post 267 (vishwas) is very important. To understand the nature and behaviour of 'castes' and 'caste-traditions', this particular caste of scavengers is the best study case.
This caste of scavengers (called bhangi) developed in recent past, and development of it into a full-flegded caste so fast, should be studied too.
There was a time, when there were no toilets in the homes of India. Even in towns, the populations were small and dispersed, and there were enough open areas where people could go to. Ancient buildings and architetures attest to this - where, while bathrooms are to be found, there are no toilets.
Bhangi caste and jobs were first developed none other than in Europe, from where British brought it to India.
wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manual_scavenging
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Manual scavenging is said to have started in 1214 in Europe when the first public toilets appeared. Water closet was invented by John Harrington in 1596. In 1870, S.S. Helior invented the flush type toilet, and it became common in the western world. This caused other types of toilets to disappear in the western world. All surface toilets were abandoned in western Europe in mid-1950s.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I tried to do some googling, and as of yet only found some references that indicate that Romas were the people who were pushed into doing this inhumanely job of bhangi, by the Europeans. Will report more when I find something worthwhile.
So, with advent of the domestic non-flush toilets in the Indian cities, towards the 1850s onwards, Bhangi caste was made to develop and evolve. Today since the times flush system replaced the other toilets, bhangi caste has also moved on, and those who are left are the margins, which will vanish very soon. Bhangis have moved on to other trades, and in general are doing well.
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In 80s, our house was being constructed. The rAjgIr/mistry/main contractor was a person from this community. He used to tell us more about them. He was the first generation that left the trade of their parents and took up other trades. (His son runs a lottery shop in the city now, and they are fairly well-to-do.) When he was constructing our house, he had in his employment even a couple of labourers who were brahmans, and used to treat them with respect - calling them 'pandit-ji'.
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On Pakistani forums, in their hate they call Indians 'Bhindians', where 'bh' stands for 'bhangi'.
This caste of scavengers (called bhangi) developed in recent past, and development of it into a full-flegded caste so fast, should be studied too.
There was a time, when there were no toilets in the homes of India. Even in towns, the populations were small and dispersed, and there were enough open areas where people could go to. Ancient buildings and architetures attest to this - where, while bathrooms are to be found, there are no toilets.
Bhangi caste and jobs were first developed none other than in Europe, from where British brought it to India.
wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manual_scavenging
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Manual scavenging is said to have started in 1214 in Europe when the first public toilets appeared. Water closet was invented by John Harrington in 1596. In 1870, S.S. Helior invented the flush type toilet, and it became common in the western world. This caused other types of toilets to disappear in the western world. All surface toilets were abandoned in western Europe in mid-1950s.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I tried to do some googling, and as of yet only found some references that indicate that Romas were the people who were pushed into doing this inhumanely job of bhangi, by the Europeans. Will report more when I find something worthwhile.
So, with advent of the domestic non-flush toilets in the Indian cities, towards the 1850s onwards, Bhangi caste was made to develop and evolve. Today since the times flush system replaced the other toilets, bhangi caste has also moved on, and those who are left are the margins, which will vanish very soon. Bhangis have moved on to other trades, and in general are doing well.
===========
In 80s, our house was being constructed. The rAjgIr/mistry/main contractor was a person from this community. He used to tell us more about them. He was the first generation that left the trade of their parents and took up other trades. (His son runs a lottery shop in the city now, and they are fairly well-to-do.) When he was constructing our house, he had in his employment even a couple of labourers who were brahmans, and used to treat them with respect - calling them 'pandit-ji'.
===========
On Pakistani forums, in their hate they call Indians 'Bhindians', where 'bh' stands for 'bhangi'.