Castes in India. Indian castes: what is it? What did the castes of ancient India have

What determines the life of Hindus in modern ashrams and megacities? A system of government built according to European patterns, or a special form of apartheid, which was supported by castes in ancient India and continues to embody today? The clash of the norms of Western civilization with Hindu traditions sometimes leads to unpredictable results.

Varnas and jati

Trying to figure out which castes existed in India and continue to influence its society today, one should turn to the basics of tribal groups. Ancient societies regulated the gene pool and social relations with the help of two principles - endo- and exogamy. The first allows you to create a family only within your area (tribe), the second prohibits marriages between representatives of a part of this community (genus). Endogamy acts as a factor in the preservation of cultural identity, and exogamy opposes the degenerative consequences of closely related ties. To one degree or another, both mechanisms of biosocial regulation are necessary for the existence of civilization. We turn to the experience of South Asia because the role of endogamous castes in modern India and Nepal continues to be the most striking example of the phenomenon.

In the era of territory development (1500 - 1200 BC), the social system of the ancient Hindus already provided for the division into four varnas (colors) - Brahmins (Brahmins), Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. Varnas, presumably, were once homogeneous formations without additional class division.

During the early Middle Ages, with the growth of the population and the development of social interaction, the main groups underwent further social stratification. The so-called "jatis" appeared, the status of which is associated with the original origin, the history of the development of the group, professional activities and the region of residence.

In turn, the jati themselves contain many subgroups of different social status. One way or another, the well-proportioned pyramidal structure of subordination can be traced both in the example of the jati and in the case of generalizing super-clans - varnas.

Brahmins are considered the highest caste in India. Priests, theologians and philosophers among them play the role of a link between the worlds of gods and people. Kshatriyas bear the burden of state power and military command. Gautama Siddhartha Buddha is the most famous representative of this varna. The third social category in the Hindu hierarchy, the Vaishyas, are predominantly clans of merchants and landowners. And, finally, the "working ants" of the Shudras are servants and hired workers of a narrow specialization.

The lowest caste in India - the untouchables (a group of Dalits) - is outside the varna system, although they represent about 17% of the population and are involved in active social interaction. This group "brand" should not be taken literally. After all, even priests and warriors do not consider it shameful to have a haircut at a hairdresser - Dalit. An example of a fantastic class emancipation of a representative of the untouchable caste in India was Dalit K. R. Narayanan, who was the country's president in 1997-2002.

The synonymous perception of untouchables and pariahs by Europeans is a common misconception. Pariahs are completely declassed and completely disenfranchised people, deprived of even the very possibility of group association.

Mutual reflection of economic classes and castes in India

The last time information about class affiliation was studied in 1930 during the population census. Then the amount caste in india was more than 3,000. If a bulletin table were used at such an event, it would have up to 200 pages. According to ethnographers and sociologists, the number of Jatis by the beginning of the 21st century had decreased by about half. This may be due to both industrial development and ignoring caste differences among Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas who were educated in Western universities.

Technological progress leads to a certain decline in handicrafts. Industrial corporations, trading and transport companies need armies of identical sudras - workers, detachments of middle managers from among the vaishyas and kshatriyas in the role of top managers.

The mutual projections of economic classes and castes in contemporary India are not obvious. Most of today's politicians are vaishyas, not kshatriyas, as one might assume. The leadership of large trading firms is mainly those who, according to the canon, should be warriors or rulers. And in the countryside there are even impoverished Brahmins cultivating the land...

To understand the contradictory reality of modern caste society, neither recreational tourist trips nor search queries like “India caste photos” will help. It is much more effective to get acquainted with the opinions of L. Alaev, I. Glushkova and other orientalists and Hindus on this issue.

Only tradition can be stronger than the law

The Constitution of 1950 affirms the equality of all estates before the law. Moreover, even the slightest manifestation of discrimination - the question of origin at the time of employment - is a criminal offence. The irony of the collision of the modernist norm with reality is that the Indians accurately determine the group affiliation of the interlocutor in a couple of minutes. Moreover, the name, facial features, speech, education and clothing are not of decisive importance here.

The secret to maintaining the value of endogamy lies in the positive role it can play in social and ideological terms. Even the lower class is a kind of insurance company for its members. Castes and varnas in India are a cultural asset, moral authority and a system of clubs. The authors of the Indian constitution were also aware of this, recognizing the initial endogamy of social groups. In addition, universal suffrage, unexpectedly for the modernizers, became a factor in strengthening caste identification. Group positioning facilitates the tasks of propaganda and the formation of political programs.

This is how the symbiosis of Hinduism and Western democracy develops in a contradictory and unpredictable way. The caste structure of society demonstrates both illogicality and high adaptability to changing conditions. Castes in ancient India were not considered eternal and indestructible formations, despite the fact that they were consecrated by the law of Manu from the “code of honor of the Aryans”. Who knows, perhaps we are witnessing the realization of an ancient Hindu prediction that "in the era of Kali Yuga, everyone will be born as Shudras."

Allan Rannu, a hereditary orientalist, talks about human destiny and about the four varnas as tools for understanding the world and oneself.

03 January 2015 Probably every tourist going to India must have heard or read something about the division of the population of this country into castes. This is a purely Indian social phenomenon, there is nothing like it in other countries, so the topic is worth it to learn more about it.

The Indians themselves are reluctant to discuss the topic of castes, because for modern India, inter-caste relations are a serious and painful problem.

Castes big and small

The very word "caste" is not of Indian origin; in relation to the structure of Indian society, European colonialists began to use it no earlier than the 19th century. In the Indian system of classification of members of society, the concepts of varna and jati are used.

Varna is the “large castes”, four kinds of classes, or estates of Indian society: brahmins (priests), kshatriyas (warriors), vaishyas (traders, cattle breeders, farmers) and shudras (servants and workers).

Within each of these four categories, there is a division into castes proper, or, as the Indians themselves call them, jati. There are jati of potters, jati of weavers, jati of souvenir merchants, jati of postal workers and even jati of thieves.

Since there is no strict gradation of professions, divisions into jati can exist within one of them. So, wild elephants are caught and tamed by representatives of one jati, and another jati constantly works with them. Each jati has its own advice, it solves “common-caste” issues, in particular, those related to the transition from one caste to another, which, according to Indian concepts, is strictly condemned and most often not allowed, and inter-caste marriages, which is also not welcome.

There are a great many different castes and podcasts in India, in each state, in addition to the generally recognized ones, there are also several dozen local castes.

The attitude towards caste division on the part of the state is cautious and somewhat contradictory. The existence of castes is enshrined in the Indian constitution, a list of the main castes is attached to it in the form of a separate table. At the same time, any discrimination based on caste is prohibited and recognized as criminal.

This controversial approach has already led to many complex conflicts between and within castes, as well as in relation to Indians living outside the castes, or "untouchables". These are the Dalits, the outcasts of Indian society.

Untouchables

A group of untouchable castes, also called Dalits (oppressed), arose in ancient times from local tribes and occupies the lowest place in the caste hierarchy of India. About 16-17% of the Indian population belongs to this group.

Untouchables are not included in the system of four varnas, as it is believed that they are able to defile members of those castes, especially brahmins.

Dalits are divided according to the types of activities of their representatives, as well as according to the area of ​​​​residence. The most common categories of untouchables are chamars (tanners), dhobi (washerwomen) and pariahs.

Untouchables live in isolation even in small settlements. Their destiny is dirty and hard work. They all profess Hinduism, but they are not allowed into the temples. Millions of untouchable Dalits converted to other religions - Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, but even this does not always save them from discrimination. And in rural areas, acts of violence, including sexual violence, are often committed against Dalits. The fact is that sexual contact is the only one that, according to Indian customs, is allowed in relation to the “untouchables”.

Those untouchables whose profession requires physical contact with members of higher castes (such as hairdressers) can only serve members of castes above their own, while blacksmiths and potters work for the entire village, regardless of which caste the client belongs to.

And such activities as the slaughter of animals and the dressing of hides are considered obviously defiling, and although such work is very important for the communities, those who engage in it are considered untouchable.

Dalits are forbidden to visit the homes of members of the "pure" castes, as well as to take water from their wells.

For more than a hundred years, India has been fighting for equal rights for the untouchables. At one time, this movement was led by the outstanding humanist and public figure Mahatma Gandhi. The Government of India allocates special quotas for the admission of Dalits to work and study, all known cases of violence against them are investigated and condemned, but the problem remains.

What caste are you from?

Tourists who come to India, local inter-caste problems, most likely, will not be affected. But that doesn't mean you don't need to know about them. Growing up in a society with a rigid caste division and forced to remember it all their lives, Indians and European tourists are carefully studied and evaluated primarily by their belonging to one or another social stratum. And treat them in accordance with their assessments.

It's no secret that some of our compatriots have a desire to "splurge" a little on vacation, to present themselves as more wealthy and important than they really are. Such “performances” are successful and even welcomed in Europe (let it be weird, as long as it pays money), but in India it will not work to pretend to be “cool”, having saved up money for a tour with difficulty. They will figure you out and find a way to make you fork out.

On September 24, 1932, in India, the right to participate in elections was granted to the untouchable caste. the site decided to tell its readers how the Indian caste system was formed and how it exists in the modern world.

Indian society is divided into estates called castes. Such a division occurred many thousands of years ago and has survived to this day. Hindus believe that, following the rules established in their caste, in the next life you can be born a representative of a slightly higher and more revered caste, take a much better position in society.

Leaving the Indus Valley, Indian arias conquered the country along the Ganges and founded many states here, whose population consisted of two classes, differing in legal and material status. The new Aryan settlers, the victors, took over India and land, and honor, and power, and the defeated non-Indo-European natives were plunged into contempt and humiliation, turned into slavery or into a dependent state, or, pushed into the forests and mountains, led there in inaction of thought a meager life without any culture. This result of the Aryan conquest gave rise to the origin of the four main Indian castes (varnas).

Those original inhabitants of India who were subdued by the power of the sword suffered the fate of captives and became mere slaves. The Indians, who voluntarily submitted, renounced their paternal gods, adopted the language, laws and customs of the conquerors, retained personal freedom, but lost all land property and had to live as workers on the estates of the Aryans, servants and porters, in the homes of rich people. From them came the caste sudra . "Shudra" is not a Sanskrit word. Before becoming the name of one of the Indian castes, it was probably the name of some people. The Aryans considered it below their dignity to enter into marriage alliances with representatives of the Shudra caste. The Shudra women were only concubines among the Aryans.

Over time, sharp differences in fortunes and professions formed between the Aryan conquerors of India themselves. But in relation to the lower caste - the dark-skinned, subjugated native population - they all remained a privileged class. Only the Aryans had the right to read the sacred books; only they were consecrated by a solemn ceremony: a sacred cord was placed on the Aryan, making him “reborn” (or “twice born”, dvija). This rite served as a symbolic distinction of all Aryans from the Shudra caste and the despised native tribes driven into the forests. The consecration was performed by laying on a cord, which is worn laid on the right shoulder and descending obliquely over the chest. Among the Brahmin caste, a cord could be placed on a boy from 8 to 15 years old, and it is made of cotton yarn; among the Kshatriya caste, who received it no earlier than the 11th year, it was made from kushi (Indian spinning plant), and among the Vaishya caste, who received it no earlier than the 12th year, it was made of wool.

Indian society was divided into castes many thousands of years ago.

The "twice-born" Aryans over time divided according to differences in occupation and origin into three estates or castes, which have some similarities with the three estates of medieval Europe: the clergy, the nobility and the middle urban class. The embryos of caste systems among the Aryans existed even in those times when they lived only in the Indus basin: there, from the mass of the agricultural and pastoral population, warlike tribal princes, surrounded by people skilled in military affairs, as well as priests who performed sacrificial rites, already stood out.

During the resettlement of the Aryan tribes further deep into India, to the country of the Ganges, the warlike energy increased in bloody wars with the exterminated natives, and then in a fierce struggle between the Aryan tribes. Until the conquests were completed, all the people were engaged in military affairs. Only when the peaceful possession of the conquered country began, it became possible to develop a variety of occupations, it became possible to choose between different professions, and a new stage in the origin of castes began. The fertility of the Indian land aroused the desire for the peaceful obtaining of means of subsistence. From this quickly developed an innate Aryan tendency, according to which it was more pleasant for them to work quietly and enjoy the fruits of their labor than to make heavy military efforts. Therefore, a significant part of the settlers ("Vish") turned to agriculture, which gave abundant harvests, leaving the fight against enemies and the protection of the country to the princes of the tribes and the military nobility formed during the period of conquests. This estate, which was engaged in arable farming and partly in shepherding, soon grew so much that among the Aryans, as in Western Europe, they formed the vast majority of the population. Because the title vaishya "settler", originally designating all Aryan inhabitants in new areas, began to designate only people of the third, working Indian caste, and warriors, kshatriyas and priests, brahmins ("prayers"), who over time became privileged classes, made the names of their professions the names of the two upper castes.

The four above-mentioned Indian estates became completely closed castes (varnas) only when the ancient worship of Indra and other gods of nature rose above brahminism, - a new religious doctrine about Brahma , the soul of the universe, the source of life from which all beings originated and to which all beings will return. This reformed creed gave religious holiness to the division of the Indian nation into castes, especially the priestly caste. It said that in the cycle of life forms passed by all that exist on earth, Brahman is the highest form of being. According to the dogma of the rebirth and transmigration of souls, a being born in a human form must go through all four castes in turn: to be a sudra, a vaishya, a kshatriya, and finally a brahmin; having passed through these forms of existence, it is reunited with Brahma. The only way to achieve this goal is for a person, constantly striving for a deity, to exactly fulfill everything commanded by the Brahmins, honor them, please them with gifts and signs of respect. Offenses against the Brahmins, severely punished on earth, subject the wicked to the most terrible torments of hell and rebirth in the forms of despised animals.

According to the dogma of the transmigration of souls, a person must go through all four castes

Belief in the dependence of the future life on the present was the main pillar of the Indian caste division and the dominion of the priests. The more resolutely the Brahminical clergy placed the dogma of the transmigration of souls at the center of all moral teaching, the more successfully they filled the imagination of the people with terrible pictures of hellish torments, the more honor and influence they acquired. Representatives of the highest caste of the Brahmins are close to the gods; they know the path leading to Brahma; their prayers, sacrifices, holy feats of their asceticism have magical power over the gods, the gods have to fulfill their will; bliss and suffering in the Hereafter depend on them. It is not surprising that with the development of religiosity among the Indians, the power of the Brahmin caste increased, tirelessly praising in their holy teachings respect and generosity to the Brahmins as the surest ways to obtain bliss, suggesting to the kings that the ruler is obliged to have his advisers and make judges of the Brahmins, is obliged to reward their service with rich content. and pious gifts.

So that the lower Indian castes would not envy the privileged position of the Brahmins and would not encroach on it, the doctrine was developed and vigorously preached that the forms of life for all beings are predetermined by Brahma, and that the progress through the degrees of human rebirths is made only by a calm, peaceful life in a given position, true performance of duties. So, in one of the oldest parts of the Mahabharata it says: “When Brahma created creatures, he gave them their occupations, each caste had a special activity: for the brahmins - the study of the high Vedas, for the warriors - heroism, for the vaishyas - the art of labor, for the shudras - humility before other colors: therefore ignorant brahmins, infamous warriors, unskillful vaisyas and disobedient sudras are reprehensible."

This dogma, which attributed to every caste, every profession, a divine origin, consoled the humiliated and despised in the insults and deprivations of their present life with the hope of improving their fate in the future existence. He gave the Indian caste hierarchy religious consecration. The division of people into four classes, unequal in their rights, was from this point of view an eternal, unchanging law, the violation of which is the most criminal sin. People have no right to overthrow the caste barriers established between them by God himself; they can achieve the improvement of their lot only by patient obedience.

Mutual relations between the Indian castes were clearly characterized by teaching; that Brahma produced Brahmins from his mouth (or the first man Purusha), Kshatriyas from his hands, Vaishyas from his thighs, Shudras from mud-stained feet, therefore the essence of nature among the Brahmins is “holiness and wisdom”, among the Kshatriyas - “power and strength”, among the Vaishyas - “wealth and profit”, among the Shudras - “service and humility”. The doctrine of the origin of castes from different parts of the highest being is expounded in one of the hymns of the latest, most recent book of the Rig Veda. There are no caste concepts in the older songs of the Rig Veda. The Brahmins attach great importance to this hymn, and every truly believing Brahmin recites it every morning after bathing. This hymn is the diploma by which the Brahmins legitimized their privileges, their dominion.

Some Brahmins should not eat meat

Thus, the Indian people were led by their history, their inclinations and customs to fall under the yoke of a hierarchy of castes, which turned classes and professions into tribes alien to each other, drowned out all human aspirations, all the inclinations of humanity.

The main characteristics of castes

Each Indian caste has its own characteristics and unique characteristics, rules of existence and behavior.

Brahmins are the highest caste

Brahmins in India are priests and priests in temples. Their position in society has always been considered the highest, even higher than the position of the ruler. At present, representatives of the Brahmin caste are also engaged in the spiritual development of the people: they teach various practices, look after temples, and work as teachers.

Brahmins have a lot of prohibitions:

Men are not allowed to work in the fields and do any manual labor, but women can do various household chores.

A representative of the priestly caste can only marry his own kind, but as an exception, a marriage to a Brahmin from another community is allowed.

A brahmin cannot eat what a person of another caste has prepared: a brahmin would rather starve than accept forbidden food. But he can feed a representative of absolutely any caste.

Some Brahmins are not allowed to eat meat.

Kshatriyas - warrior caste

Representatives of the kshatriyas have always performed the duties of soldiers, guards and policemen.

At present, nothing has changed - kshatriyas are engaged in military affairs or go to administrative work. They can marry not only in their own caste: a man can marry a girl from a lower caste, but a woman is forbidden to marry a man from a lower caste. Kshatriyas are allowed to eat animal products, but they also avoid forbidden food.

Vaishyas, like no one else, monitor the correct preparation of food.

Vaishya

Vaishyas have always been a working class: they were engaged in agriculture, raised cattle, traded.

Now representatives of the Vaishyas are engaged in economic and financial affairs, various trade, banking. Probably, this caste is the most scrupulous in matters related to food intake: vaishyas, like no one else, monitor the correct preparation of food and will never accept defiled dishes.

Sudras are the lowest caste.

The Shudra caste has always existed in the role of peasants or even slaves: they were engaged in the dirtiest and hardest work. Even in our time, this social stratum is the poorest and often lives below the poverty line. Shudras can marry even divorced women.

Untouchables

The untouchable caste stands out separately: such people are excluded from all social relations. They do the dirtiest jobs: cleaning the streets and toilets, burning dead animals, dressing the skin.

Amazingly, the representatives of this caste could not even step on the shadows of representatives of the higher classes. And only recently they were allowed to enter temples and approach people of other classes.

Cast Unique Features

Having a brahmin in the neighborhood, you can give him a lot of gifts, but you should not expect a response. Brahmins never give gifts: they accept but do not give.

In terms of land ownership, sudras can be even more influential than vaishyas.

Untouchables could not step on the shadows of people from the upper classes

The Shudras of the lowest stratum practically do not use money: they are paid for their work with food and household items.You can move to a lower caste, but it is impossible to get a higher caste.

Castes and Modernity

Today, Indian castes have become even more structured, with many different sub-groups called jati.

During the last census of representatives of various castes, there were more than 3 thousand jati. True, this census took place more than 80 years ago.

Many foreigners consider the caste system a relic of the past and believe that the caste system no longer works in modern India. In fact, everything is completely different. Even the Indian government could not come to a consensus regarding such a stratification of society. Politicians are actively working on dividing society into layers during elections, adding to their election promises the protection of the rights of a particular caste.

In modern India, more than 20 percent of the population belongs to the untouchable caste: they have to live in their own separate ghettos or outside the settlement. Such people should not go to shops, government and medical institutions, and even use public transport.

In modern India, more than 20% of the population belongs to the untouchable caste.

There is a completely unique subgroup in the untouchable caste: the attitude of society towards it is rather contradictory. This includes homosexuals, transvestites and eunuchs who make a living by prostitution and begging tourists for coins. But what a paradox: the presence of such a person at a holiday is considered a very good sign.

Another amazing podcast of the untouchables is a pariah. These are people who are completely expelled from society - marginalized. Previously, it was possible to become a pariah even by touching such a person, but now the situation has changed a little: a pariah becomes either born from an inter-caste marriage or from pariah parents.

India's caste system continues to attract interest. Castes in India are indeed a curious social phenomenon, however, a tourist who travels to India is unlikely to encounter it, there are many Indoman travelers who live there for months, but they are not interested in castes because they are not necessary for life.

The caste system is not exotic, it is part of the complex organization of Indian society, a multifaceted phenomenon that has been studied by Indologists and ethnographers for more than a century, dozens of thick books have been written about it, so I will publish here only 10 interesting facts about Indian castes - about the most popular questions and misconceptions.

1. What is an Indian caste?
The Indian caste is such a complex phenomenon that it is simply not possible to give an exhaustively complete definition!
Castes can only be described through a series of features, but there will still be exceptions.

Caste in India is a system of social stratification, a separate social group, connected by the origin and legal status of its members. Castes in India are built on the principles of: 1) common religion (this rule is always respected); 2) one profession, usually hereditary; 3) members of castes marry only among themselves, as a rule; 4) caste members generally do not eat with strangers, except in other Hindu castes of a significantly higher social position than their own; 5) members of castes can be determined by who they can take water and food, processed and raw.

2. There are 4 castes in India
In India, there are not 4, but about 3 thousand castes at all, they can be called differently in different parts of the country, and people with the same profession can have different castes in different states. For a complete list of castes by state, see http://socialjustice...

The fact that nameless people on tourist and other near-Indian sites call 4 castes is not a caste at all, these are 4 varnas - chaturvarnya in Sanskrit - an ancient social system.

4 varnas (वर्ना) is an ancient Indian system of estates. Varna of brahmins (more correctly, a brahmin) historically are clergymen, doctors, teachers. Varna kshatriyas (in ancient times it was called rajanya) are rulers and warriors. Varna vaishyas are farmers and merchants, and varna shudras are workers and landless peasants who work for others.
Varna is a color (in Sanskrit again), and each Indian varna has its own color: the Brahmins have white, the Kshatriyas have red, the Vaishyas have yellow, the Shudras have black, and earlier, when all representatives of the varnas wore a sacred thread - he was just the color of their varna.

Varnas correlate with castes, but in very different ways, sometimes there is no direct connection, and since we have already delved into science, it must be said that Indian castes, unlike varnas, are called jati - जाति.
More about Indian castes in modern India http://indonet.ru/St...

3. Caste of the Untouchables
The untouchables are not a caste. In the times of ancient India, everyone who was not part of the 4 varnas automatically found themselves "overboard" of Indian society, these strangers were avoided, they were not allowed to live in villages, which is why they were called untouchables. Subsequently, these untouchable strangers began to be used in the most dirty, low-paid and shameful work, and formed their own social and professional groups, that is, castes of untouchables, there are several of them, as a rule, this is associated either with dirty work, or with the killing of living beings or death, so that all hunters and fishermen, as well as grave-diggers and tanners, are untouchables.

At the same time, it is not correct to assume that every untouchable is uneducated and poor, this is not true. In India, even before gaining independence and the adoption of a number of legislative measures to prevent discrimination against the lower castes and tribes, there were untouchables who were able to achieve outstanding success in society, an example of this is India's most famous untouchable - an outstanding Indian political and public figure, a fighter for human rights and the author of the constitution of India is Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, who received his law degree in England. And quite recently, not just a Dalit, but also a Hijra became the mayor of a city in India http://indonet.ru/fo. ..

4. When did the Indian castes appear?
Normatively, that is, legislatively, the cast-jati system in India was fixed in the Laws of Manu, which date back to the 2nd century BC.
The varna system is much older, there is no exact dating. I wrote more about the history of the issue in the article Castes of India, from varnas to the present http://indonet.ru/ar ...

5. Castes in India are abolished
Castes in India are not abolished or banned, as is often said.
On the contrary, all castes in India are recalculated and listed in the appendix to the Indian constitution, which is called the Table of Castes. In addition, after the census, changes are made to this table, as a rule, additions, the point is not that new castes appear, but that they are fixed in accordance with the data indicated about themselves by the census participants.
Only discrimination based on caste is prohibited, it is written in article 15 of the Indian Constitution, see the test at http://lawmin.nic.in ...

6. Every Indian has a caste
No, this is also not true.
Indian society is very heterogeneous in its structure, and apart from the division into castes, there are several others.
There are caste and non-caste Indians, for example, representatives of Indian tribes (Aborigines, Adivasis), with rare exceptions, do not have castes. And the proportion of non-caste Indians is quite large, see http://censusindia.g for census results. ..
In addition, for some misconduct (crimes), a person can be expelled from the caste and thus deprive him of his status and position in society.

7. Castes are only in India
No, this is a delusion. There are castes in other countries, for example, in Nepal and Sri Lanka, since these countries developed in the bosom of the same huge Indian civilization, as well as in Bali. But there are castes in other cultures, for example, in Tibet, and the Tibetan castes do not correlate with the Indian ones at all, since the class structure of Tibetan society was formed independently from India.
For the castes of Nepal, see Ethnic Mosaic of Nepal http://indonet.ru/St ...

8. Only Indians have castes.
No, now it is not so, you need to delve into history.
Historically, when the vast majority of the population of India professed Hinduism, all Hindus belonged to some kind of caste, with the exception of the pariahs expelled from the caste and the indigenous, tribal peoples of India, who did not profess Hinduism and were not part of the Indian society. Then other religions began to spread in India - Buddhism, Jainism, India was invaded by other peoples, and representatives of other religions and peoples began to adopt from the Hindus their class system of varnas and the system of professional castes - jati. Now there are castes in Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Christianity, but they are different from the Hindu castes.
It is curious that in northern India, in the modern states of Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir, the Buddhist caste system is not of Indian, but of Tibetan origin.
It is even more curious that even Europeans - Christian missionaries-preachers - were drawn into the system of Indian castes: those who preached the teachings of Christ to noble Brahmins ended up in the Christian "Brahmin" caste, and those who communicated with the untouchable fishermen became Christian untouchables.

9. You need to know the caste of the Indian with whom you communicate and behave accordingly.
This is a common misconception, replicated by tourist sites, it is not known for what, it is not based on anything.
It is impossible to determine which caste an Indian belongs to only by his appearance, by his occupation - often too. One acquaintance worked as a waiter, although he came from a noble Rajput family (that is, he is a kshatriya). I managed to identify a familiar Nepalese waiter by his behavior as an aristocrat, since we had known each other for a long time, I asked and he confirmed that this was true, and the guy did not work because of a lack of money at all.
My old friend started his career at the age of 9 as a handyman, cleaning up rubbish in a shop... do you think he is a sudra? no, he is a brahmin (brahmin) from a poor family and 8 children in a row ... 1 more brahmin friend sells in a shop, he is the only son, you have to earn money ...

Another acquaintance of mine is so religious and bright that one would think that he is the real, ideal Brahmin. But no, he is just a shudra, and he was proud of this, and those who know what seva means will understand why.
And even if an Indian says what caste he is, although such a question is considered indecent, it will still not give anything to a tourist, a person who does not know India cannot understand what and why is arranged in this amazing country. So you should not be puzzled by the caste issue, because sometimes it is difficult for India to even determine the gender of the interlocutor, and this is probably more important :)

10. Caste discrimination
India is a democratic country and, in addition to the prohibition of caste discrimination, has introduced benefits for members of the lower castes and tribes, for example, there are quotas for admission to higher educational institutions, for positions in state and municipal bodies.
The problem of discrimination against people from the lower castes, Dalits and tribal people in India is quite serious, casteism is still the basis of the life of hundreds of millions of Indians outside of large cities, it is there that the caste structure and all the prohibitions arising from it, for example, in some temples Indian Shudras are not allowed in India, it is there that almost all caste crimes take place, for example, quite a typical crime http://indonet.ru/bl ...

If you are seriously interested in the caste system in India, I can recommend, in addition to the articles section http://indonet.ru/ca ... on this site and publications in the Hindunet, to read books by major European Indologists of the 20th century:
1. Academic 4-volume work by R.V. Russell "The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India"
2. Louis Dumont's monograph "Homo hierarchicus. Experience in describing the caste system"
In addition, in recent years, a number of books on this topic have been published in India, unfortunately I did not hold them in my hands.
If you are not ready to read non-fiction - read the novel "The God of Small Things" by a very popular modern Indian writer Arundhati Roy, it can be found in RuNet.

The untouchable caste in India is a phenomenon that cannot be found in any other country in the world. Originating in antiquity, the caste division of society exists in the country at the present time. The lowest rung in the hierarchy is occupied by the untouchable caste, which has absorbed 16-17% of the country's population. Its representatives make up the “bottom” of Indian society. The caste structure is a complex issue, but nevertheless we will try to shed light on its individual aspects.

Caste structure of Indian society

Despite the difficulty of recreating a complete structural picture of castes in the distant past, it is still possible to single out groups that have historically developed in India. There are five of them.

The highest group (varna) of Brahmins includes civil servants, large and small landowners, and priests.

Next comes the Kshatriya varna, which includes the military and agricultural castes - Rajaputs, Jats, Maratha, Kunbi, Reddy, Kapu, etc. Some of them form a feudal stratum, whose representatives further replenish the lower and middle links of the feudal class.

The next two groups (Vaishyas and Shudras) include the middle and lower castes of farmers, officials, artisans, and community servants.

And finally, the fifth group. It includes castes of community servants and farmers, deprived of all rights to own and use land. They are called untouchables.

"India", "caste of the untouchables" are concepts that are inextricably linked with each other in the minds of the world community. Meanwhile, in a country with an ancient culture, they continue to honor the customs and traditions of their ancestors by dividing people according to their origin and belonging to any caste.

History of the Untouchables

The lowest caste in India - the untouchables - owes its appearance to the historical process that took place in the Middle Ages in the region. At that time, India was conquered by stronger and more civilized tribes. Naturally, the invaders came to the country with the aim of enslaving its indigenous population, preparing it for the role of servants.

To isolate the Indians, they were settled in special settlements, built separately according to the type of modern ghettos. Civilized outsiders did not allow natives into their community.

It is assumed that it was the descendants of these tribes that later formed the caste of the untouchables. It included farmers and servants of the community.

True, today the word “untouchables” has been replaced by another - “Dalits”, which means “oppressed”. It is believed that "untouchables" sounds offensive.

Since Indians often use the word "jati" rather than "caste", it is difficult to determine their number. But still, Dalits can be divided according to the type of activity and place of residence.

How do the untouchables live

The most common Dalit castes are Chamars (tanners), Dhobi (washerwomen) and pariahs. If the first two castes have in some way a profession, then pariahs live only at the expense of unskilled labor - the removal of household waste, cleaning and washing toilets.

Hard and dirty work - such is the fate of the untouchables. The lack of any qualification brings them a meager income, allowing only

However, among the untouchables, there are groups that are at the top of the caste, for example, the Hijra.

These are representatives of all kinds of sexual minorities who are engaged in prostitution and begging. They are also often invited to all kinds of religious rituals, weddings, birthdays. Of course, this group has much more to live on than an untouchable tanner or laundress.

But such an existence could not but arouse protest among the Dalits.

Protest struggle of the untouchables

Surprisingly, the untouchables did not resist the tradition of division into castes implanted by the invaders. However, in the last century the situation changed: the untouchables under the leadership of Gandhi made the first attempts to destroy the stereotype that had developed over the centuries.

The essence of these speeches was to draw public attention to caste inequality in India.

Interestingly, the Gandhi affair was picked up by a certain Ambedkar from the Brahmin caste. Thanks to him, the untouchables became Dalits. Ambedkar ensured that they received quotas for all types of professional activities. That is, an attempt was made to integrate these people into society.

Today's controversial policy of the Indian government often causes conflicts involving the untouchables.

However, it does not come to rebellion, because the untouchable caste in India is the most submissive part of the Indian community. Age-old timidity in front of other castes, ingrained in the minds of people, blocks all thoughts of rebellion.

Government of India and Dalit policy

The untouchables... The life of the most severe caste in India evokes a cautious and even contradictory reaction from the outside, since we are talking about the centuries-old traditions of the Indians.

But still, at the state level, caste discrimination is prohibited in the country. Actions that offend representatives of any varna are considered a crime.

At the same time, the caste hierarchy is legalized by the country's constitution. That is, the untouchable caste in India is recognized by the state, which looks like a serious contradiction in government policy. As a result, the modern history of the country has many serious conflicts between individual castes and even within them.

The untouchables are the most despised class in India. However, other citizens are still madly afraid of Dalits.

It is believed that a representative of the untouchable caste in India is able to defile a person from another varna by his mere presence. If the Dalit touches the clothes of a Brahmin, then the latter will need more than one year to cleanse his karma from filth.

But the untouchable (the caste of South India includes both men and women) may well become the object of sexual violence. And no defilement of karma happens in this case, since this is not prohibited by Indian customs.

An example is the recent case in New Delhi, where a 14-year-old untouchable girl was kept by a criminal for a month as a sex slave. The unfortunate woman died in the hospital, and the detained criminal was released by the court on bail.

At the same time, if an untouchable violates the traditions of their ancestors, for example, dares to publicly use a public well, then the poor fellow will face an immediate reprisal on the spot.

Dalit is not a sentence of fate

The untouchable caste in India, despite the policy of the government, still remains the poorest and most disadvantaged part of the population. The average literacy rate among them is just over 30.

The situation is explained by the humiliation that children of this caste are subjected to in educational institutions. As a result, illiterate Dalits are the bulk of the country's unemployed.

However, there are exceptions to the rule: there are about 30 millionaires in the country who are Dalits. Of course, this is minuscule in comparison with 170 million untouchables. But this fact says that Dalit is not a sentence of fate.

An example is the life of Ashok Khade, who belonged to the leatherworking caste. The guy worked as a docker during the day, and studied textbooks at night to become an engineer. His company is currently closing deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

And there is also an opportunity to leave the Dalit caste - this is a change of religion.

Buddhism, Christianity, Islam - any faith technically takes a person out of the untouchables. This was first used at the end of the 19th century, and in 2007, 50 thousand people immediately converted to Buddhism.