Hinduism’s Ranking

  Remember, the caste system in Indian society has worked for hundreds of years.  It’s a way of dividing people into groups. Comment

  Dharma = an inherited “duty” or responsibility that each group has. Definition

 The Castes Story on how the castes began… A man named Purusha was sacrificed and divided into different parts. Those parts can be represented this way:

 Brahman  Jobs: Priests and teachers  Responsibility: Provide the community with spirituality and pass along the teachings of the Vedas  Body Part: Mouth

 Kshatriya  Jobs: Soldiers, rulers, kings, generals, leaders  Responsibility: Defend people and operate the government  Body Part: Arms

 Vaishya  Jobs: Merchants, shopkeepers, traders, farmers, landowners, agriculture, cattleraisers  Responsibility: Make and trade goods or work in agriculture  Body Part: Legs/thighs

 Sudra  Job: Servants to the other three varnas, slaves, tenant farmers, unskilled workers  Responsibility: Give service to the other three classes  Body Part: Feet

 Untouchables  Job: Dirtiest jobs (ex: leatherworkers, working with animal skins, butchers, gravediggers, garbage and waste collectors)  Responsibility: Handle items polluted by blood, human waste, and do other undesirable jobs  Body Part: None… not considered part of society in the same way as the other varnas

  What people…  Did  Wore  Ate  Where people…  Lived  Who people…  Married Five Things a Caste Determines

  Untouchables can be treated in the following ways:  Can be attacked at a person’s whim  Can’t speak up to those in higher castes  Can’t live in the village (must live in a separate untouchable community)  Can’t use the same water supply as those in higher castes  May be “shunned, insulted, banned from temples and higher caste homes, made to eat and drink from separate utensils in public places”  Etc. Horrible Treatment of Untouchables

  Hiding one’s caste is possible but not easy. There are at least four ways one’s caste can be revealed:  Family name  Village address  Body language  Occupation Ways Caste Can Be Revealed

  The caste system still exists.  It is not the same now as it was in ancient times, but is still bad.  Castes – somewhat ignored in urban areas - hard to keep strict rules.  Jobs aren’t only based on a caste in urban areas.  In smaller villages, however, caste does still matter.  Recently, laws made to change the system & improve the treatment of Untouchables.  Some Hindus are ashamed of the caste system; others want the structure to stay as it is. Caste System Today