There was a very melodious song a few years ago,  “Jahan pawano mein payal, hatho mein kangana, ho mathey pe bindiya, It happens only in India”. This song beautifully explains some of the positive things of our country. When we or any one from outside hear it, It makes us feel good. It makes “India shining”.

But there are bad things too, in our country and we can not ignore and neglect them. They are hard realities of India. Some of the things really do happen ‘Only in India.’ They dont make us “great and shining” but put a black stain on us.

We all know that Dalits have been oppressed by the Hindu religious traditions. And worst victim of the oppression are the womens and children. They suffer many kinds of stigma. One of them is Devdasi partha.

The problem: “:A report prepared by an NGO has revealed the shocking story of how lakhs of Dalit women are being forced into the devdasi system in several States of the country.The report, which was commissioned by the National Commission for Women (NCW), is a grim reminder that heinous practice - dedication of young girls from socially disadvantaged sections to Goddess Yellamma as devdasis - is not only continuing but is on the rise.”*

Generally speaking, the  priestly class consider the Dalits untouachables. They are not to be seen at certain times. In the olden days, they were forced to go early in the morning to work and return only in evening after sun setting. Main reason behind this was that the shadow of these “lower humans” may not fall upon ‘holy and high people’.Same is to be said of gods, in their temples the Dalits were not allowed to enter and offer worship. The ‘lower class’ if enter in temples it would make them unholy and polluted.

This is the sad story, And this is the double standard life. The priests and gods did not allow all the untouchables in their premesis generally but when it came to beautiful girls of the same community, the fact of being a shudra, or untouchabe was ignored. They took them as Devdasi (servant of god or goddess). “The practice of dedicating Dalit girls to the local Goddess at an young age, between five to 10, is prevalent in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”> Assam” states. This kind of practice is not limited to a particular state but prevalent in many states.The priestly class enjoy the girls of oppressed and downtrodden families.

“According to an estimate, girls dedicated as Devdasis to Yellamma and Khandoba temples in Maharashtra-Karnataka border area number about 2.5 lakh and all are from the Dalit community.”*

Most of the girls comes from the fresh families, who have no history of devdasi. This tells us that more fresh families have been forced to go into this evil practice. Most of the devdasis become prostitutes: “of which nearly 40 per cent join the flesh trade in urban brothels and the rest are involved in the trade in their respective villages satisfying the libido of landlords, village heads and other influential people. A Devdasi, in a way, is considered as “public property” in the village. Rest are struggling to survive as agricultural labourers or maid servants.”*

The Causes: The faith plays a major role in shaping the society. The faith which these people practice and propogate suits to the needs of the land lords, caste people but to the Dalits it makes their lives hell. It is said in the studies conducted by this NGO, “Blind religious faith, poverty and customary practices are the main reasons for the continuance of Devdasi system in the country, K Shanta Reddy, member, NCW pointed out. Landlords exploit these Dalit girls both economically and sexually. “The biggest impediment to the elimination of the evil of Devdasi system comes from these powerful sections of society who control not only the economic and social activities but also the minds of the poor in villages,” she said.

So this is the way, the ‘high caste’ treat the Dalits. They make rule and religion which suite them. One side they hate these people but another side they “use them as their property”. And they call themselves ‘high’ but their the works are “lowest”.

The solutions: First of all, the authorities should look into the matter. They should make it clear that where does it happen, what is the police station area. The concerned area officers and leaders  should be honord and recognized publicly who work and do some positve works for the eradication of the evil practices but also they must be  punished legally if that occur contiously and if they fail to bring this kind of evil practice to legal aspect.

Secondly, the social awakening is needed in the area. The NGO and human rights organizations should go and teach the people.The awareness of the society would play a good role.

Thirdly, The dalits should be empowerd economically. The families should be taught some skills to earn thier own bread, so that they dont depend in everthing on the local sahukars.

Fourthly, The media, radio, news paper and T.V. has to play a key role. They should write articles and publish the disadvantages of the evil practices of the villagers. The Radio and T.V. can broadcast drama, musich ,and  speech.

Fifthly, The teaching of Bible should be shared with the whole society. Let a high caste hear that it is not good to indulge in sexual relation with another girl other than his wife. Let the wife of the land lord and priest hear this. That they deserve the man, who married them and the husbands should not be allowed to go for other women for it is sin.

Let all the people know that God is  Creator of all. Therefore all the people are equal. Any daughter of the villager should not be forced in any immoral activities.

Let all the people know that God is righteous God, who will pay back as we do and deserve. God is holy God and can not be mocked. A man will reap what he sows.

Finally the True God can be fooled. He is not a stone or wood. He is the real one. He loves people, loves justice and He loves righteousness. Any one who loves True God will not hate his people. And Any one who claims to know God will not do immoral thing. The faith and actions should go together. And if any faith or tradtion propogates the evils, they must be rejected.

The Dalits themselves need to realize who is  real God. They must seek HIM who loves them and cares for them. God cares for the captives, God cares for the people in slavery. He came to unchain them. He came to share the good News with them.

Jesus accepts you as you are. come to HIM there is hope in HIM. Let the blind faith no more ruin the precious lives. Let the people be transformed including the oppressors. Then we can claim, “yes our India is shining”. If the condition of Dalits continue to remain same, Our India will not shine and rather we will be people of darkness. The evils of society must be purged, with the help of all sections of society.

May God give wisdom to all of us to love, to serve, to transform, to save, to make our nation a better place, on which we can be proud of. May God help.

*Origial story can be read here:

http://www.dailypioneer.com

*NCW Bangalore (a joint woman”s Programme)

One of my professor who is not familiar with the Dalits and Hindu society, asked me, what does this photo caption mean?

Presently I’m reading a book on ‘Dalits Freedom now and forever’ written by Dr. Joseph D’souza. On page 96 of this book, there is a photo of a dalit woman, seems to be praying (with joined hands). And the caption of the photo is “In Jesus, Dalits do not need a mediator between God and mankind”. well, I happned to show this book to my professor. After going through some pages of this book, He stopped, on page 96 and asked me what does this caption mean?

Well, My professor is a scholar of theology and knows well, what it means to have a mediator between God and man. He knows well, about the priesthood of Christ and teaches to the master level.

When He asked me about the meaning, I thougt he caught some theological mistake. After a minute I answered him. The caption does not say about the belivers but about the unbelievers (dalits).It did not says Christian, Otherwise the meaning of the caption would have been compeletly wrong.

The Acutal Meaning of the Caption is, “Dalits don’t need A Brahmin priest to represent them to God in rituals, cermonies and worship of God, once they come to Jesus Christ. Dalits can become themselves priests to the God. Anyone, who belives in Jesus, becomes a Priest of God. Now, we don’t need anymore the ‘Church Father’ or Pastor to pray on their behalf but every beliver of Jesus can have access to their loving God. The ‘priesthood of all believers’ has been established by the word of God. Although, the Pastors or other learder can pray for the believers, and they do but God also accepts us individually too.

But the photo caption meant more than that. Actually having a mediator smbolized that the particular man or family are not worthy to reach to God. And it also implies that as if God only accepts the prayers and worship of Brahimin only. It also teaches that Some people are more holier than others, so that God accpets them, and rejects others. This also brings us to another dimension that the one who calls a Priest in his home, is of lower status. And this, unnessarily puts some poeple higher than others or the family. But Thank God there is no Jew or Greek, no slave or master, nor male or female (no Guru or bhakta) in Christ, all are equal. Although on the basis of knowledge of the Word and age can make differentce but overall Anybody can reach to their Saviour in worship and prayers.

The Dalits don’t need a mediator in Jesus, meaning- they don’t need to pay money as daksina to pundit jee and buy expensive incences, milk, fruits, and many kinds of foods. Actually what happens, when Dalits or others call a pundit to perform puja (worship), the pundit demand money very shrewedly in the name of differnt daan (alms and offerings), in the olden times and even now the Pundit ask the bhakatas (devoutess) to offer their expensive lands, animal which gives good amount of milk(it used to be cow but the traditional cow does not give milk anymore,so no body want them now, but they replace money instead of a cow now, since nobody want to give an expensive buffallo or a Jersy cow) different kinds of grains. Many people have been looted in this way, by  so called mediators everyday.

When people go to take bath in the pilgrimage, the pandas, over there asks the bhakta to make vows to pay differnet kind of daan, if the amount of money or grains is not sufficient with the bhakta, then Pujari (guru) ask him to pay later, when the harvest is over, (the guru later on sends his chelas (disciples) to collect the money and grains and colthes from the field), the bhakta then is helped in his/her puja. And by giving happily or not with a happy heart the bhakta gets his puja done. I have heard it, and seen with my own eyes in India and Nepal, many have been looted in the name of “religious mediatiorship.”

And not only this, but if the pujari is not a Brahmin but belongs to any other caste then they also ask wine, and meat, along with money. So this is the practice of mediators.

This way, dalit or anybody when they come to Christ, he/she does not need to be looted/oppressed again in the name of religion and mediatorship. God accepts us as it is. God loves his people, the barrier, the curtain in the temple had been torn by Christ death, and now we can have direct acces to holy God.

Now finally, we do have a Mediator in the house of God, He is Jesus Himself. But Jesus is not the kind of mediator we have talked just now, on the earth, who loot and oppress but this mediator carries us to God, accepts us, prays for us, interceedth for us, and above all gave his life for us. So his mediatorship is for us and not against us. True mediator brings peace, love, joy, life, and prosperity but the thief (false mediator) takes it away.

Those who do not know true Mediator please read about Him in the holy word of God (the Bible).