"Caste-related Issues and Trishul"

Prof. S V S S Narayana Raju

“त्रिशूल” : जातिगत समस्याएँ

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“त्रिशूल” : जातिगत समस्याएँ (drnarayanaraju.blogspot.com)

English version

Casteism has been deeply ingrained in our society for centuries. Shivamurthy has emphasized that because of casteism, such vast distances are created between people that they cannot come closer, even if they wish to. The mutual hatred, jealousy, and hostility born from casteism not only poison social life but also weaken national strength. History bears witness that had we not been confined by the narrow confines of casteism, foreign powers would not have been able to dominate our country. Shivamurthy highlights that the environment of division, conflict, and violence we witness today stems largely from the perpetuation of casteism. In a broader sense, ‘Trishul’ can be seen as the story of the temple and the Mandal Commission. The announcement of the implementation of the Mandal Commission's recommendations creates a divide within the largest community of society. Personal interests come to the forefront, and due to the powerful influence of casteism, Indian Hindu society begins to fragment. Shivmurti has expressed this through Pal Saheb that – "Ever since the announcement of the Mandal Commission's recommendations, Hindu society has been splitting into two groups: supporters and opponents." (1) Shivmurti, in Trishul, exposes the deep-seated leprosy of casteism, making it clear that this poisonous tree has grown so deeply within us that we no longer wish to break free from its hold. Our minds have become so corrupted that we seek close relationships only with those of our own caste, harbouring feelings of alienation and jealousy toward people of other castes. Shivmurti has depicted it in this way: - ... "Nowadays, expressing an honest opinion without knowing someone's caste, especially on topics like reservation, has become risky. Even a twenty-year friendship can fall apart. There was a time when Dr. Lohia led a campaign to remove caste markers from names, pushing to dismantle the caste system. But today, if you belong to a backward or lower caste and don't include your caste in your name, your own community will accuse you of hiding it, calling you deceitful. If you belong to an upper caste and avoid such markers, you'll be labelled a hypocrite, pretending to be progressive while sticking to your roots." (2) Religious authorities, by citing imaginary incidents, deem the touch of lower-caste people as impure. This mindset is unjustifiable, even from a humanistic standpoint. In God's realm, there is no discrimination; everyone is equal in His court, whether rich or poor, high or low, Brahmin or Shudra. The spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the world as one family—is the true dignity of our culture, but it has been tarnished by the gatekeepers of religion. Dalit folk singer Paley sees the spread of casteism in society as the unfortunate legacy of his ancestors. Reflecting on the slogan of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, he remarks, “There is no slogan in the world louder than this. But our own people twisted this ancestral wisdom to the point where we divided ourselves into four and a half thousand castes. And beyond that, there are countless others whose mere shadow can render inanimate objects like pots, plates, wells, and stepwells impure. The very ones who gave us the slogan of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam have also spread the blight of casteism and untouchability." (3) Due to the poison of casteism, our relationships become strained, and every part of society falls into disharmony. Shivamurthy illustrates this through a conflict between a police inspector and Misraji in a club, showing how casteism can destroy even longstanding friendships. The club watchman informs Palsaheb that the dispute arose over the Chief Minister and the Ram temple. Inspector Darogaji was unable to tolerate Misraji's insult towards the Chief Minister. The watchman adds, "The Chief Minister is from his caste, and so is the government." Gusainji remarks, "The most painful insult is a caste insult. How can one endure it?" "What? The inspector is S.P. Singh? Really?" "S.P. Singh is the government. He also belongs to the Chief Minister's community. The government wasn't even aware of this." (4) In this way, Shivamurthy illustrates how casteism erodes even long-standing friendships. He also depicts how the club watchman falls back on casteism in his own predicament. The watchman fears losing his job due to the conflict between Misraji and the Inspector. Seeking help, he approaches Pal Saheb and reveals his cattiest mindset: "Sir, Shastriji is your neighbour. The government is your daily business. And..." he hesitates briefly, then adds, "I’ve heard you belong to the 'BC' government... That’s why I’ve come to you for help. If you could speak to Shastriji on my behalf, maybe my job can be saved." (5) Pal Saheb does not believe in the caste system. At the club, he admonishes the watchman, telling him that he shouldn't speak about casteism at his age. When the watchman realizes he won’t receive any help, he becomes frustrated. In his anger, he cites examples of caste unity and even accuses Pal Saheb of being cattiest himself for not offering assistance. Like "This electric powerhouse you see in front of you is built on land that belongs to our village. Our group comes from a hardworking caste, often referred to as the 'younger brothers' group. Seventeen or eighteen years ago, a minister from the neighbouring village, belonging to the Badki caste, came into power. The moment he became a minister, he swore that he would reduce everyone from our group to nothing. He intended to make us landless, simply because we refused to submit to them, didn't work for them, and didn't vote for him in the elections. True to his word, he turned us from farmers into laborers. Even with all his power and status equal to Raja Dau, he could never rise above the caste system. It held him captive. And if some of us got a job or two, we became divided, turning completely against one another." (6) In Trishul, Shivamurti masterfully captures the deeply ingrained and corrosive nature of casteism that permeates Indian society. Through the lives of his characters and their interactions, he exposes how caste-based prejudice, hatred, and rivalry have destroyed social harmony and even eroded personal relationships. Whether it is the conflict between the police inspector and Misraji, the struggles of the club watchman, or the historical injustices faced by the hardworking "younger brothers" group, the novel lays bare the destructive force of caste discrimination. Shivamurti not only critiques the social and political systems that perpetuate these divisions but also highlights the failure of individuals, even those in positions of power, to rise above caste affiliations. Despite progress in some areas, casteism continues to influence political, economic, and personal decisions, leading to widespread social fragmentation. The characters in Trishul serve as living embodiments of this deep-rooted issue, showing how casteism poisons the very essence of human relationships—turning friends into foes and communities into factions. The novel also sheds light on the hypocrisy within religious and cultural practices that, despite preaching equality through slogans like Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family), continue to discriminate against individuals based on their caste. Ultimately, Trishul is a stark reminder of the long-lasting impact of casteism on society. Shivamurti's portrayal urges readers to reflect on the systemic inequalities that persist and challenges them to confront the ways in which caste divisions continue to shape their lives. The novel calls for a break from these oppressive structures and a move toward a more egalitarian society where people are valued for their humanity, not their caste.

Reference

1. Shivamurti - Trishul Pg. No. 29 “जब से मंडल आयोग की सिफारिशें लागू किए जाने की घोषणा हुई है, उसके समर्थकों और विरोधियों के रूप में पूरा हिंदू समाज दो फाँकों में बँटता जा रहा है.” (1)

2. Shivamurti - Trishul p. No. 26 “....... आजकल बिना किसी की जाति जाने, खासकर आरक्षण से जुडे मुद्दों पर अपनी बेबाक राय देना खतरे से खाली नहीं रह गया है. बीसों साल की दोस्ती में दरार पड़ सकती है. एक समय था, डॉ. लोहिया ने नाम से जाति-सूचक शब्द हटाने की मुहिम चलाई थी. जाति-पाँति तोडने का आंदोलन चलाया था. लेकिन आज अगर आप पिछडी या छोटी कही जाने वाली जातियों में से हैं और नाम में जातिसूचक नहीं लगाते तो स्वजातीय कहेंगे-साला जाति छिपाता घूमता है. दोगला है. आगर आगडी मानी जानेवाली जाति के हैं तो स्वाजातीय कहेंगे – बडका प्रगतिशील बना घूमता है. पाखंडी है.”(2)

3. Shivamurti - Trishul p. No. 71-72 “इस नारे से ऊँचा कोई दूसरा नारा शायद ही हो दुनिया में. लेकिन अपने पुरखों के इस नारे में भाई लेगों ने ऐसी मिलावट की कि एक से बढकर हम साढे चार हजार हो गए. साढे चार हजार जातियाँ. इससे भी सैकडों तो ऐसी जिनकी परछाई पडने मात्र से निर्जीव लोटा, थारी, कूप, बावडी तक अपवित्र हो जाएँ. जितनी जाति-पाँति और छुआछूत ‘वसुधैव कुटुंबकम’ का नारा देनेवालों ने फैलाया....”(3)

4. Shivamurti - Trishul p. No. 81 “मुखमंतिरी उन्हीं की जाति के हैं न सरकार. गुसाईंजी कहिन हैं, सबसे कठिन जाति अपमाना. कैसे बरदास होता है ? ” “क्या? दरोगाजी तो एस. पी. सिंह हैं न ?” “इस. पी. सिंह तो हैं सरकार. मुला मुखमंतिरी के बिरादरी भी है.. और मिसराजी यह बात जानते नहीं थे सरकार.”(4)

5. Shivamurti - Trishul p. No. 81 “ हुजूर, शास्त्रीजी आपके पडोसी है. आपका रोज का उठना-बैठना है सरकार. और.... वह थोडा हिचकिचाता है, फुरि झूठ की माफी मिले तो ... सुना है आप भी ‘बीसी’ हैं सरकार.... तो मदद के लिए आपके पास... आप शास्त्रीजी से सिफारिश कर दें तो मेरी नौकरी बच सकती है.”(5)

6. Shivamurti - Trishul Pg. No. 84 “यह जो बिजली का पॅवर हाऊस देख रहे हैं, सामने. हमारे टोले की जमीन पर ही बना है. हमारा टोला मेहनत करके खानेवाली जातियों का टोला है. वे कहते थे छोट भइयों का टोला. आज से सत्रह-अठारह साल पहले बडकी जाति के एक मंतरी हुए थे बगलवाले गाँव में. मंतरी होते ही उन्होंने कसम खाई- हमारे टोले का ‘हर’ वे खूँटी पर टँगवा देंगे. यानी भूमिहीन कर देंगे. काहे कि हम लोग उनसे दबते नहीं थे. उनके यहाँ मजदूरी करने नहीं जाते थे. चुनाव में उनको वोट नहीं दिय़ा था. उन्होंने जो कहा था करके दिखा दिया. हमें किसान से मजूर बना दिया.... तो वे उनकी ऊँची पदवी पाकर, राजा दऊ के बराबर होकर भी जाति-पाँति के ऊपर नहीं उठे. उसे चभुआकर पकडे रहे. और आप एक दो नौकरी क्या पा गए, सब भूल गए. एकदम खिलाफै हो गए...”(6)