The caste question

This refers to the article titled "Burning Sanskrit books" published on June 4, 2000, TKP.

The author wrote "Swami Prapannacharya is an example who is a profound scholar of Sanskrit though he belongs to low caste (Rai) group in our society". He further adds, "he was born in a socially and economically backward family at a time when Sanskrit was thought to be the language spoken by Brahmins only".

This is very insulting and he has no right to insult by calling Rais low caste people or socially and economically backward. Nepal is Rais’ homeland and they are indigenous people. Nobody says "Rais are low caste people". Had the author had some affection towards Sanskrit, he would not have written the article in English. All Nepali scholars cannot understand English. Why did the author write in a language which Sanskrit scholars do not understand?

When the battle of Mahabharat was fought, Kirant people were reigning in the Himalayas. The term "Rai" was given by the late Prithvi Narayan Shah and it means King, not low caste people. How could the author claim that Rais are low caste people?

Gopi Rai,
Kathmandu