It’s Origins and Evolution The Caste System It’s Origins and Evolution

The Caste System Early on, people of India were divided into four social categories known as castes The idea of this was to determine who best fit the needed roles in society

The Four Castes Brahmin – the priestly class These people were to be naturally endowed with truthfulness, compassion, non-selfishness, non-violence, and serenity of mind

In the Brahmin class You would expect to find priests, who would be charge of Hindu services and learning the Vedas You might also find teachers, especially those with spiritual teachings like sages and gurus

The Next Caste Is kshatriya – the warrior class This caste is reserved for those of a more military or martial spirit The warriors were traditionally men, but their wives were also considered part of this caste

In the Kshatriya Class You expect not only soldiers and generals, though they were a part of it Most kings and government administrators also came from this caste

The Next Caste Is the vaishya caste This caste was set aside for those who showed a natural tendency for business acumen It is sometimes referred to as the merchant class

Not Only City Merchants The vaishya class largely refers to anyone who owns their own business So farmers and cattlemen are included as well as bankers and accountants

The Fourth Caste Is sudra This caste was set aside for either laborers, who worked for someone else, or artisans, who created art or other items of perhaps a less “practical” nature

There are Those With No Caste Sannyasins still exist in the Hindu culture They were monks who have renounced all worldly goods They were considered to have no caste, and were to be respected by all castes Then there are those who have broken Hindu customs or violated laws They are also without a caste due to banishment – literally, they are “outcastes”

As Initially Developed The Caste System’s purpose was to make a more efficient society If you showed a desire and a talent to be a sitar player, you would be sudra, and there would be no attempt to make you brahmin It’s kind of like tracking in a school system – students express their desires, and then curriculum is shifted to become more in tune with those desires

As Initially Proposed All castes were equal It wasn’t considered lesser to be a business owner as opposed to a warrior It was merely that you were working where your talents and/or passions took you

As Time Passed The Caste System changed Those in the priestly class enjoyed certain privileges Their children who ended up in a different caste had those privileges revoked

So They Changed the Caste System And made it hereditary For centuries, the caste system became social status, with certain castes viewed as higher or better than others

And the “Outcastes” Became the Untouchables Their position in society was so low that in some cases it was considered a crime to even talk to them

With Foreign Invasions The Caste System was used to subjugate India Seeing a division already existed, conquerors from Alexander the Great to the Persians to the British all bestowed favor on the priest and warrior classes in order to enlist their help in subjugating the other classes

This Doesn’t Change Until Gandhi (of the Vaishya caste) During his fight for Indian independence from Britain, he famously declared there should be no more untouchables He called them harijans, or “children of God” and was often seen in their company

India Becomes Independent in 1947 It is not until the wake of WWII that Britain finally renounces its Empire India becomes a nation in 1947 Outcaste status was outlawed in 1950

Today The Caste System technically is no more However, you will almost certainly find it alive and well in certain parts of India Legally, all Indians (Hindu or otherwise) are equal before the law But society is taking a bit longer to catch up