The British followed the policy of divide and rule, in every
possible sector. Hindu-Musilm (this was so successful, that they
created 3 nations, all at each others throat rather than developing
themselves.) Dravid-Aryan, Brahmin and non-Brahamin. Till today India
remains divided on each of these lines. Brahmins Contributions to the society:
- Vedas: This community kept the texts alive for thousands of years.
Dwarfing the perils like plague, famine, draughts, earthqaukes and
invasions. An unparalleled feat marvelled by the world.
- This community has always been at the forefront for the national cause:
- Greek records: 326 B.C. Alexander marched ahead down the Indus,
when the rear defeated kingdoms revolted (Musicanus, Sind and Patala).
Alexander turned back and seiged the town of Harmatelia. Hanged the
revolutionaries (brahmins) and crucified the king of Musicanus.
Alexander was seriously wounded in this campaign.
- The Nanda kings had a huge army and had to rely on heavy
taxes. Thus there was local unrest against Nanda. Chanakya a Brahmin
masterminded the collapse of Nanda and united India under Chandragupta
Maurya.
- When Ashoka accepted Buddhism, he renounced war. A great
personal achievement, but a fatal decision for an empire. Withing years
the Maurya empire that had been built by his forefathers,
disintegrated. At this time, Pushyamitra Shunga a Brahmin took charge
of the nation.
- When the Maratha power was weak, the Peshwas took the
responsibility of maintaining the kingdom. They expanded it from Attock
in the north east upto Hyderabad in west and Karnatka in south.
- During the British rule, see just a few names of the freedom
fighters: Mangal Pande, Rani Laxmibai, Tatya Tope, Nanasaheb Peshwa,
Vasudev Balavant Phadake, Madan Mohan Malaviya, Lokmanya Tilak, Pandit
Nehru, Swatantryaveer Sawarkar, Chaphekar brothers, Rajguru, Anant
Kanhare, Shivram Paranjpe, Netaji Subashchandra Bose ... all Brahmins.
- Even from the British records one sees that their worst
enemies were the Brahmins. The notion of unchallenged Brahmin
superiority in past was a construct of the British.
- Majority of the religious and social reformers were Brahmins: Adi
Shankaracharya, Sant Dnyaneshwar, Sant Eknath, Rajaram Mohan Roy,
Maharshi Karve, Agarkar, Gokhale, Sawarkar to name a few. The majority
of the people who fought against the caste system, who fought for equal
rights were Brahmins.
Much of this community lived on alms. Their condition was never better than that of the people living below the poverty line.
The Brahmins are the pillars of this society. It is high time to
leave the caste behind, and come together as ONE religion and ONE
nation. |
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