grounds. The state is turning into a mini Islamic country.

Aside form the divisions within the Hindu community in WB, there is a little known fact about the art, music and poetry of Bengal. Nazrul Islam has a bigger body of literary work in poetry, prose and music compositions than Rabindra Nath Tagore. Nazrul (who had a Hindu wife) even wrote, composed music for and sang many songs in praise of Mother Kali. These bhajans are called Shama Sangeet or the devotional songs for KaliMa. Many years after partition, Bangladesh requested India and were granted to have Nazrul move to their country where he was designated as the national poet.

Pranam.

[ShivaFan]

You are a scholar. Again, like the Kerala post, this is full of amazing detail. Half of my family is all Bengali, besides English the main language spoken in my house and extended family is Bengali, though they all also know Hindi. I recall a long time back, that horrible woman Mamta and that horrible "political" party All India Trinamool Congress. But these are goondas who literally attack and beat anyone they suspect votes BJP or other. This Mamata Banerjee support was, as you say, likely because anyone else was seen as outsider. But today, at least with my extended Bangla side of family, they do not like this Mamata goonda. Many supported BJP, but ... I can see that changing. I suspect BJP is going to lose what support they had. The fate of the BJP, like many political groups all over the world, is tied to economics. If the economy in India turns bad - I can see every indicator that it will - then Bengalis who often suffer early in bad times, they will strongly turn on the BJP.

Your outline here is amazing, once again.