Kumud pawde autobiography for kids
Kumud pawde autobiography for kids
Historical fiction for kids.
The Story of My Sanskrit
THROUGH HER ESSAY "THE STORY OF MY SANSKRIT", KUMUD PAWDE HIGHLIGHTS THE HIERARCHIES OF POWER IN THE NEWLY INDEPENDENT INDIAN SOCIETY.
SHE TALKS BOUT THE SOCIO-POLITICAL CONDITIONS THAT ARISE FROM THE CAST SYSTEM AND HOW THESE CONDITIONS AFFECT HER ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SANSKRIT LANGUAGE- WHICH WAS LARGELY CONSIDERED AN UPPER-CASTE BRAHMIN LANGUAGE- THROUGH VARIOUS STAGES OF HER LIFE.
By Kritika Agrawal
The Indian Caste System
Brahmins - uppermost caste, priests and academics
Kshatriyas - kings, rulers, and warriors
Vaisyas - merchants, artisans, tradesmen, and farmers
Shudras - manual laborors
Dalits - lowest caste, street and latrine cleaners, “untouchables”
Pawde starts her story by explaining the “conflict of emotions” that she experiences when people try to compliment her for her Sanskrit capabilities.
By praising her for her knowledge, they consciously and unconsciously remind her of the caste she belongs to and of