JAYANTI SRIVASTAVA - WEEK 7
Of Rasoi ka kaam/bathroom ka kaam
- Sonal Sharma
In the article Of Rasoi ka kaam/bathroom ka kaam, author Sonal Sharma talks about how there has always existed a distinction, or a divide between what is "pure" and what is "polluted". This divide exists in various forms; through caste, class, and even gender. There is always a line, within all these aspects, defining what is considered to be pure, and what is impure, or polluted. Sharma points out the existence of this distinction through an example of our daily life - domestic work. In households, "Rasoi", or kitchen work is considered to be pure while the bathroom is considered to be polluted. So, people from the lower castes are employed for the purposes of cleaning the bathrooms, and they are never allowed to enter the kitchen, or certain parts of the house, so that they don't pollute it. These people are mostly from the untouchable caste groups so it has also been embedded in their brains that they cannot touch anything, or anyone belonging to the upper caste, which works out very conveniently for the upper castes. These workers are treated as dirt. In her article, the author speaks of Mary Douglas, who says dirt is a "matter out of place", and that pollution, or uncleanliness is caused when this "dirt" is in places where it should not be - just how the "untouchables" "pollute" an area when they are somewhere that they should not be.
Of Rasoi ka kaam/bathroom ka kaam
- Sonal Sharma
In the article Of Rasoi ka kaam/bathroom ka kaam, author Sonal Sharma talks about how there has always existed a distinction, or a divide between what is "pure" and what is "polluted". This divide exists in various forms; through caste, class, and even gender. There is always a line, within all these aspects, defining what is considered to be pure, and what is impure, or polluted. Sharma points out the existence of this distinction through an example of our daily life - domestic work. In households, "Rasoi", or kitchen work is considered to be pure while the bathroom is considered to be polluted. So, people from the lower castes are employed for the purposes of cleaning the bathrooms, and they are never allowed to enter the kitchen, or certain parts of the house, so that they don't pollute it. These people are mostly from the untouchable caste groups so it has also been embedded in their brains that they cannot touch anything, or anyone belonging to the upper caste, which works out very conveniently for the upper castes. These workers are treated as dirt. In her article, the author speaks of Mary Douglas, who says dirt is a "matter out of place", and that pollution, or uncleanliness is caused when this "dirt" is in places where it should not be - just how the "untouchables" "pollute" an area when they are somewhere that they should not be.
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