Moving to India – Caste System

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Although the Indian caste system is slowly disintegrating, it is still deeply rooted in the culture of India.
Even though thought caste-discrimination has been outlawed since 1962, it still plays a role in society.
In larger cities, you will find members of different castes marrying and dining together.
In smaller rural areas, where 70 percent of India’s population resides, the caste system is still strictly followed.

There are four “varnas” that are recognized and if an individual is not a member of one of these castes, he or she is considered an outcast or untouchable.
Within the four varnas, there are thousands of sub-castes that further describe a person’s lineage.
Individuals are born into a caste and they cannot marry into a higher caste to improve their status.
As a matter of fact, when a member of a higher caste marries someone in a lower caste, the caste council usually drops the person in the higher caste’s status.

The highest caste is the Brahmins, or teachers, scholars and priests.
The second highest caste is the Kshatriyas, who are the rulers and the warriors.
The Vaishyas make up the third caste, who are the farmers and traders.
The Shudras, who are the lowest of the four castes, are the laborers and artisans.
The untouchables, or Harijans, are not considered to be part of the caste system and are left with the worst jobs and positions in life.

Brahmans are expected to be peaceful and spiritual and were even given the same status as cows in the Hindu religion.
Cows are considered to be divine, so this is quite the honor.
They are also often expected to follow vegetarian diets and traditionally they could not eat tomatoes, onions or garlic.
They have very strict eating restrictions, and cannot eat or accept food from members outside of their caste.

Kshatriyas, who are considered second in the caste system, actually have the power.
They are strong fighters and rulers.
Even though the caste system has been outlawed, many members of this caste still practice politics because of their ruling history.

Vaishyas are supposed to be busy savvy because of their history in commerce.
They were usually associated with wealth because they comprised the merchant class.

Shudras, although not on the same level as untouchables, are still faced with a lot of discrimination.
They do not have the same rights as the three higher castes and were forced to use different temples and public facilities.

The Harijans worked in unhealthy conditions in unpleasant jobs such as disposing of the dead.
They usually lived in extreme poverty and were even banned from temple worship.
Higher castes would not interact with them and had to get their food and water from different sources.
They were not allowed to touch people in higher classes, even with their shadow.
In some regions, these members of society were even expected to ring bells to warn members of higher castes that they were within range.
Such extreme repression was eventually made illegal.
Within the outcastes, there were sub-castes that had similar restrictive social positions.
Today, this group refers to themselves as Dalit, which is a Hindi word meaning oppressed.
This group makes up about 16 percent of India’s population.

Today, the caste system is still seen in some facets of society even in larger cities.
Changes can’t occur overnight, so there is social discrimination that still takes place but it’s getting better!
Today some Shudras, who are members of the lowest caste, are high officials, teachers and even politicians.
Different castes marrying members of other castes is more common and there are not the severe repercussions that once took place.
Dining with members of other castes is much more common.
Education is now open to all castes and is free, so members of lower castes now have opportunities to change their path in life.