The Opposite effect

Something wonderful happened to my life fairly early. I was born in a most top ranking caste family belonging to Bharamin caste group. For those who know about caste system in India, you will be able to understand what I mean. As such I was expected to keep away from others who belong to other caste groups which are lower. I must say that luckily I lost my father when I was only two years old and so there was no oppressive partirarchal force within the family to ensure that I followed caste system.
since we were literally struggling to make a living and my father's brothers chose to keep away so that they are not burdened, mum was left to handle everything and so she was too weak mentally to tell us to keep away from other so called lower caste people. Even if she did, I was able to resist. I did not find it reasonable. I started arguing. Mum, may be because she was not able to argue back or she was too close to me, as I was the last born, she let me have the liberty. Thus I was able to become a follower of equality in the matter of caste even as a small child.
In the school where I studied, I was able to enjoy good friendship with other caste students and that helped me wipe away even the smallest bit of disparity that could have crept due to inborn nature.
And here I am, someone who is able to get beyond the caste barriers, married to a lower caste man, and enjoy the good friendship and solidarity of many hundred so called lower caste men and women, especially women, thanks to the immunity I gained.
It is time that caste attrocities came to an end in India. I wish that all the higher caste women are able to get away from such baglogs and are able to see that in fact the caste disparity, if we practice, is an oppression we inflict upon our own self.
R. Vasantha