The Indian caste system

"I guess you're a Hindu, right?" I asked boyfriend number 3 recently, as we're cuddling together after activities.

"Errr, yeah," he replies sleepily.

"So do you belong to a caste?"

I've known a bit about the caste system ever since my first trip to India in the 1990's. But I've never discussed it with any of the British Indian guys that I know.

"Yes of course," he replies, and he tells me the name of his caste. But although I can remember that the name of the priest caste is Brahmin, I can't remember the names of any of the others so I have to ask.

"The castes are things like priests, warriors and merchants aren't they? Is your caste one of those?"

"Uh huh," he replies waking up gradually, "but priest, soldier and so on is the coarsest categorisation, they've all got sub-categories. Why do you want to know?"

"Oh I don't know," I reply lazily. The truth, of course, is that I'm naturally quite a nosey person, but that doesn't seem like a suitable response!

"It's just that I've never asked any my Indian friends or colleagues about it," I continue. "Is it a highly personal question to ask an Indian guy? I don't know why, but I've always felt that asking a guy what his caste is might be like asking him his cock size! But I can discuss this all with you, can't I?"

"Of course, after all, I think you know my cock size!" he says grinning.

"Actually, I guess it might be seen as intrusive coming from you," he continues after a short pause. "Back in India of course, people still usually marry within their caste. But a question about caste coming from someone like YOU!"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, the British class system has some similarities with the caste system. So coming from a guy who's ethnically English, it sounds a bit like you want to categorise people into their class which is obviously a bit offensive!"

"I see what you mean!"

"Anyway, I love it when you cuddle me like this," he says sounding sleepy again, "it makes me feel special."

"Doesn't your main fella ever cuddle you like this then?"

"No not really."

"Well, I think you're special anyway!"

"Awwww thanks GB. I know you say that to all the boys but it's still nice :-)!"