It is often said that in the game of life, it is the players that change and not the game. However, I think that there is one exception to this powerful quote. The game may change if all the players agree to it. The Indian Independence struggle is a perfect example of this analogy for it was nothing but a change in history due to Indian unity. Another such example is the Caste System.
This system began in the Early Vedic Period, between 1500 to 1000 BCE, and became very prevalent in the Later Vedic Period, from 1000 to 500 BCE. Since then, society has changed forever. The Caste System divided the people of the early and later Vedic periods into four castes or social groups in a very specific and rigid hierarchy, mainly, the Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. The Brahmans, being considered Men of God, were at the top of the social hierarchy, followed by the Kshatriyas, who were the warrior class and the Vaishyas, who were the merchants and the traders. The Shudras, however, which consisted mostly of the labourers, was a caste which faced the most discrimination.
Meaninglessly dividing the people, it went against basic human nature and against the need to stay united as a group for survival. It caused discrimination, disunity, and discord. Later on, corruption began to creep into society. The Brahmans became corrupt and began to exploit their knowledge for money by tricking the underprivileged into performing various rituals beyond their means. The people, needless to say, were not happy with the caste system and they began to search for new religions that did not divide society into a discriminatory pyramid of disunity. From then onwards, the gradual decline of the caste system and the social beliefs of the Later Vedic Period began and the need to be acceptive and socially just found new light.
It is due to this learning from history that the Constitution of our country has passed a law to abolish the caste system and has provided us with Fundamental Rights and Duties which promise Equality. All individuals, no matter their caste, creed, religion or gender are equal in the eyes of the law and should only be judged on merit. Thus, this transition from a rigid unempathetic society to an acceptive and equal one is nothing but a proof of our evolving world and promises that it is up to us to make ethical changes in the game of life.
What does evolution mean to you?
Bibliography:
Comments