BRAHMINISM
Caste Privilege: Beware Brahmins!
Mymensingh July 27 – On the complaint of Kashirod Chandra Sil of Khulna, a barber by caste, who has been described in the judgment of the trial court as a missionary well versed in Sanskrit and Hindu “Shastras”, a Brahmin of Sayna has been convicted to fifteen days’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.100 and the two Muhamedans to three months’ rigorous imprisonment each.
It is stated that Kashirod is striving for the betterment of his caste by establishing from the Shastras that it is equal in religious position to that of the Brahmins. In the course of his propaganda work in the district he delivered a speech at the house of a barber of Sayna, quoting “Slokas” and the “Shastras” to prove that the napits (barbers) had been the object of worship by the Brahmins. The accused Brahmin who was present at the meeting, became greatly annoyed at the audacity of the preacher and demonstrated his hatred of the sudras by striking his head with his own shoes citing the Vedas and swearing at the same time that he would never again countenance a napit (barber). Next day, when the complainant was going to another village on a lecture tour he was caught hold of by the two Mohammedans at the order of the Brahmin, to accompany them to Joyshodal to hold a discussion on the matter with the pundits there.
The napits of Kishoregunj has also passed a resolution for being invested with the sacred thread and hundreds of them have taken it already.
Revolt, 4 August 1929
Destruction of Brahminism
Mr. Amritalal Majumdar writes in The Epiphany:
The Hindus are very old people, poor in health, and will soon be laid in the tomb. Hinduism, their religion, has struggled on indeed to our days; but as an invalid and dying thing. It has limited peoples lives, interfered with their thoughts, and persecuted harmless dissentients. It is too outworn and ripe for destruction.
The Brahmins, their priests, have ruled India for centuries and made her one of the most reactionary countries in the world. Their vast influence over the minds of the people is incalculable. It cannot be dethroned by force. It can only be destroyed by the change of men’s belief. It was the Brahmins who obliged the Aryans to introduce caste system in their society as a mark of submission. They are men born blind to the qualities that make peoples free and nations great.
The Hindus are negligent of simpler teaching of charity, service and brotherhood. They are therefore bitterly divided among themselves. All efforts to establish equality among them were frustrated by the opposition of the upper classes, who are still unwilling to surrender any privilege of their caste. The destruction of Brahminism is therefore the greatest event of our time. This immortal day will break the pride of the Brahmins and undeceive the Hindus, who regard them with undying veneration. It will do more to change their daily life and the structure of their society. It will also do more to change their opinion.
Revolt, 23 June 1929
A Lecture
At Connolly Ceylonese Association a public meeting was held with Mr.Sarangapani, Editor, “Forward”, Singapore in the chair on the 14th of October. Swami Adbuthananda spoke on the Tamils” Hindu Marriage, pointing out how Hindu Marriage in British Malayaa are becoming varied from the Tamilian Civilisation And explaining a series of Aryan deceptions. The lecturer pointed out that the theory and history of Vivaha, Homa and the practice of Saptapadi is contraception. He explained how men and women after solemnization of marriages as husbands and wives are deserted and therefore requested the Tamilian Hindu public to take necessary steps for putting a stop to this despicable practice. The next day with Mr. Mr. Thamby Iyah in the chair, the lecture was continued in the way of explaining the details of the unnecessary functions introduced by Brahmin priests and blindly observed by the rich and the poor, by the illiterate and the literate.
He then demonstrated his lantern show and showed the degrading conditions of unequal marriages solemnized by Brahmin priests and after the lantern show began answering some written questions handed over to him. He then quoted an instance from Malay Mail of a married woman in Kula Lumpur who was enticed away and the decision of the Court holding the marriage invalid. All because the contracting parties who were by birth the Tamils, did not undergo the solemnization of the ceremony by a Brahmin priest, and deplored the instances of a very large percentage of marriages performed amongst clerks and laborers, which will have to become invalid if the decision of the Magistrate is left unmodified.
Finally he explained the necessity for the repeal of the sections of the Hindu Law regarding marriages and the obsequies in the interest of the domiciled Tamil Hindus and also said that an introduction of free certificates by the Register to the contracting parties of marriage and compulsory registration on the present scale of a fee of one dollar on the spot by having Honorary Registrars will be of immense help to the Tamil Hindus towards validity of their marriages, as they, by culture and culture of an independent Dravidian Civilization and other circumstances do not want to have Brahmin priests to solemnize or officiate their marriage ceremonies instead of doing them by one of their elders or other responsible persons.
Revolt, 10 November 1929
