White Man's burden and Brahmanism

In Nepal which factors differentiate one person from another? Though they shared similar caste, culture, tradition, name, geography, and religion they are different. People are treated according to their caste. The caste value factor matters a lot in Nepali society. Why did this happen? It happened because of all doctrines, false dogmas, a so-called caste that creates a line of division and implants fragmentation within people. This so-called caste gives privilege to one particular community and harms others. There is some so-called concept that draws certain lines of " Do's and Don't". The term White Man's Burden and Brahminism explores the bitter reality of human. Both doctrines are associated with racial superiority, where people are born with power and prestige.

White Man's burden was introduced with the raised of colonization and Brahminism is deeply rooted under Hindu hypocrisy. Both these terms make superior to one particular group and inferior to others।.

The raised of colonialism in Asia, Africa, and Latin America brought a massive transformation in native culture. Most of the native culture, language, tradition, custom, rites, and rituals were tarnished by the colonizer. Mainly the European culture was hegemonized to the native. The White forced natives to follow their culture. By knowingly, unknowingly, or forcefully the native started to copy the European culture and white starts to impose their mission gradually. Sadly white were succeed to indoctrinate “White Man’s Burden” on non-white lands. The term White Man's Burden was coined or designed by English, imperialist poet Rudyard Kipling to glorify the magnanimity of white skin through the poem "White Man's Burden".

Basically, that poem “White Man’s Burden” was composed to show to the entire world that white is born to civilize the nonwhite. They were born to rule the world. In addition, white also assumed that people outside Europe or whites' land were barbaric, savage, irrational, and uncivilized. They were designed in such a way that anything practiced by nonwhites was considered unholy and uncivilized. Even they designed false rumors to break native ethnocentric unity. For instance, the color black was not regarded as good. Native culture, the tradition were regarded as impure. Their lifestyle was considered dark. Moreover, in the eyes of white, non-whites were failures. Due to this cause, they think that it’s their duty to civilize non-white around the world. From that point, the empire of missionaries was established to educate non-white through the bible and to usurp native property. The East India company and Gora Saheb was the best example of White Man's burden and their vested interest.

White or colonizer had false believes that the god (Jesus) has sent them to non-white lands for civilizing non-white. As a part of civilizing, the white entered non-whites land by carrying a Bible. Along with the Bible, the white gazed upon the natural resources. Slowly they started a business to usurp the native resources. Like Asia, Africa was the storehouse of mines and natural resources. Later, after knowing the native properly they were successful to build an empire. The sole aim of the colonization was to rule and utilize natural resources. Moreover, the white wants to show European and white culture as a superior culture to other cultures in the native lands of non-white. Before the white encroachment on non-white lands, everything was ok. Things were going on with their own patterns of native But after the entry of White each and every aspect of society was fragmented, alienated, and disjuncture, which makes it easy to rule.

Gradually, white tries to motivate the natives to practice their culture. The church was built to replace local deities. Slowly, the smell of Christianity was flourished. The trend of establishing Saint Xavier and Saint Mary begins along with missionaries. They start to welcome those who try to follow in the footsteps designed by the white. For instance, in then British India people close to colonizers started to wear hats, drink tea in cups, etc. These people were close with colonizers. And the people like Bhagat Singh were the antagonist for colonizers. For such patriotic, they vow to erase at any cost. The ones who were against the norms and values of colonizers were the main target.

Similarly in Nepal’s context, Brahmins of Nepal have deployed Brahminism as the superior caste in the society. The term Brahminism is coined by social scientist and anthropologist Dor Bahadur Bista. In his book Fatalism and development, Bista explores the core of the concept of Bahunbad (Brahminism). The proponents of Bahunbad believed that everything was determined in your previous life, and your hard work does not count. If you are rich and born into a so-called high caste, it is because you did good deeds in your previous life. This notion was detrimental to the growth and development of our civilization. It stops us from learning new things and doing hard works. Unless we get rid of this concept, we will never prosper.

Basically, Brahminism states that Brahman is pure, holy, and born to get respect. Their caste, culture, traditions, the custom is regarded as superior to others. Moreover, anything done by Brahmin is considered holy, good, civilized, and pious. For instance, a ten years old child of Brahmin is considered a Baje, he can perform all the rituals. He gives blessings to other elderly and others should bow down heads to get tika and blessing from brahmin. Meanwhile, the same age children from another caste can't do that. He doesn't have that rights. In addition, the Hindu religion doesn't allow others to perform such religious rites and rituals. Hindu religion keeps brahmin in a very high place. This is the demarcation between brahmin and others, which elaborates Do's and Don't.

As compared to other communities Brahmin seems to be very clever and forward. Till yet, Brahmin is in a high position as compared to another caste, either in legislative, judiciary, executive or in temples. The head of state, spokesperson of parliament, prime minister, ministers, and leaders of the parties are from the brahmin community. It happens because of religious books, myths, and brahmin legacy. Hindu religion and its ethnocentric principles divide people's roles on the basis of caste. There used to be a time where Sudra can't read and write if he does that the state has the power to chop down. According to four varnas  Brahmin was supposed to be educated, their job is to study and educate others. Gradually things have been changed, various reservations are placed for Dalit but root matters a lot. Generations of Dalits were deprived of educational, political as well as socio-cultural rights whereas Brahmin are enjoying in every sphere of the state. Due to this cause also Dalit is not in the mainstream whereas the brahmin holds the major position and portion of the state. 

According to Brahmin, Bahuni and Bahun are beautiful and handsome than others. They give a compliment to Bahun to others if somebody from other community has a good appearance. They hegemonized that beautiful, smart is the by-product of Bahuns. Even they humiliate people by saying "kasto damai kami jasto dekheko" if people's appearance is not good. Besides beauty, they are successful to enforce Hinduism in the ethnic groups. For instance, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Gurung don't have anything with Dashain and Tihar but they have been encultured to celebrate. They are celebrating Dashain Tihar as their own festival. Meanwhile, Bahun's never celebrates loshar and other ethnic festivals. These sorts of Brahminism vibes and enforcement can be seen everywhere in our society. Moreover, Brahminism is a hegemony, where everybody has to regard them.

To sum up both White's Man burden and Brahminism is all about praising racial superiority. These so-called racist discriminatory thoughts should be abolished from society for planting the seeds of humanity and harmony. Otherwise, this one-sided thought will destroy human values and humanity and create conflict in society.