The Caste System of India - Essay Example

?The Caste System of India Introduction Many different societies have ways of organizing people, and Indian/Hindu society uses a hierarchical system known as the caste system. An individual is a member of the same caste as his or her parents, as it is genealogical and hereditary in nature. This caste is extremely important to many Hindu believers because it dictates many aspects of daily life, including occupation, dwellings and friendships and marriage (Singh, 2005). The reason that the caste system is so important to many Indians is that it is associated with many of the spiritual elements of the major national religion, Hinduism. It is linked to a concept called the four varnas, which will be covered in more detail below. The caste system comes about from an innate (something that a being is born with) spiritual place in the universe based upon these four varnas. The purpose of this paper is to investigate and evaluate the caste system in India and it’s relationships to Hinduism to provide a general overview of this important aspect of Indian life. The paper will also explore how important this system is for many Indians, and the changes that are being made to the system in response to global political change. Overview of the Caste System To fully understand the caste system of India, the specific consideration of different spiritual aspects is needed. Perhaps the most important part of the caste system is based around the central concept of the four varnas, which are large categories. The first of these (and the most highly regarded) is the Brahmin class. The usual translation for this caste is scholarly, representing the important role that this caste plays in religious and philosophical occupations within India (Fuller, 1979). The next most highly regarded caste is the Kshatriya, representing what could be considered a military elite or warrior class. The purpose of this caste in Hindu society is to protect society (Fuller, 1979). The third most important class according to the varnas is the Vaishya class. This is the pastoral or farming class, with many of the occupations of its members revolving around livestock and crop farming. This caste may also take up trade careers (Chandra, 2005). Finally, Shudra individuals are seen as part of the servant class. People born into this caste may typically expect to have jobs serving the members of the other three castes (Chandra, 2005). There is also a final group which may not be seen as part of the traditional caste system, for individuals who are not members of any other group. These people are known as the untouchables and can occupy some of the least favourable positions in society and can be ignored by members of any caste (Pruthi, 2004). There are also further divisions within each caste which are known as jatis (Singh, 2005). These can vary between Indian regions, but family members tend to remain within one jati (which dictates occupation). It is also traditional for jati members to marry within a group and carry on an occupation lineage, as with the much broader caste system described above (Singh, 2005). Each jati will fit with other ‘tribes’ into the more general caste system outlined above. These groups tend to be much smaller but still very close-knit in nature, which has led some people to call the jati the ‘building blocks’ of Indian society (Pruthi, 2004). It can be fairly difficult to move between jatis, as with castes, because intermarriage and communication between the groups is not generally encouraged (Pruthi, 2004). It may also be difficult for a member of one jati to learn the trade of another, again prohibiting movement between the groups (Pruthi, 2004). It is possible for a jati as a whole to improve social status by avoiding untouchables and unpleasant work and taking on more priestly ways (such as following the Hindu practices of vegetarianism, for example). History of the Caste System There is some debate about the origination of the caste system. As it has such close ties to Hinduism, it makes sense to evaluate the Hindu scriptures for references to a caste system or the Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. However, many scholars argue that the Vedas (one of many important Hindu texts) do not actually place that much importance on the caste system, although it is mentioned in the Purushasukta (Fuller, 1979). This means that many who have argued against the logic of the caste system and its place in Indian life suggest that it may be un-Hindu to place people into such prescriptive categories (Fuller, 1979). It could also be suggested that there is a strongly societal (rather than religious) reason behind the caste, as part of a way of ordering people and maintaining the local tribal systems. Another important Hindu text is the Bhagavad Gita, which is a later text than the Vedas. In this text, a vital part of many Hindu’s beliefs (Fuller, 1979), the caste system is stated to have come from God and therefore should hold together the Indian society (Fuller, 1979). However, the Bhagavad Gita also places an emphasis on personal strengths and qualities. A person who is born good and knowledgeable would therefore become a Brahmin, regardless of his or her parent’s caste (Singh, 2005). This appears to be a much fairer way of assigning the caste system whilst still maintaining a use for the hierarchical system found in earlier Vedic texts (Chandra, 2005). The Manusmriti is another important Hindu work which contains references to the caste system. It is presented as a conversation between a great sage (known as Manu) and a group of important people. Manu encourages the people to group themselves into an organized system, which would dictate their careers and lifestyles. This would help society avoid collapse and serious problems, because it is the best way to organize a people. Again, this discourse suggests that movement between castes is possible and encouraged (Pruthi, 2004). As these Hindu texts suggest that movement between castes is possible, it is interesting to consider were the rigid and unchangeable nature of the current caste system comes from. Many argue that the British Raj era played an important part in ensuring that movement between caste levels was not possible (Pruthi, 2004). This is thought to be because the British started up a typical census procedure, which relied on the caste and jati groupings as a way of accounting for everyone (Pruthi, 2004). Under this system, it would be impossible for someone to move in or out of a caste on a semi-legal basis, because they would then not be accounted for under this new census. However, it is evident that there was some presence of a caste system before the British rule in India, and many British influential figures were concerned with maintenance of local traditions and customs rather than imposing this rule (Pruthi, 2004). It is difficult to say definitively the effect British rule has had on the caste system, but it is safe to say there were some long-lasting changes made. The Caste System in Modern India In modern times, the caste system is still present in India, although in a form that may not be recognizable to those identifying it from prominent Hindu texts. Many prominent Indian figures, such as Ghandi, feel that the system is un-Hindu because it creates social stratification (Singh, 2005). Since the 1940s, there have been various movements to expose the caste system and make movements to change its influence within Indian society, mostly because of its perceived injustice (Singh, 2005). The Dalit people (or historically the untouchables) represent a huge portion of the Indian population (around 15%), which makes them important political forces (Chandra, 2005). Additionally, the current Indian government recognizes the prejudice against this group as being negative and has therefore provided many protections against these discriminated people (Chandra, 2005). There has been much social progress in the last century for these Dalit people. Statistically, Dalit people are proportionally represented in Central Government Service (Pruthi, 2004), and there are no political obstacles for a Dalit wishing to hold a high-paying position (Pruthi, 2004). Additionally, those of the Dalit and Shudra classes have seen huge increases in their life expectancy, poverty rates, health and other significant measures in recent history (Pruthi, 2004). This has led some people to argue that the caste system no longer represents India, and to suggest that the caste system has a waning influence in the country. However, there is still evidence of a number of caste-based hate crimes, and violence is still in existence between various castes (Pruthi, 2004). Additionally, there is still a tendency amongst some groups to continue to inter-marry, which suggests that the caste system still has some relevance in modern India. Additionally, the Government of India still takes on board data about caste and tribal groups for a number of reasons. This is in part to help pro-Dalit legislation, to help maintain the progress that these groups have made in careers, education and health (Chandra, 2005). It does, however, prove further that the caste system is still a big part of Indian life. Additionally, caste still plays a role in some Indian politics, particularly that of rural India (Singh, 2005). Caste systems are also still associated with women’s rights, with areas of India that still place a higher value on caste groups (as denoted by high levels of caste inter-marriage and other statistics) placing less value on women’s rights. Conversely, urban India (areas that place low importance on caste systems) tends to have more highly educated women and women in positions of prestige and power (Fuller, 1979). Whilst this link is correlational, it still provides some interest to those learning about the caste system and its place in Indian society. Criticisms of the Caste System The caste system has gained a lot of national and international attention, particularly in recent years. It draws a lot of criticism, particularly from those outside India who do not have an insider view of how the system works and its place in Indian society. One major criticism is based around the fact that castes and jati groups tend to be highly familial. This has led many to criticize the caste system as a form of racism (Fuller, 1979), meaning that many of the criticisms of racism (and the violence that can result from racism) are valid against the caste system. Some have even compared the use of the system as a type of apartheid, a way of ensuring that certain classes or types of people have more power in society and those from lower groups remain marginalized, particularly those who are ‘outcastes’ or Dalits (Chandra, 2005). Although this criticism may appear valid, it is important to note the progress that the Dalit group have made in modern India which suggests that the negative influences of the caste system are on the decline. Additionally, the comparison with apartheid is not necessarily valid because the government does not sanction discrimination against anyone from any caste or racial group. There are also criticisms of the caste system from within Hinduism. Many feel that Hinduism is a religion of tolerance and love (Pruthi, 2004), which means that treating people differently based on their family groups would be wrong. This can be backed up by evidence from the Bhagavad Gita (as outlined above) which does not promote the permanency of the groupings and allows people to move from group to group based on individual merit. Additionally, the Brahmin caste historically had the monopoly on philosophical and religious thought (Fuller, 1979). Some Hindu scholars feel that this is unfair and that those from lower castes (or even untouchables) who show promise should be educated in the Vedas and Upanishads to allow everyone access to the same Hindu knowledge. This would also lead to an increase in Hindu values such as vegetarianism, abstinence and avoidance of alcohol (Fuller, 1979). Some feel that Hinduism is also a religion that promotes democracy, and the historical election of leaders based upon the caste system is against the religion. One final criticism of the caste system comes from the perspective that it is a form of exploitation. This can be seen as particularly affecting the lowest caste, the Shudra, as their role in life is seen to be serving other classes. Having a group of people who are born into servitude irrespective of their individual merit can definitely be considered exploitation. The higher castes exploit their place at birth to gain from others who have not been so fortunate (Chandra, 2005). Conclusions In conclusion, the caste system of India is a very complex entity with an interesting history and significant political and economic power in India. Many argue that the caste system itself is an important part of Hinduism, whereas others feel that it goes against the message of love and acceptance. Many Hindu texts contain reference to the caste system, but not of the form found in the British Raj era: people were encouraged to move between groups based on individual merit. In modern India, there is evidence that the caste system is having less of an effect than in previous years. This is in part due to legislation brought in by the Hindu government to protect and promote the Dalit (or untouchable) classes and allow them the same freedom as those within high-ranking castes. There are several criticisms of the caste system which have contributed to the changing influence of castes in India. Some believe that it is undemocratic, whilst others believe it is merely unfair. There is the thought that it could be a form of racism, and there is still evidence of caste-based violence within India. Overall, it seems that the caste system is still an important part of Indian heritage and culture, but that it is changing in the role that it plays within India and beyond. References Chandra, Ramesh. Identity And Genesis Of Caste System In India. Gyan Books, 2005. Print. Fuller, C. J. “Gods, Priests and Purity: On the Relation Between Hinduism and the Caste System.” Man 14.3 (1979): 459. CrossRef. Web. 8 Apr. 2013. Pruthi, Raj. Indian Caste System. Discovery Publishing House, 2004. Print. Singh, Ekta. Caste System in India: A Historical Perspective. Gyan Books, 2005. Print. Read More