Recently, I saw the trailer of a movie called Article 15. From what I get from the trailer, it is about the caste system and how deeply rooted it is in our Indian society with the backdrop of the double rape and murder of two sisters that had happened some time back, in Badaun.

To be honest, in all my life, I've never really understood this concept of division among people on whatever basis, be it religion, caste, race or gender, or any other such division. While growing up, I was never taught or told about these things. I studied at a missionary school where we were never taught to discriminate. Same goes for my house. I had more Muslim friends than Hindus at a point in school.

The first time I ever heard of such a thing as caste was when I was in 1st standard, from the mouth of a friend of mine. She had asked me what my caste was. Innocent little me had replied, 'Hindu'. Now that I look back and think of it, I'm quite proud of my innocence and nativity. But, back then, I was made to feel as if I was a fool to not know my caste.

As a result, I asked my parents about it. Turns out I come from a caste that classifies as OBC and my friends came under the general category the so-called upper castes. My 'friends' made me feel as if they were doing me a favour by continuing to be my friend even after knowing my caste. 7 years old was confused and couldn't understand why my caste or their caste made any difference to our friendship.

Later on, when we were taught about the origin of caste system in school, I was even more confused as to how, a distinction made on the basis of occupation, turned into such a rigid division, that people are ready to kill in its name. Like I said earlier, I've never understood this caste based division.

I don't know the caste of any of my friends. It simply doesn't matter. There's so much more to a person than their caste or their religion. I hope people understand this and stop discriminating against each other. (I would also like to add that I am no more in touch with those 'friends' of mine.)