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u/T-800--

▲ 7 r/Caste+1 crossposts

I don’t really know how to say this without it sounding harsher than I mean it, but I’ve been struggling a lot with my family lately.

Over the past few years, I’ve become strongly anti-caste and increasingly uncomfortable with religious dogma. This wasn’t sudden or rebellious for the sake of it came from reading, thinking, and trying to align my values with what I believe is fair and humane. Books and people have helped me a lot to understand the suffering of the past and present. I don't believe I understand it fully, but I try to. 

The problem is that my parents and my sister don’t see it that way at all.

For them, caste and religion are not just beliefs; they’re part of identity, culture, and “how things are.” So when I question or reject those ideas, they take it very personally. Conversations turn into arguments, and arguments turn into silence or passive distance. Sometimes it feels like they see me as disrespectful or “too influenced,” rather than someone who has thought things through.

I’ve started noticing small things, comments, dismissals, the way they avoid certain topics with me, or how quickly discussions escalate. It’s not always loud conflict, but it’s constant enough that I feel like I have to filter myself in my own home.

What hurts the most is that I’m not trying to attack them. I’m just trying to live in a way that feels ethically consistent to me. But it feels like that alone is enough to create distance between us. This escalates into something more and often leads to bitterness. 

My sister, on the other hand, is on "caste-pride"; she believes there is nothing wrong with being proud of your caste. I told her it is because it reinforces that we are somehow better than that. But she started to scream and demean me. While that is a different story, and I would not go into it. 

I don’t think they “hate” me, but I do feel misunderstood and, at times, isolated. And I don’t know how to bridge that gap without either suppressing myself or constantly fighting.

Has anyone else dealt with something similar, especially in the context of caste or religion? How do you maintain relationships without giving up your core beliefs? I don’t really know how to say this without it sounding harsher than I mean it, but I’ve been struggling a lot with my family lately.

Over the past few years, I’ve become strongly anti-caste and increasingly uncomfortable with religious dogma. This wasn’t sudden or rebellious for the sake of it came from reading, thinking, and trying to align my values with what I believe is fair and humane. Books and people have helped me a lot to understand the suffering of the past and present. I don't believe I understand it fully, but I try to. 

The problem is that my parents and my sister don’t see it that way at all.

For them, caste and religion are not just beliefs; they’re part of identity, culture, and “how things are.” So when I question or reject those ideas, they take it very personally. Conversations turn into arguments, and arguments turn into silence or passive distance. Sometimes it feels like they see me as disrespectful or “too influenced,” rather than someone who has thought things through.

I’ve started noticing small things, comments, dismissals, the way they avoid certain topics with me, or how quickly discussions escalate. It’s not always loud conflict, but it’s constant enough that I feel like I have to filter myself in my own home.

What hurts the most is that I’m not trying to attack them. I’m just trying to live in a way that feels ethically consistent to me. But it feels like that alone is enough to create distance between us. This escalates into something more and often leads to bitterness. 

My sister, on the other hand, is on "caste-pride"; she believes there is nothing wrong with being proud of your caste. I told her it is because it reinforces that we are somehow better than that. But she started to scream and demean me. While that is a different story, and I would not go into it. 

I don’t think they “hate” me, but I do feel misunderstood and, at times, isolated. And I don’t know how to bridge that gap without either suppressing myself or constantly fighting.

Has anyone else dealt with something similar, especially in the context of caste or religion? How do you maintain relationships without giving up your core beliefs?I don’t really know how to say this without it sounding harsher than I mean it, but I’ve been struggling a lot with my family lately.

Over the past few years, I’ve become strongly anti-caste and increasingly uncomfortable with religious dogma. This wasn’t sudden or rebellious for the sake of it came from reading, thinking, and trying to align my values with what I believe is fair and humane. Books and people have helped me a lot to understand the suffering of the past and present. I don't believe I understand it fully, but I try to. 

The problem is that my parents and my sister don’t see it that way at all.

For them, caste and religion are not just beliefs; they’re part of identity, culture, and “how things are.” So when I question or reject those ideas, they take it very personally. Conversations turn into arguments, and arguments turn into silence or passive distance. Sometimes it feels like they see me as disrespectful or “too influenced,” rather than someone who has thought things through.

I’ve started noticing small things, comments, dismissals, the way they avoid certain topics with me, or how quickly discussions escalate. It’s not always loud conflict, but it’s constant enough that I feel like I have to filter myself in my own home.

What hurts the most is that I’m not trying to attack them. I’m just trying to live in a way that feels ethically consistent to me. But it feels like that alone is enough to create distance between us. This escalates into something more and often leads to bitterness. 

My sister, on the other hand, is on "caste-pride"; she believes there is nothing wrong with being proud of your caste. I told her it is because it reinforces that we are somehow better than that. But she started to scream and demean me. While that is a different story, and I would not go into it. 

I don’t think they “hate” me, but I do feel misunderstood and, at times, isolated. And I don’t know how to bridge that gap without either suppressing myself or constantly fighting.

Has anyone else dealt with something similar, especially in the context of caste or religion? How do you maintain relationships without giving up your core beliefs?I don’t really know how to say this without it sounding harsher than I mean it, but I’ve been struggling a lot with my family lately.

Over the past few years, I’ve become strongly anti-caste and increasingly uncomfortable with religious dogma. This wasn’t sudden or rebellious for the sake of it came from reading, thinking, and trying to align my values with what I believe is fair and humane. Books and people have helped me a lot to understand the suffering of the past and present. I don't believe I understand it fully, but I try to. 

The problem is that my parents and my sister don’t see it that way at all.

For them, caste and religion are not just beliefs; they’re part of identity, culture, and “how things are.” So when I question or reject those ideas, they take it very personally. Conversations turn into arguments, and arguments turn into silence or passive distance. Sometimes it feels like they see me as disrespectful or “too influenced,” rather than someone who has thought things through.

I’ve started noticing small things, comments, dismissals, the way they avoid certain topics with me, or how quickly discussions escalate. It’s not always loud conflict, but it’s constant enough that I feel like I have to filter myself in my own home.

What hurts the most is that I’m not trying to attack them. I’m just trying to live in a way that feels ethically consistent to me. But it feels like that alone is enough to create distance between us. This escalates into something more and often leads to bitterness. 

My sister, on the other hand, is on "caste-pride"; she believes there is nothing wrong with being proud of your caste. I told her it is because it reinforces that we are somehow better than that. But she started to scream and demean me. While that is a different story, and I would not go into it. 

I don’t think they “hate” me, but I do feel misunderstood and, at times, isolated (especially). And I don’t know how to bridge that gap without either suppressing myself or constantly fighting.

Has anyone else dealt with something similar, especially in the context of caste or religion? How do you maintain relationships without giving up your core beliefs?

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u/T-800-- — 15 days ago
▲ 6 r/Caste

On 21 April 1950, armed attackers violently interrupted a joyful Dalit marriage ceremony, brutally ending the lives of exactly 22 innocent defenseless guests. On 21 April 1950, this grim tragedy starkly highlighted the severe discrimination and persistent social violence that plagued rural regions of independent India.

u/T-800-- — 1 month ago
▲ 4 r/Caste

Sanskritization is one of the most important concepts in Indian sociology and anthropology. Coined by the Indian sociologist M.N. Srinivas in the 1950s, it explains how certain social groups in India try to improve their position in the caste hierarchy by adopting the practices, rituals, and lifestyles of higher castes especially the Brahmins.

The significance of Sanskritization lies in the way it reflects both continuity and change in Indian society. On the one hand, it shows how caste continues to influence social behavior. On the other, it highlights the aspirations of communities who, instead of passively accepting their status, actively seek ways to move upward in the social ladder. For students of anthropology and sociology, Sanskritization offers deep insights into the dynamics of social mobility, cultural change, and identity formation in India.

What is Sanskritization?

In simple terms, Sanskritization means “changing social status through imitation.” A caste or community, usually lower in the hierarchy, attempts to elevate its status by adopting:

  • Vegetarianism and restrictions on meat or alcohol
  • Wearing sacred thread (janeu) or following Brahmin rituals
  • Worshipping deities associated with higher castes
  • Practicing purity rules in food and marriage

Over time, such practices help the group claim a higher status in the local social order, even though the larger caste hierarchy remains intact.

Why Does Sanskritization Happen?

Sanskritization is not just about copying rituals it reflects a community’s deeper desire for dignity, recognition, and progress within a hierarchical society. Several factors explain why groups choose this path:

  • Cultural Aspiration and Identity: Beyond material benefits, Sanskritization also satisfies a psychological need. It allows communities to redefine their identity, narrate new myths of origin, and claim a more prestigious past that aligns them with higher varnas.

  • Aspiration for Higher Status: Communities at the lower end of the caste hierarchy often face stigma and social exclusion. By adopting the cultural symbols of higher castes such as vegetarianism, ritual purity, or worship of Sanskritic gods they attempt to elevate their standing and gain greater respect in society.

  • Access to Power and Resources: In traditional India, ritual status was closely linked to economic and political opportunities. A caste seen as “higher” could secure better positions in administration, land ownership, or community leadership. Sanskritization thus became a strategy to move closer to these advantages.

  • Integration with Mainstream Hindu Society: Many communities especially tribal groups or marginalized castes used Sanskritization as a way to merge with the dominant social order. By adopting Hindu rituals and identities, they sought acceptance and legitimacy within the broader cultural framework.

  • Competition Between Castes: Social mobility is not always individual it can be collective. Entire castes sometimes Sanskritized themselves to compete with rival groups, particularly in regions where multiple intermediate castes vied for influence.

Case Studies of Sanskritization

  • Yadavs of North India: Traditionally pastoral, Yadavs sought higher status by adopting vegetarianism, worshipping Krishna, and projecting themselves as Kshatriya descendants. Through folklore, petitions, and the All-India Yadav Mahasabha (1924), they combined ritual change with political mobilization to climb the caste ladder.

  • Coorgs of Karnataka: Observed by M.N. Srinivas, the Coorgs gave up meat during rituals, adopted Brahmanical practices, and employed Brahmin priests. This became the foundation for Srinivas’s concept of Sanskritization.

  • Tribal Groups (Gonds, Bhils): Many tribal groups moved towards Hindu society by celebrating festivals like Diwali, worshipping deities such as Shiva and Vishnu, and claiming higher lineages though often at the cost of their indigenous traditions.

Criticism of Sanskritization

While Sanskritization is an important concept in understanding social mobility, it has significant limitations:

  • It does not challenge the caste system: The process works within the framework of caste rather than questioning it. By imitating higher castes, lower groups accept the hierarchy as legitimate, which means Sanskritization merely reshuffles positions rather than dismantling inequality.

  • It ignores other mobility processes: Sociologists point out that Sanskritization alone cannot explain the complexity of social change in India. Westernization, modernization, education, economic development, and political assertion have been equally, if not more, important in reshaping identities and opportunities.

  • It reinforces patriarchy and exclusion: Sanskritization often strengthens upper-caste patriarchal norms. Women are expected to conform to strict purity rules, and Dalits or marginalized voices find little scope for empowerment through this process. As a result, it offers limited possibilities for genuine equality.

u/T-800-- — 1 month ago