First, they were born human.
Then, they began to be born as Hindu, Muslim, and Christian.
Soon after, they were born as Hindu, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Sunni, Shia, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant.
Now, they are born as Brahmin, Chitpavan Brahmin, Deshastha Brahmin, Karhade Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra, Maratha, Kunbi, Mali, Mahar, Matang, Dhangar, Iyer, Vellalar, Chettiar, Mudaliar, Thevar, Gounder, Nadar, Paraiyar, Pallar, Vaidiki Brahmin, Niyogi Brahmin, Reddy, Kamma, Kapu, Velama, Balija, Mala, Madiga, Komati, Yadav, Sunni, Shia, Twelver Shia, Ismaili Shia, Zaidi Shia, Ahmadiyya, Sufi, Salafi, Wahhabi, Roman Catholic, Eastern Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Protestant, Lutheran, Calvinist, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal, Evangelical, Seventh-Day Adventist, and Non-denominational Christian.
In the end, it seems everyone has chosen to be everything, except human.
POEM
They were first born as human, pure and free,
But then the labels began to grow on the tree.
Hindu, Muslim, Christian they became,
Splitting their birthright with titles and names.
Soon, divisions multiplied more,
Hindu, Telugu, Marathi galore.
Sunni, Shia, Catholic, and more,
Each one claiming a separate door.
Now, they are born with caste and creed,
Brahmin, Kshatriya, with lineages to heed.
From Iyer, Maratha, Reddy, and Nadar,
Mala, Madiga, boundaries stretch far.
Sunni, Shia, with sects intertwined,
Orthodox, Protestant, each with a sign.
More and more names to bear and claim,
Till the essence of human is lost in the game.
In the end, amidst divisions and pride,
It seems they’ve forgotten what’s inside.
For they’ve chosen to be everything, under the sun,
Except human — where they had first begun.
— Dr Krishna Athal
Leave a Reply