Maugaon or Lhayul (new name) No Longer a Safe Heaven.

Maugaon under Doban Gewog (Chhodzom New name) under Sarpang Dzongkhag which was considered a safe haven as far as security, spirituality, and social harmony among the people of the village is concerned. I am 44 years old and  as far as I know  being born and brought up in the village having  constant touch with recent developments  in the village and updating information through my regular visits although staying away from the village for my job . I am still  considering Maugaon to be one of the finest village in the country not because I belong to it but because social harmony among the community, the close ties each family maintains with their neighbour, the peaceful social gatherings like marriage parties, puran, other customary celebrations where whole village is involved throughout day and night with various entertainments like Bhajan and kirtan, dances etc, where no household  remains uninvited. In the gatherings the small talks of the villagers like their cows ,oxen, cardamom  and the laughter and the echoes from the mountains across Maukola adds to the simplicity of the life that has been enjoyed in the village  for decades has not changed at all.

But the recent development that has taken place on the dassai night where a village early man has been beaten mercilessly with planks and bottoms by forming a gang for little misunderstanding that has happened during the day on a marriage party is very hard to digest for everyone who belongs to the village.  I have been receiving numerous calls for people narrating the incident in detail. The victim is undergoing treatment in Gelephu Hospital and his condition still critical. I tried to talk to him in the phone but he could not speak and I talked with his elder brother that was very sad to learn. Everybody knows everybody in the village staring from kids to the elders and there is a relationship with each other like maternal or fraternal or others established relationships like mitdaju, mitbhai, even across the different caste that is cherished whole heartedly.

When we have maintained such close relationships even if not connected by blood, why such heinous act has happened in the village? Is this the outcome of the developments that has taken place in recent years like coming up of the road, electricity, dish TVs, shop etc?  I am afraid the answer lies hidden very deep and many things need to be improved immediately starting from local governance to the state rules on the use of banned substances to alcohol if we want our glory back.  The school drop outs needs good check from their parents and administration should not spare for any crime that is committed. When seven people were hand cuffed and taken by the police for crime committed on that night that the village shook as many of the villagers have not seen handcuffs in their entire life time as these equipments were never required for the Maugaon till date I am told by many elderly people. I just wish this incident is taken very seriously and actions accordingly taken so that Maugaon have its glory back without such crimes in future. This is an introduction chapter for the crime committed and the conclusion must be written here itself if want peace in the village.

Tradition and culture Vs Misinterpretation and practice

What is tradition and culture?

Tradition and culture are certain norms in a society that has been practiced / followed for a long period of time in exactly the same way year after year. Different societies follow their tradition in a unique way that differs from each other. Starting from morning prayers till  going to the bed and ceremonies associated  with particular beliefs  in particular days, months and year  make it a ritual that needs to be conducted year after year what make it a tradition and all ceremonies combined together makes a culture. Close analysis into different society’s way of life, belief systems reveals many unique features that are indigenous to the particular groups or society as a whole making them unique on their own. In this article I would like to analyze the caste system, how it must have evolved and its significance then and now. The opinion expressed is purely that of the author. The article is not to undermine anybody’s belief system but is purely written to generate constructive discussions that might benefit the future generation.

In any society if we observe closely we will find a unique feature that directly or indirectly reveals caste system within that society. The very significant and widely practiced caste system exists in Hindu culture which has become an acceptable norms leading to the different categories of people. This division of people into different levels that has been practiced for hundreds of year was an accepted culture then. But with modernization and awareness among the people with equal human rights have led to much social unrest, ethnical violence around the world in the recent years. Several lives are lost in social unrest leading to community’s disharmony which otherwise could have been avoided.

How caste system must have evolved in very first place? No written literature till date clearly specify the division of people into different caste other than working class at various levels under different kingships so on and so forth.  Among the top Hindu literature like Vedas, Puran, Upanishads as well do not mention of different caste. It is an accepted fact and somewhere history specifies that there four caste Brahmins (those who perform religious ceremonies), Ksatriyas (the rulers), Vashiya (the working class) and Sudras (those who perform various small but highly skilled jobs and are considered untouchables).

Closely analyzing the fact and the type of jobs each caste of people performed then clearly gives an idea that the caste system was established not as the division of people but was the division of labour. The job each caste performed justifies the norms and cultures established that time were to safeguard each profession they belong to. The hierarchy in the caste system also justifies the job each category of the people performed.

The job of the Brahmins was to conduct any type of religious ceremonies that needed to be done in locality. To perform this task Brahmin needed to be in pure form in any aspects of life. The established norms for the Brahmins to remain Brahmin were very tough although they occupy the highest seat in the caste system. The child born only from the legal marriages within the Brahmin family of different Brahmin caste will remain Brahmin. The child born from any other forms of marriage like eloping, married to a widow even if it is with the Brahmin family or any from other caste immediately lost the status of the Brahmins and is pushed one step down, whereby losing the rights to perform religious ceremonies and falls into the working class of Brahmins popularly known as Jaisey . Today those who are at level of pure Brahmins have been able to maintain this tough rule for centuries. The other tough rules like they cannot eat food prepared by other caste, no meat, take bath early in the morning everyday and conduct daily rituals at home, perform any religious ceremonies when called for without eating sometimes even for whole day are certain rules that are preserved  even today. We should definitely salute those who are still pure Brahmins.

The Ksatriyas were the ruling class who governed the country and provided the peace and security of the nation. The people belonging to this caste usually served in the government office including the ministers and comprised the army.

The Vashiyas were considered as the working class people. They worked in the farm land and provided food to the state and all other people.

The sudras were considered the untouchable by other three classes of people but they were highly skilled workers examples like the gold smith, the black smith, cobbler, the tailors etc. The job this class of people did required several years of training and were highly skilled in their own field of work.

About a century ago there were no towns or cities whereby people could make their living by doing jobs. Rather it was agrarian economy where people dependent totally on the agriculture and diary for their survival.  The state collected taxes in the form of agricultural products from the farmers and sustained to feed the army and other official working for the state. Given this type of scenario for the survival the division of labour was necessary. Therefore the division of labour must have been done following certain strict procedures whereby one cannot overtake each other’s profession that must have later on changed into caste system as the skills one acquired has been passed to their off springs becoming expert in their area of work.

I as a boy grown up in the village where caste system was strictly followed after analyzing critically feel that caste system was followed to safe guard one’s profession. My village comprised of hundred plus households. There were two families of tailors and two families of black smiths. Although these two families own little land on their own they hardly worked in their land but rather they made their living from other families in the village for whom they did the tailoring and black smith’s work. The arrangement was settled with different families as per the size of the family the contribution of rice, maize, millet etc that is needed to be paid in year that was collected during the harvest season and stocked for the year. In return they did the all villagers work of tailoring and repair of tools for the whole year free of cost. This symbiotic relationship worked very well for the both parties, the relationship maintain was harmonious as both parties are in win-win situation. This is followed even now in many places.

Further analysis reveal that around forty years earlier even in our country there were no ready garments in the town. Only the unstitched cloths were available. Likewise readymade implements (tools) were not available in the market. Everybody dependent for clothes and working tools to these people that required much skill to make it. That’s why these classes of people started learning the skill while they were very young and mastered the skill.

To be continued……………….