7 Definition & Criteria of Caste System

Prof. Anup Kumar Kapoor

epgp books

 

Contents of this unit

  • Introduction
  • Leaning Outcomes
  • Overview of Caste & Caste System
  • Characteristic Features of the Caste System
  • Structural Components of the Caste System
  • Origin & History of the Caste System
  • Concept of Equality & Discrimination in the Caste System
  • Caste System Among Non-Hindus
  • Factors Affecting the Caste System in Contemporary India
  • Criteria of assigning the Caste & Enforcement of the Caste System
  • Summary

 

Learning Outcomes:-

 

After going through this module, you will be able to:

  • Define the Caste and Caste system
  • To describe the features of Caste system
  • To understand the structural components of Caste system
  • To differentiate between the Varna, Jati and Gotra
  • To define briefly the Jajmani System
  • To give a brief account of origin and history of Caste system
  • To understand the Concept of Equality and Discrimination within the Caste system
  • Define the Caste system among non-Hindu’s
  • State the factors influencing the Caste system in Contemporary India
  • To elaborate on the point- how enforcement of caste system taken place?
  • Lastly can easily build up the summary of the given structure of the Module.

 

Introduction:-

 

Indian society is an agglomeration or comprises of several thousand endogamous groups or castes which are simultaneously separated and connected to each other and possess a restricted geographical range and exhibit a hereditarily determined mode of subsistence. In comparison to various biological species, these reproductively isolated castes can be referred as biological community with each caste having its specific territory or niche.

 

Furthermore, territorial division of total range of caste regulated the intra-caste relationship and competitions. Caste is the sole or basic structural element of the Hindu society or of Hinduism.Caste simply refers to the combined social system of occupation, endogamy, culture, social class, and political power. Caste system encompasses aspects of both ‘culture’ and ‘society’; that is, it is both a symbolic system associated with the religion (Hinduism) and a set of rules and practices regulating social organization, interaction and power within the Indian society. And to summarize, caste membership is by birth. Caste status is ascriptive and unchanging for the individual as far as group-determined activities are concerned. This module exhibits the complete emphasis on the caste system and will provide the complete overview or basic knowledge of the caste system.

 

1. Overview of Caste& Caste System:-

 

  •  Defining the term “caste” is itself harder than thought to be. Sir Herbert Risley defines it as “a collection of families or groups of families bearing a common name; claiming a common descent from an ancestor, human or divine; professing to follow the same hereditary features; and regarded by those who are competent to give an opinion as forming a single homogeneous community”(Hutton, 47).
  •  It can also be defined as an endogamous and hereditary subdivision of an ethnic unit occupying a position of superior or inferior rank of social esteem in comparison with other such subdivisions and having a common name, common traditional occupation, common culture, relatively rigid in matters of mobility, distinctiveness of status and forming a single homogeneous community.
  • Whereas Caste system is defined as the system which comprises of a number of endogamous groups, recruited by birth; with heredity membership, which within the group determines many behavior, expectations, obligations and evaluation of individuals and determine their access to the valued statuses and activities in the society.
  • Thus, we can say that Caste System entails a ranking of people according to ascribed statuses; it provide rules regulating the inter-relationships between member of different castes and it creates mutual dependence of the castes through the division of labour, which implies that certain tasks can only be carried out by members of specific castes.
  • Underlying the caste are the values associated with notions of ritual purity and impurity or regarding ideology and religion, which serves to justify the segregation and division of labour between the castes. For example, only member of the Brahmin caste are entitled to lead religious rituals.
  • The relative position of Castes within the local ranking system can be seen symbolically acted on ritual occasions when people attend feasts. And the usual occasion for a feast is at the time of a life cycle ceremony, which is like birth, marriage, death or sometimes when a special ceremony is performed within a household.

 

2.    Characteristic Features of Caste System:-

 

Caste refers to the socially distinct endogamous groups which are simultaneously separated and connected with each other through three basic characteristics such as- separation regarding marriage & contact, division of the labour in each of the group; which represents a particular profession and finally, hierarchy, (which ranks the groups on a scale dividing them into high and low endogamous group or high and low castes).

 

However, within the changing situations caste has adapted to various features like less rigid structure, having link with political power and variation in the segmental division.

 

Here are all the characteristics features of the Caste System based on various changing patterns presented below:-

 

2.1 Ascriptiveness– A person’s caste was determined by birth. Caste membership could be taken away, by other caste members, for ‘violation of caste rules’. Marriage was also restricted to members of the same caste.

 

2.2 Endogamy- Marriage within a group is termed as endogamy. It indicates the marriage pattern of the members of caste within their own caste only. As the inter-caste marriage are prohibited within the caste system.

 

2.3 Division of Society– Indian society is socially stratified into various divisions largely based on the Caste. There are various castes having a well-developed life pattern established according to their caste.

 

2.4 Hierarchy- It simply entails the ranking pattern of people’s according to their caste statuses within the society, which is determined by the notions of purity and impurity within the occupations, are ranked from higher to lower positions. It indicates or represents a ladder like pattern of caste ranking where pure caste is ranked at the top whereas the impure caste placed at the bottom of the ladder. For example, As Brahmins performs the ritual and various other religious practices along with teaching, so their occupation considered to be of purest form; hence they are placed at the top while Sweeper whose occupation is comprises of cleaning and scavenging, is placed at the bottom within the hierarchical system because of impure occupation.

 

2.5 Commensality- Castes placed restrictions on eating and drinking with members of other castes. Actions like accepting food and drink took on a pure/impure caste value depending on the caste of the person within the hierarchical system. The commensality restrictions on a caste usually were an indicator on how they ranked in the social hierarchy.

 

2.6 Socio-Economic Interdependence or Association- Each caste exhibit a particular traditional occupation associated with their caste, which they cannot change over time. So each caste have to depend on various other castes for their survival, as a caste is only associated with one or two occupations only, whereas they need various other products and services to fulfill their needs which they can only get by associating with the other castes. For example, Baniyas are engaged in business, sometimes (like during marriage, birth etc.) need to perform rituals which they can only perform by associating with the Brahmins, as they have the expertise of priesthood, ritual performing and of teaching.

 

2.7 Purity and Impurity- It’s one of the most important feature of the caste system. As endogamous groups or castes are ranked according their ritual purity and pollution based on their terms of deeds, occupation, language, dress patterns and form of foodas well as the food habits. For example, liquor consumption, consuming non-vegetarian food, eating left-over food of high-castes, working in occupations like lifting dead animals, sweeping and carrying garbage etc. are considered to be impure.

 

2.8 Distinction in Customs- As each caste composed of distinct way of living life i.e. having its own customs, form of language or speech and dress code or pattern. As the high caste use the pure language (use literary words), whereas, the low caste use the local language (admixture of various words).

 

3.   Structural Components of the Caste System:-

 

3.1 Varna: Caste system as a hierarchy, divides the entire Hindu population into four main groups which are referred as Varna’s (a Sanskrit word meaning ‘colour’) ; Varna’s which also exhibit pan-Indic hierarchy are such as-

 

3.1.1Brahmins- which are referred as priests, who were entitled to study the holy books (Vedas), perform rites and rituals for themselves and for others and are obliged to observe the sacraments and as they have ritual performing occupation; are on the top of ranking system.

 

3.1.2Kshatriyas-are the warriors or the kings, who were commanded (by tradition) to protect the people, give gifts to the Brahmins, offer sacrifices to gods and dispense justice to the people (as judges or kings) generally have the second spot on ranking or hierarchy level.

 

3.1.3Vaishyas- are the merchants or businessman’s, who were entitled to do the work like lending money and trade related activities; having the third position on the ladder like hierarchical system.

 

3.1.4Shudras-are referred as the artisans and workers, who were the labor class and their only job was to serve the other three castes and having the last position within the ranking system.

 

Outside the proper Varna system, at the very bottom are the Untouchables, labeled thus by the British’s, because a high-caste person had to go through an elaborate purification ritual after touching such a polluting person.

 

Members of the three upper or highest Varna’s are referred as ‘twice-born’ because they have gone through a ceremony entailing spiritual re-birth.

 

3.2 Jati: The Indian anthropologist M.N.Srinivas wrote in early 1950s; that “the real unit of the caste system is not one of the four Varna’s, but the Jati, which is a very small endogamous group practicing a traditional occupation and enjoying a certain amount of cultural, ritual and judicial autonomy”

 

As the Jati is the small endogamous group having a kind of autonomy, are restricted to particular areas and not having the pan-Indic impact like the caste.

 

There are about more than thousands of Jati’s in India; they all represent a hereditary profession or occupation or craft and have the long-standing commitments with the other Jati’s within the area as well as a special place in the ritual-regional hierarchy. Most Jati’s are relatively small, but some are large and internally differentiated groups with asymmetrical alliance patterns between lineage segments.

 

Practical function of the Varna system is mainly to make it possible for the members of the local Jati’s to locate themselves in relation to the Jati’s in other parts of the country; additionally, it represents a fixed, abstract hierarchy and value system.

 

And as stated by M.N.Srinivas, every region has its own dominant Jati, as concept of Jati is highly localized. For example, In Haryana Brahmins are the element of joking.

 

According to M.N.Srinivas, principles of dominant Jati are represented through- largest land holding, numerical preponderance (highest in number), and most literate & economically prosperous and on the last are the first to make use of |English, education & of new occupations. If all the four conditions are satisfied then the Jati is referred as the dominant one.

 

3.3 Gotra: Gotra refers to the structural form of the clan; and exogamy of the endogamous group is defined through the Gotra. It’s one of the most important principle for the endogamy within the group.

 

3.4 Jajmani System: Jajmani System is referred as the system with which, those providing crafts, products and services to the dominant caste person, exchanging a share of crop yield on his land or rights over land use for the goods and the services through an exchange system. The client or the individual, who represents the ties of a Jati with the individual of the other Jati, is referred as the ‘Jajman’. That’s why the traditional Jati-based division of labour within an Indian Village is called the Jajmani System.

 

It consists of a set of traditional rules about the exchange of products and services between the members of different Jati. In other words, each Jati has specific commitments to the other Jati.

 

The Jajmani System is ideologically connected with and justified through the religion and thus contributes to maintaining notions about purity and impurity and about relative rank within the caste system.

 

For example, a landholding dominant Jati may have ten or twelve different families of other Jati providing it with goods and services within the Jajmani system, but a lower Jati may have only two or three families in comparison to the dominant Jati for good and services exchange.

 

Traditionally, little money circulated through the Jajmani system, which largely consisted of direct exchange of goods and services.

 

The exchange, though, is not just economic; there is always a ritual component in the relationship that is permanent and hereditary for both the parties and the Jati’s.

 

Again the ties in the Jajmani system binding families of different Jati’s, together can be seen at a life-cycle ritual or rites, such as at marriage or at the birth of a new child. In different villages and in different regions, the goods and services provided may vary, but the presence of the provider of the goods and services is necessary for the ceremony or ritual to be carried out.

 

 

4.   Origin & History of the Caste System:-

 

The term ‘Caste’ is not an Indian term, had its origin to the Portuguese term ‘casta’ which meaning is ‘chaste’- implies pure. Portuguese came in 16th century and after seeing or observing the rules of social organization, maintaining distances with each other to maintain a system of purity within the Indian society; leads them to coin the term ‘Caste’. And Caste System in itself is the system of maintaining the purity of the group.

 

There are various established theories which state the origin of Indian Caste system; some of them are religiously established while some are historically attained.

 

The religious theories related to the origin of Indian Caste system explain that according to the Rig-Veda, which is the ancient and one of the main Hindu-Veda out of four; that the primal man, Purush, destroyed himself to create ahuman society and with the different parts of his body created the four different Varna’s. The Brahmins were from his head, the Kshatriyas from his hands, the Vaishyas from his thighs, and the Shudras from his feet. The Varna hierarchy is determined by the descending order of the different organs with associated powers from which the Varna’s were created (Daniel).

 

Another religious theory claims that the Varna’s were created from the body organs of Brahma, who is the creator of the world in Hinduism. Whereas historically it is associated with the following period as follows-

 

 

4.1 Vedic Period (1500 BC-920 BC)-

 

Historically, it is believed that the caste system began with the arrival of the Aryans in India around 1500 BC (Daniel). Of the many cultures that flourished in India, the literary records of the Indo-Aryan culture are not the earliest. They do, however, contain the first mention and a continuous history of the factors that make up the caste system (Ghurye, 162-63).

 

The Aryans thought to be come from Southern Europe and parts of Asia with fair skin that contrasted with the indigenous natives. And when they arrived, their main contact was with the Dravidians; the only other culture whose records are dependable about the origins of the caste system are the Dravidians, but when that culture’s documents were put forwards, it had already been largely influenced by the Indo-Aryan tradition and culture.(Ghurye, 63).

 

In this period the Caste system was thought to be in the incipient form and three of main Varna’s start growing over time within the Indian society.

 

4.2 Post Vedic Period (900 BC-400 BC)-

 

After the Veda’s in this period, the development of the other Hindu literature was observed like of ‘Upanishads’ and ‘Brahmanas’. In this period, the hierarchical system of the four Varna’s is firmly established as the Aryans start mixing with the local descent and leads to the formation of the fourth, admixture group referred as the Shudra’s

 

One of the main regulations the Aryans began within this period was the exclusion of these Shudra’s from their religious worship. And making the distinction pattern of the Caste very clear, and later on within this period; assigning of the different jobs or activities or occupations in the Varna System according to the position of the groups had taken place. Emergence of Jainism is also thought to be associated with this period.

 

4.3 Mauryan Period (322 BC-185 BC)-

 

Mauryan period corresponds to the rulers such as- Chandragupta Maurya (322 BC-298 BC) and Ashoka (273 BC-233 BC) who were two most important rulers of India in this period. Both the rulers ‘follow the policy which was rigidly based on the toleration and universal brother-hood, which didn’t portray much emphasis on the things like caste barriers or geographical boundaries.

 

In this period, emergence of the Buddhism is also stated by various eminent scholars, as the caste system was not that much hardly forced on the people. Buddhism actually began as a reaction to the violence of Hindu society, including the brutality of the caste system. Buddhism concentrates not on the society, but on the individual, thus separating religion from the interests of the ruling and dominance.

 

Therefore, the caste system in this period is not that much rigidly established and people have the element of equality within their mind. Hence, the social system is not that much rigid in this time period.

 

4.4 Post-Mauryan Period (184 BC-670 AD)-

 

Post-Mauryan period to be associated with various rulers of parts of India from the year around 184 BC to the 670 AD, which comprises of the rulers of various dynasties like- Sunga dynasty, Satavahanas dynasty, Kushan dynasty, Pallava dynasty, Shaka’s dynasty, Huna’s dynasty, Chalukya dynasty and the Gupta dynasty along with various others.

 

This period also corresponds to the emergence of the ‘Yoga Sutra’ by Patanjali, Sumati Bhargava’s ‘Manu Code’ of Manusmriti (created around 100 BC to 100 AD) which prescribes the rules of everyday life and leads to the development of four Varna’s more strongly than ever before and divides the Hindu population into four major castes (Brahmins, Warriors, Farmers/traders and non-Aryans).

 

And with the emergence of Manu Smriti, Brahmins again were successful in organizing the supremacy within the Varna System and occupies the top spot in the hierarchical system and imposed various restrictions on the lower castes.

 

4.5 Medieval or Pre-Colonial Period (700 AD- 1750 AD)-

 

This period comprises of two of the most effluent periods with the ruling empires such as- Rajput’s and Muslim’s. There was not that much change occurs in the social structure but the caste disintegration was mainly observed, as the foreign ruler’s armies attacked India; consequently leads to the emergence of a large number of new caste and sub-caste. This makes the Brahmins aware of the situation, due to which Brahmins tightened their bonds of the caste and defend themselves by increasing the rigidity within the caste association.

 

And with the entry of the Muslim’s within the Indian Population makes the social structure more varied, but they are not accepted in the Hindu population; which brings a distinct change in the social structure in the form of multiplicity or admixing of the castes and finally leads to the rigid observance of the caste rules apart from the Muslim population.

 

4.6 Colonial Period ( 1750 AD-1947 AD)-

 

Colonial period refers to the period which marks the entry of British in India with ‘East India Company’ and after defeating the Bengal King, the British Government brought up some administrative and socio-economic policies which somehow affects the rigidity or the social structure of the Caste system.

 

As the fluidity of the Caste system is affected by the ‘British Government’ because their practice of divide and rule within the Indian population contributes to the hardening of the caste identities.

 

The government passed the various acts like ‘The Caste Disabilities Removal Act-1850′, ‘The Widow Remarriage Act-1856′, and ‘the Special Marriage Act- , 1872’ which marks the drastic changes in the Caste system.

 

In the same period, some of the social movement also affects the caste system like ‘The Arya Samaj Movement’, ‘The Dev Samaj’ and ‘The Sanatan Dharm Sabha’ and several other social-movements attacked the traditionally established ‘Caste System’, though some of the structural features were definitely affected.

 

4.7 Post-Colonial or Independence Period (1947 -till now)-

 

With the Introduction of the process like ‘Industrialization’ and ‘Urbanization’, Indian social structure or society moves through a drastic change which affects the Caste System and weakened its rigidity over time, as the people start migrating from the rural villages to the urban centres for more chances of a better carrier and various other services.

 

Rigidity of the caste system also affected by the introduction of new laws enacted by ‘Government of India’ like Article 15 – which ‘Prohibits discrimination on the grounds of religion, sex, place of birth, race and caste’, accounted the reduction in the rigidity of the Caste system.

 

Though the scholars like, Majumdar D.N. (l956), SrinivasM.N. (l961), Ghurye (1961) and others have stated that, the caste system is fastly changing and is weakening over time, but it is not being disintegrated or abolished.

 

5.    Concept of Equality and Discrimination in the Caste System:-

 

Concept of equality and discrimination goes hand-in-hand within the Caste system. As the concept of equality is mainly established in the context of disparities created by hard or rigid structure of the Caste System. Social disparities or inequalities are manifested in various ways within the Indian society.

 

Equality refers to the situation in which all the individuals thought to have ‘equal’ status apart from the differences created by the different or varying cultural, social, and hierarchical parameters existing within the society.

 

Whereas discrimination refers to the condition in which pre-decided or prejudiced or abnormal behavior is observed against any particular individual(s) because of his/her caste ranking or position through the unequal, regressive, abnormal and undemocratic characteristics of the Caste System.

 

 

5.1 Concept of Equality-

 

The concept of ‘equality’ is not that much simple as it appears to the whole world because there is no society existing in the whole world where all individuals are wholly ‘equal’.

 

“Equality” is basically an ideal situation or condition which accepted by all the progressive and enlightened societies and individuals; but it’s not a social reality. In Indian society the element of equality not exist whether we like it or not but caste is a hard reality. As any reader can see advertisements of literate and professional individuals within the newspaper’s matrimonial columns for seeking marriage from the opposite sex belonging to the same caste.

 

For example, Levels of the indifference, inequality and hostility w.r.t the lower castes/dalits/tribals cultural traits and to value systems are quite high in comparison to the upper caste individuals or groups.

 

The Concept of Equality have its origin associated with the marking events happened within past 250 years like French Revolution, Russian Revolution, Chinese Revolution and struggles of Abraham Lincoln. Equality came about with the events like fights for democratic rights and various lower strata peoples, workers movement of the time.

 

The Equality concept in India is thought to be of Western type as it was introduced by the British within our Constitution and is based on the facts which happened there.

 

For example, The policy of reservation introduced by the Indian politicians with a view of eliminating the Caste-based inequality in our society but this criteria only able to handle the ‘economic disparity’ not the others inequalities existing in the society like cultural, social and hierarchical indifferences; which was based on the situation; Marxist interpreted that the tension between the ‘capitalist’ and ‘working’ class became widely accepted, due to this a theory emerges that “true equality” can only be established when ‘working class’ comes to the power and exterminates the barrier created by the ‘capitalist class’.

 

 

5.2 Concept of Discrimination-

 

As previously stated, concept of discrimination goes against the socially, culturally and universally accepted values of democracy and human rights given in our Constitutions. Discrimination is the result of the disparity created in the mind and conscience of an individual and is particularly operates within a particular situation.

 

The Injustice, indifference and inequality in India exist in various drastic or worst ever forms due to the social stratification and hierarchy in society which are somehow directly linked to the religion, culture and caste. But this somehow affected by the laws enacted by the constitution of India as a compensatory measure in order to clarify and correcting the wrong happened with the lower castes/ST’s/SC’s or dalits within the society.

 

However, the institution and practices existing in the Caste System have repeatedly proved to the barrier for the lower castes/tribes to achieve the democratic rights or constitutional principles.

 

For example, the practice of Untouchability, socially constructed preferring to the Lower castes peoples, which makes the high caste peoples to dictates over them.

 

 

6.   Caste System Among Non-Hindus:-

 

The description of the features of the Caste System given in above paragraphs, is simplistic and sometimes misleading because it should be noted that there are also non-Hindus who belongs to the castes; India’s approximately 130 million Muslims have their own caste system and many other ethnic groups/tribes are castes which are tend to be classified and treated as untouchables. Due to which caste system in India is of highly abstract nature.

 

As the Muslim population is majorly divided into two groups Shia and Sunni, and exhibit the different occupation within different regions and referred according to that occupation and prescribed as the Caste of that particular occupation. For example, small Muslim populations doing the work as a barber are referred as ‘Nai” or “Nai Caste”. Whereas there are various others small groups associated with different occupation and called by that occupational caste.

 

7.   Factors affecting the Caste System in Contemporary India:-

 

Caste System has a religious or spiritual and a practical social aspect. It has significance for the religious position of the people and their ritual practices, for their marriages & alliances and for their possibilities in the professional sphere of life.

 

It is nevertheless impossible to maintain the caste system intact or unaltered in the contemporary India but there are various factors influencing the caste system.

 

As nowadays, in India, it can be difficult to establish or to make the Jajmani system functional according to traditional practices because of the following factors given below-

 

7.1  Monetary Economy- The monetary economy has made it possible-(now widespread)- to buy all kinds of commodities and services from the people with whom there is no jajmani relationship;

 

7.2 New Occupations- The changes in Indian society have created a large number of occupations which are not bound or legitimated through the Jati system;

 

7.3 Capitalist Market- The incorporation of the Indian villages into the ‘capitalist market’ and the state bureaucracy has weakened the ties between Jati’s;

 

7.4 Status of Individual- In many context wage-workers are hired on the basis of qualifications (achieved status) rather than on the basis of ascribed status or the caste;

 

7.5 Authorities- Indian authorities, actively try to level out the differences between castes through the introduction of reservation or quota system for SC’s, ST’s and OBC’s in the public sector;

 

7.6  Industrialization & Urbanization- Due to the emergence of Industrialization, urban centres starts growing near the industrial areas leads to the process of; Urbanization which makes it difficult to

 

Definition & Criteria Of Caste System

 

classify the people one meets and make possible for many lower castes Indian population individual’s to escape from the stigmatized identity by moving to the urban centres where nobody knows them;

 

7.7 Sanskritization- Introduction of the process like Sanskritization, by which any low caste could adapt to the behavior pattern, style of life, culture and position of high caste and claiming membership of the higher caste but they have to leave the inappropriate or impure activities like meat eating and taking liquor etc.;

 

7.8 Westernization- With the process the like Westernization affects the caste system by adaption of people to the western life style, language, dress pattern and behavior pattern as well. Which actually indicated by the features like- material interest, reliance on modern technologies and facilities, English-medium education and high social mobility etc.;

 

7.9 Dominant Caste- And lastly by the measure like Dominant caste, which dominates over other castes in a particular area; starts growing rapidly in contemporary India with lower castes people’s group using this procedure in their confined area and not just confined to high caste people, also affects the caste system structure.

 

8.   Criteria of assigning the Caste and enforcement of Caste System:-

 

The Caste System is actually enforced or accounted by certain rules and practices, which are considered as the main pillars of the deciding path (dharma) of the Caste system. The force of tradition, religious beliefs& practices along with the fear of punishment also played an important role in its success. Some of these factors and criteria which help in assigning the caste and enforcing of the caste system over the population are explained in detail-

 

 

8.1 Heredity pattern: As the caste system is based on birth membership. People inherited caste from their parents and passed it on to their children. Individuals had no right to change their caste. But they could be exterminated from the caste.

 

8.2 Rules prescribed by Caste: Certain caste rules are enforced strictly through the fear of political and religious authority which marks the success of the system; which somehow certainly depends upon the performance of duties prescribed for each caste. People of higher castes enjoyed privileges but are also expected to be good role models for the whole society.

 

8.3 Marriage pattern: As the caste system prohibits marriages outside one’s caste to avoid inter mixture of the castes, which considered being a sign of decline of dharma. So this factor is also responsible for influencing the individual by the rigid caste system.

 

8.4 Socially prescribed Treatment: The three upper castes enjoyed distinct advantages in society compared to the Shudras or lowest strata of the Castes whose job is to serve the three upper castes and live like fourth class citizens. As people who has born in the upper three castes given initiation into the study of the Vedas and treated as twice born individual, while Shudras are not allowed to study or even hear the Vedas. Shudra’s are treated on par with animals and considered only once borne. The laws prescribed lighter punishments for higher castes whereas the lower castes who had technically little power influence against the former in criminal cases; for the same committed, a lower caste person might attract physical torture, slavery, or death penalty.

 

9. Summary-

 

So now according to above explanations we can summarize the fact that-

  • Indian Caste System is an age-old phenomenon of Indian society which plays a significant role in shaping the current structure of Indian Society.
  • With religious and cultural traits being the constant push factor for the Caste or current Stratification system, beginning with the Aryan invasion till now with the elements like unfortunate discrimination, segregation, violence, and inequality influencing the existing society of India.
  • Caste system comprises of several components like Varna, Jati, Gotra and the Jajmani System; which differentiates the entire population into parts on hierarchical level or ranking system.
  • Numerous social movements challenges the injustices associated with the caste system and have encouraged individuals in India to be more civil towards other caste members and leading somehow to the building of element like “Equality”.
  • Many of the lower castes have gained a lot from the partial elimination of the caste system.
  • The Caste System might have served its purpose in ancient times, but does not fit into the values and principles of modern times, such as democracy, fundamental rights, individual freedom, equality and non-discrimination.
  • And it can also be observed that the caste system also been an important factor within the dynamics of social and political India.

 

 

However, the relationship between caste and hereditary occupations has become less significant now, because of the various modernized factors like- westernization, urbanization, dominant caste and so on.

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Refernces:

  • Ghurye (1961) ‘Caste, Class and Occupation’, -Popular Prakashan, Bombay. spp. 2-19.
  • Ahuja Ram (1999), ‘Indian Social System’, Rawat Publication, New Delhi: 228.
  • Srinivas M.N. (1962), ‘Caste in Modern India and other Essays’, Media Publishers, Bombay.
  • Majumdar D.N. (1958), ‘Caste and Communication In an Indian Village’, Asia Publishing House, Bombay.
  • Srinivas, M. N. 1989. ‘The Cohesive Role of Sanskritization and Other Essays’. Delhi: Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Hutton, J. H. ‘Caste in India: Its Nature, Function and Origins.’ Bombay: Indian Branch, OxfordUP, 1963. Print.
  • Smith, Brian K. ‘Classifying the Universe: the Ancient Indian Varna System and the Origins of Caste.’ New York: Oxford UP, 1994. Print.
  •  Sharma, V.K. ‘Caste, class and society’ Jaipur: Book Enclave, 2007; Roshan Offset Printers,Delhi. Print.
  • Jaiswal,  Suvira.  ‘Caste:  Origin,  functions  and  dimensions  of  change’  New  Delhi:  Manohar Publishers & Distributors, 1998; Rajkamal Electric Press, Delhi. Print.