> Where as in India, the punishment is for the brahmins, who has to take > bath rather than punishing the other people. Hell lot of difference in > the perspective.
I heard other perspective (Balakumaran?) why they take bath. The reason is not lower case/unclean or ugly, it is due to the difference in their body temperature, if you get in contact with somebody whose body temperature is more than brahmins due to their nature work, food, etc., if brahmins touch them, they would be affected mentally and which would distract them from doing their daily rituals. If they take bath they believe to have their temperature and mental state back.
Thiru, that is the general nature/therapeutic nature of bath itself is to regulate body temperature and keep oneself clean. Touching someone in general itself has issues of hygeine and personal preference attached. The point is not that, just that can we say wiht a totally clean conscience that all brahmins did it for that reasons only, and all brahmins are cleaner than others? Definitely not.
Secondly cleansing is first in the mind - if I consider yourself superior to another human being God has created I can take bath every day every hour that dirt is not going anywhere.
Well said, Malathi. Everything is in the mind. No bath is going to cleanse us of our feeling of superiority (atleast based on birth/race/color of skin),
I have heard this "scientific" reasoning before for the segregation, which may not apply to "other" so-called upper castes.
At some point in history, Brahmins were the doctors, teachers, researchers and of course, the priests of society. It was very important for them to remain true to their professions and not be distracted with the other temptations/vices/politics/survival tactics, etc. Of course, one needed peace and cleanliness for all of the above. Even now, we all try to be clean when entering hospitals/labs/temples.
Assuming the Brahmins did this with a pure mind for the benefit of all society (and if the caste by birth did not exist), all other people probably supported and put up with the segregation.... but of course, misuse of power is a human curse and the brahmins have been no exceptions.
I am really sorry to be so blunt. But this perspective (I understand that this is not from you) is at best a "humbug". If that is the case then why did those Brahmins take bath even on a slightest touch. I am pretty sure if for such a momentary touch, the heat is going to be transferred at such exceptionally fast rates, then I wonder what is the rate of Transfer of Heat, thermodynamically and if this is possible between the human skins.
This is why I state this to be a "humbug" and "cover-up" reasons. The persons who give such reasons are the persons as explained by Smt Malathi as the one who did not have courage to call it wrong as did a Bharathiyar or any other person.
Let us call a spade a spade. Yes, we Brahmins did practise some discrimination. It may not be as harmful as some other upper caste people do today, but atleast the mental insult by way of untouchability. It is better to correct ourselves rather than finding some non-existant reasons for a discriminatory act.
I sincerely apologise if my words have hurt you or any other in our group. I did not find a better "sugar coated" word for "humbug".