1. India: Traditional Patterns of Life
“The traditional patterns of life in India revolve around the idea of duty”

2. Closure
What are the drawbacks and benefits in a society where role and duties are clearly defined?
What role does the idea of duty play in your life?

3. Doing one’s duty ensures the moral order of the universe
It’s better to do one’s own duty badly than another’s duty well
Introduction to Caste Video show later

4. Caste/Family Life/Village Life
All gave a person a role in society and rules to live by to ignore would disrupt society – Indian Tradition
Gives structure

5. Why has the caste system existed for so long?
Caste system deeply embedded in custom, and religious tradition.

6. The Caste System According to the sacred texts (Vedas)
Rigid system of social groups based on birth
1: Brahmans – the priests
2: Kshatriyas – warriors, rulers
3: Vaisyas – merchants, traders, farmers
4: Sudras – laborers
5: Untouchables (Harijan/Dalit) - included morticians and anyone who did unclean things, homeless
Harijan: Children of God

8. Caste not based on wealth Gave role in society on rules to live by
Seen as holding a diverse group together
Divides today
1000’s of castes
Within castes there were levels, called jati – subcaste
For example, in the Vaisya caste, a store owner would be higher than a traveling merchant. In most cases, same rules of interaction would apply
Caste based partly on occupation

9. Caste Rules Complex – Laws of Manu – rules for daily life
Meant to keep people spiritually pure = moksha
Rule more strict for higher castes
Protect from spiritual pollution
Rules govern: cooking, eating habits, marriage, employment, clothing, worship, manners

10. Caste Rules
Interactions between castes were limited, most interaction was top down
Clappers for lower castes – shadow impure
Marriage limited to own caste and even jati
Each caste even has dietary restrictions
Brahmans are vegetarians
eat only food prepared by other Brahman
Other castes could be limited to certain meats and spices

11. Caste Rules Manners: Each caste had a council to enforce caste rules
greet in certain ways
lower caste not sit in presence of higher caste
Even names
Each caste had a council to enforce caste rules
Caste Panchayat: self-governing of an Indian caste
Created interdependence: stability and order
Castes looked after their own but depended on other castes
Caste video – Caste Video YouTube 5 minutes

12. Village Life Most common
Basic unit of society – varied in size – variety of castes
Headman:
governed the village – landlord – inherited position
Made decisions – organized work projects
Self-sufficient = all jobs based on caste
Landlord: controlled most land
Tenant farming: paid with part of harvest
Cattle economic importance: plowing, transportation, milk products
Ghee – clarifies butter use in cooking and religious ceremonies

13. Pandit Roop Chand, headman of Tajpur village

14. Other Aspects of Early Hindu Life
Family
Identified first with family
Joint families (everyone lived together) – like extended family
The eldest male led the family (patriarchal) – may consult with wife
Property belonged to every member of the family
Father Knows Best

15. Other Aspects of Early Hindu Life
Children and Parents
Children learned from their parents (how to follow their caste)
Arranged marriages: A traditional Marriage - page 192 picture
Children little or no say Link to Child Bride Picture
to benefit family Child Bride Article
girls became part of husband's family
In some parts of India, the marriage of a daughter included a dowry: gift to groom's family
Higher the caste more costly

16. Other Aspects of Early Hindu Life
Women
Few rights – obey husband
Duties: marry, wait on husband, bear sons
Influence within the family
Shakti: creative energy – women had but men controlled – men incomplete without women (page 193 quote)
Higher castes: purdah: seclusion
public had to be covered (like Muslims)
Sati/Suttee – virtuous women
ritual suicide when a husband died
Banned by British during 1829
Legally from 1856 widows were allowed to remarry

18. Closure
What are the drawbacks and benefits in a society where role and duties are clearly defined?
What role does the idea of duty play in your life?