Anidiosyncrasy of India is the caste system, or so I Athought. I had only heard of
the Brahmans and the Harijans and was eager to observe it first hand, but it is not so obvious here in Bangalore. As the 'IT hub' is globalizing more and more, the categorizing of people according to birth seems to be fading, but another group of 'untouchables' seem to be emerging. HIV/ AIDS is infiltrating India at every level of the caste system(without regard to the caste system) and is ostracizing yet another group of society.

As the most populous country in the world, India has now become the host for most HIV/ AIDS victims and the statistics are continuing to rise. It will be interesting to observe how this country handles this devastating pandemic because if the same concept as the caste system is applied, then millions of patients will be left to suffer with their lot in life.

Are not all humans entitled to love? Even a disease as malicious and fatal as AIDS permits its victims to feel love - to be touchable - yet it is we who choose not to reach out. After interviewing several students in the Karnataka area, the fear of
transmission of the HIV virus seems to be the most obvious threat that holds people back from really loving and caring for one another. The majority find it difficult to believe that the HIV virus can not be contracted via physical touch. However, several schools and teachers are taking the initiative to touch the "untouchables." Many nongovernmental organizations such as ACCEPT are taking the lead in breaking the misconception that physical contact leads to transfer of HIV/ AIDS. Even after learning of the ways that this virus can be transmitted, people are still skeptical about touch and perhaps only time and continuous effort to touching the untouchables will correct the mistaken belief of so many here.