What Is The Caste System?What Is The Caste System? Indian society developed into a Indian society developed into a

complex system based on class and complex system based on class and castecaste•Caste is based on the idea that Caste is based on the idea that

there are separate kinds of humansthere are separate kinds of humans•Higher-caste people consider Higher-caste people consider

themselves purer (closer to themselves purer (closer to moksha) than lower-caste people.moksha) than lower-caste people.

There are five different levels in the There are five different levels in the Indian Caste system.Indian Caste system.•Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya,

Shrujra, and, Harijans.Shrujra, and, Harijans.

How it developedHow it developed Influenced by economic and social Influenced by economic and social

factors, the caste system became a factors, the caste system became a traditional, hereditary system of social traditional, hereditary system of social stratification stratification

the varnas (or Castes which define the the varnas (or Castes which define the group's social standing in marital and group's social standing in marital and occupational matters) are Brahmans occupational matters) are Brahmans (scholar caste), Kshatriya (warrior caste), (scholar caste), Kshatriya (warrior caste), Vaisya (trader and agriculturist caste), Vaisya (trader and agriculturist caste), and Sudra (worker and cultivator caste). and Sudra (worker and cultivator caste).

The RulesThe Rules The rules are meant to help people The rules are meant to help people

remain spiritually pure.remain spiritually pure.•Rules are especially strict for the Rules are especially strict for the

members of higher castes, who are members of higher castes, who are considered especially pure.considered especially pure.

•They would risk pollution if they They would risk pollution if they interacted with a lower caste member.interacted with a lower caste member.

•Ex. Some castes were thought to be so Ex. Some castes were thought to be so impure that their shadow would impure that their shadow would pollute others so they had to strike a pollute others so they had to strike a wooden clapper to warn others of their wooden clapper to warn others of their approach.approach.

Rules, Rules, Rules, and more Rules, Rules, Rules, and more RulesRules

You are born into your caste and your You are born into your caste and your caste will determine your job (parents caste will determine your job (parents knew what jobs their children would knew what jobs their children would have before they were born.)have before they were born.)

Traditionally people only marry Traditionally people only marry members of the same caste although members of the same caste although marriage outside of ones caste was not marriage outside of ones caste was not unheard of. In fact, having a woman unheard of. In fact, having a woman marry a man of a higher marry a man of a higher varnavarna is a way is a way for a family to achieve social mobility.for a family to achieve social mobility.

BrahmanBrahman Brahmans were considered the Brahmans were considered the

scholars and priests of the caste scholars and priests of the caste system.system.•Also frequently cooks because they Also frequently cooks because they

could only eat food prepared by could only eat food prepared by BrahmansBrahmans

The highest castes in the systemThe highest castes in the system

KshatriyaKshatriya These people are the ruler These people are the ruler

(kings), warrior (military), and (kings), warrior (military), and landowner of the caste systemlandowner of the caste system

VaishyaVaishya

These people These people are the are the merchants merchants and and cultivators of cultivators of the caste the caste system.system.

(They feed (They feed the people)the people)

Sudra (Shudra)Sudra (Shudra) These are the These are the

skilled people skilled people in the caste in the caste system known system known as the artisans as the artisans (craftsmen) and (craftsmen) and agriculturalist agriculturalist (farmers)(farmers)

Also the Also the laborerslaborers

HarijanHarijan This is the lowest class of the This is the lowest class of the

caste system, called caste system, called “untouchables”“untouchables”

Given this name because at a Given this name because at a point they were known to be the point they were known to be the dirtiest people in the system and dirtiest people in the system and they were not fit to be touchthey were not fit to be touch• If a Brahmin priest touches an If a Brahmin priest touches an

untouchable, he or she must go untouchable, he or she must go through a ritual in which the through a ritual in which the pollution is washed away.pollution is washed away.

HarijanHarijan 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

Hindus think that a person is born to Hindus think that a person is born to this class because of bad karma he this class because of bad karma he or she earned in a pervious life. or she earned in a pervious life.

The Indian Caste The Indian Caste SystemSystem

Modern Caste SystemModern Caste System ““The Indian caste system is gradually The Indian caste system is gradually

relaxing, especially in metropolitan and relaxing, especially in metropolitan and other major urban areas, due to higher other major urban areas, due to higher penetration of high education, co-penetration of high education, co-existence of all communities and lesser existence of all communities and lesser knowledge about caste system due to knowledge about caste system due to alienation with rural roots of people. But alienation with rural roots of people. But in the countryside and small towns, this in the countryside and small towns, this system is still very rigid. However, the system is still very rigid. However, the total elimination of caste system seems total elimination of caste system seems distant, if ever possible, due to caste distant, if ever possible, due to caste politics.”politics.”

www.csuchico.eduwww.csuchico.edu www.member.tripod.comwww.member.tripod.com www.krishna.orgwww.krishna.org www.gbgm-umc.orgwww.gbgm-umc.org