Social Patterns in India 1.What levels of the pyramid are on: a. top b. bottom? 2.What descriptions help us to visualize what types of people are in the levels 3.Is it possible to move up the pyramid?

Law of Dharma/Caste SYSTEM Dharma- duties and obligations that a person has Taught to Hindu children from an early age –Helped to ensure moral order in society Indians built their lives around: – family and village Caste System- gave people a role and rules to live by in society

1.When and where did the caste system start? 2.What were priests called at this time? 3.What language did the Muslim invaders speak? 4.When did India fall under Muslim control? 5.Between what time periods did Muslim’s enter India? 6.Who did Kulothunga persecute?

Caste System Started with the Aryan civilization and the varnas (classes) Caste system developed over thousands of years Based on the idea that there are separate kinds of humans –Higher caste people considered purer closer to moksha –Lower caste were impure Divided people within each class until there were thousands of castes and sub-castes

Rules of Caste System Rules were meant to keep people spiritually pure –Especially for higher caste members who were the most pure Contact with a lower class gave you a polluted soul –Some believed that a shadow could make a soul impure

Rules of Caste System Rules of the Caste System: –Cooking and eating habits –Marriage –Employment (each job had its own caste) Job was determined at birth –Different gods for each caste –Where you lived –How you dressed Each caste has a council that enforces all the rules Ex: –A Brahman could only eat food prepared by anther Brahman You could only marry someone from your own caste Imagine being told who To marry and what you Could and could not Eat

Interdependence of the Caste System Creates stability in the society and order –Everyone knows what to do and why Different castes depended on one another –Higher caste merchant needs a lower caste water carrier to stay in business This system is imbedded in the laws, customs, and religious traditions People accepted it as a way of life but some fight to end it. W-what W-would Y-you D-do ???????

Village Life Most people in India treat the village as the basic unit of society Village led by a Headman- respected landlord that inherits the position from his father Worked with a group of elders –Organize villages for projects and work –Like a town/borough council

Family Life Traditionally Indians favor the Joint Family Joint Family- includes husband, wife, their sons with their families and unmarried daughters Family was patriarchal (father ruled) –Father has complete control over household –Family interests were put ahead of individual “Father is heaven, father is religion, the gods are pleased by pleasing father.” What can we learn from the quote above?

Families and Marriage Head of the family arranged marriages to protect and benefit family –Bride and groom have no say in this Marriages arranged at an early age but the ceremony happens later When married the girl would leave her family/home and go to her husband’s family –Might visit her own family once a year How is this system different from the way that marriage is in the United States

1.Read the “Up-Close” story on page Look at the picture on page 192 and read the caption. 3.Discuss in your groups what you think about arranged marriages.