Understanding the Understanding the Hindu Caste SystemHindu Caste System

What is it and when did What is it and when did it start? it start?

India’s caste system India’s caste system is perhaps the is perhaps the world’s longest world’s longest surviving social surviving social hierarchy hierarchy

– Hierarchy- a system Hierarchy- a system of ranking (ex. Upper of ranking (ex. Upper class, middle class, class, middle class, lower class)lower class)

– It is supposedly more It is supposedly more than 2000 years old. than 2000 years old.

– The caste system is The caste system is part of the Hindu part of the Hindu religion.religion.

Does your culture Does your culture believe in social believe in social mobility mobility (movement)?(movement)?

Gandhi fought for rights for Untouchables

The Caste SystemThe Caste System A person is A person is

considered a considered a member of the member of the caste into which he caste into which he or she is born and or she is born and remains within that remains within that caste until death.caste until death.

You are born into You are born into your caste your caste depending on your depending on your karma. karma.

VARNASVARNAS According to the Hindu According to the Hindu

religion, society should religion, society should be divided into four be divided into four classes called classes called VARNASVARNAS. . A person had the same A person had the same varnavarna that his or her that his or her parents had. And he or parents had. And he or she had it from birth to she had it from birth to death — there was no death — there was no way to change it. Hindus way to change it. Hindus did not question the did not question the varnavarna system. It was system. It was simply considered a part simply considered a part of the way the universe of the way the universe works. works.

The UntouchablesThe Untouchables There is a fifth major class in Hinduism, There is a fifth major class in Hinduism,

but it is considered so low that it doesn't but it is considered so low that it doesn't even qualify as a even qualify as a varnavarna. Most people call . Most people call it the "it the "UNTOUCHABLEUNTOUCHABLE" class because " class because its members are forbidden to touch its members are forbidden to touch anyone who belongs to one of the four anyone who belongs to one of the four varnasvarnas. If a Brahmin priest touches an . If a Brahmin priest touches an untouchable, he or she must go through untouchable, he or she must go through a ritual in which the a ritual in which the pollution, pollution, dirt, is dirt, is washed away. washed away.

UntouchablesUntouchables Untouchables do all the most Untouchables do all the most

unpleasant work in South Asia. unpleasant work in South Asia. They are forced to live on the They are forced to live on the outskirts of towns and villages, and outskirts of towns and villages, and they must take water downstream they must take water downstream from and not share wells with from and not share wells with varnavarna Hindus. Hindus.

They are also forbidden by caste They are also forbidden by caste Hindus to enter places of worship. Hindus to enter places of worship. They are made to dig the graves, They are made to dig the graves, dispose of dead animals, clean dispose of dead animals, clean human waste, and to wash and use human waste, and to wash and use separate tea pots at neighborhood separate tea pots at neighborhood tea shops, all because—due to tea shops, all because—due to their caste status—they are their caste status—they are deemed dirty and therefore deemed dirty and therefore “untouchable.” Any attempt to “untouchable.” Any attempt to fight the social order is met with fight the social order is met with violence or economic retaliation. violence or economic retaliation.

Some Caste RulesSome Caste Rules Each Each varnavarna must observe certain rules of must observe certain rules of

puritypurity. The Brahmins are considered so . The Brahmins are considered so pure that they may pure that they may nevernever eat food eat food prepared by anyone but another Brahmin. prepared by anyone but another Brahmin. This means that Brahmins cannot go to a This means that Brahmins cannot go to a restaurant without a Brahmin staff. Also, restaurant without a Brahmin staff. Also, marriage outside one's marriage outside one's varnavarna is usually is usually forbidden.forbidden.

Women can usually marry up, however, Women can usually marry up, however, allowing for some social mobility. allowing for some social mobility.

How about jobs?How about jobs? Along with Varnas, you are also Along with Varnas, you are also

born into JATI’sborn into JATI’s

A JATI was a profession or a job. A JATI was a profession or a job.

There are different There are different jatisjatis for every for every kind of job, such as blacksmith, kind of job, such as blacksmith, farmer, shoemaker, and farmer, shoemaker, and accountant. accountant.

Under the caste system, parents Under the caste system, parents knew the jobs their kids would hold knew the jobs their kids would hold even before the kids were born. even before the kids were born.

To get good karma you must live To get good karma you must live well in your jati. well in your jati.

Today jati might not determine Today jati might not determine your profession but these groups your profession but these groups still exist. still exist. A member of the

warrior class

Ending the Caste System Mohandas Mohandas

(Mahatma) Gandhi(Mahatma) Gandhi Mahatma was Mahatma was

from the Vaishya from the Vaishya varna.varna.

Published Published magazines and magazines and advocated for the advocated for the Untouchables. Untouchables.

Other leaders Other leaders that tried to end that tried to end the caste system the caste system are are

BuddhaBuddha

NehruNehru

Castes and Castes and today! today! The caste system is The caste system is

officially illegal in officially illegal in India. India.

In 1962, a law was In 1962, a law was passed making it passed making it illegal to discriminate illegal to discriminate against the against the untouchable castes.untouchable castes.

Untouchables are Untouchables are still not treated very still not treated very well!! well!!