Finished binge watching KHAKEE - a web series on Netflix based on the story of an honest, efficient IPS officer who struggles in the badlands of Bihar where rampant lawlessness, casteism, corruption and crime rules. Where unholy nexus between criminals - politicians - bureaucrats is the sine qua non of the state. Ironically this story is from a state which has produced stalwarts who were epitomes of honesty and integrity like Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, revolutionary Jay Prakash Narayan (famously known as JP) and Justice Jagmohan Sinha who gave the famous verdict against Indira Gandhi disqualifying her from her from Parliament.
The young IPS officer Amit Lodha arrives in Bihar to be welcomed by electricity outages and extremely bad roads. Once the cheeky politician from Bihar, Laloo Yadav promised to make the roads of Bihar as smooth as the cheeks of Hema Malini. But down the road, the roads of Bihar still resemble the small pox pore filled face of the actor Om Puri rather than the cheek of the chick dream girl of yesteryears. Om Puri's poke marked cheek found its mark as something noteworthy to drive a point.Not to mention casteism being shown on this Netflix series as a way of life in Bihar. I am reminded of my Engineering college days in REC (now NIT), Rourkela where 50% of the students came from outside, including Bihar (it was undivided Bihar then, Jharkhand was yet to be carved out of it). A few of my Bihari classmates who were great guys nevertheless, would occasionally whisper around my ears "ISKA JAAT KAA HAI" (what's his caste), curious to know about the caste of us Odias and then try to connect to their counterparts in Bihar.
For example, they linked our KARANA caste to KAYAST in Bihar. The caste Brahmin was self explanatory for their last names shared with North Indian counterparts like Mishra, Tripathy, Nanda. They were confused with my last name, but it didn't take them long to figure out that I am a Brahmin as my PAITA (sacred thread around my shoulder) gave me away. They struggled a lot, whether to align our KHANDAYAT caste to Rajputs or Bhumihars.
As a teenager, who had hardly ever travelled outside Odisha, I found this rather weird. Soon I noticed, a few of the upper caste folks from Bihar would avoid sitting on the Dining Hall called "Mess" with certain guys, whom they perceived as from lower caste or strata of the society. Odias might have tons of shortcomings, but such rampant and naked casteism is not one of them. The thought of not sharing a meal with someone due to caste barrier never ever came to my mind.
As a teenager, who had hardly ever travelled outside Odisha, I found this rather weird. Soon I noticed, a few of the upper caste folks from Bihar would avoid sitting on the Dining Hall called "Mess" with certain guys, whom they perceived as from lower caste or strata of the society. Odias might have tons of shortcomings, but such rampant and naked casteism is not one of them. The thought of not sharing a meal with someone due to caste barrier never ever came to my mind.
Casteism is not just limited to the cowbelt of UP and Bihar. It has its tentacles in other states too. Once in Delhi I found my ex-boss, one Sharma jee being over friendly towards me. One day he told me on face - TUM BRAHMAN HO, IS LIYE SAF SUTRE LAGTE HO. TUMHARE CHEHRE MEIN JO CHAMAK HAI, "You are Brahmin. That's why you look clean, there is a glare in your looks". I didn't find it very flattering.
It also reminds me of an episode narrated to me by a friend, whose father retired as a senior bureaucrat in Delhi. He was in PMO when Indira Gandhi was at the helm of affairs. During Cabinet meetings, the ministers would break for lunch. Once, Indira Gandhi walked towards Kamalapati Tripathy, a Brahmin and Railway minister from Uttar Pradesh and asked him "Tripathy JEE. BABU JAGJIVAN RAM (a minister from Scheduled Caste in her cabinet) KEHTE HAIN KI AAP UNKE SAATH NAHI KHAATE (Mr. Tripathy, Jagjivan Ram complains that you don't eat with him)".
Kamalapati replied - MADAM, MEIN AAP KE SAATH BHI NAHI KHAATA, WOH TO CHAMAAR HAI (Madam, I don't even eat with you, he is from a low caste of shoe makers). Indira, though born a Brahmin, lost her caste as well as religion after her marriage to Feroz Gandhi and was never allowed inside Lord Jaganntah Temple post marriage for same reason.
It also reminds me of an episode narrated to me by a friend, whose father retired as a senior bureaucrat in Delhi. He was in PMO when Indira Gandhi was at the helm of affairs. During Cabinet meetings, the ministers would break for lunch. Once, Indira Gandhi walked towards Kamalapati Tripathy, a Brahmin and Railway minister from Uttar Pradesh and asked him "Tripathy JEE. BABU JAGJIVAN RAM (a minister from Scheduled Caste in her cabinet) KEHTE HAIN KI AAP UNKE SAATH NAHI KHAATE (Mr. Tripathy, Jagjivan Ram complains that you don't eat with him)".
Kamalapati replied - MADAM, MEIN AAP KE SAATH BHI NAHI KHAATA, WOH TO CHAMAAR HAI (Madam, I don't even eat with you, he is from a low caste of shoe makers). Indira, though born a Brahmin, lost her caste as well as religion after her marriage to Feroz Gandhi and was never allowed inside Lord Jaganntah Temple post marriage for same reason.
This episode could be apocryphal but is accompanied by an underlying message. In this background, KHAKEE, the story of Bihari gangster and his relentless pursuit by a diligent police officer is a recommended watch unless you don't like violence and gory scenes.
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