VarmatCAC ureni

a. ond calc.

THE CASTE SYSTEM

Every society is stratified. It has rightly been said that an "unstratified society, with a real
Equality of its members is a myth, which has never been realised in the history of mankind.
The form and proportions may vary but its essence is permanent." The Indian social system
rests on three pillars: the caste system, the joint family system, and the village community.
Among these, the caste system appears to be the most significant feature of the Hindu
Society due to its iterdependence upon the social, economic and political systems. In fact,
the Hindu Society has been described as the caste society par excellence. In India we find a
unique system of social stratification based on birth, which is not found elsewhere in the)
World
X
Meaning and Definition:

The term Caste' is derived from a Portuguese word Casta' meaning breed, race or group.
AS already mentioned, castes are ascriptive groups. Thus basically caste refers to people
belonging to the same breed. An individual is born into a caste, and this status is usually
permanent. Though the elements of castes are found outside India, it is only in India
that
numerous castes are found. The term caste has been defined differently by different peoplé.
ACcording to G.S.Ghurye Castes are small and complete social
worlds in themselves
marked off definitely from one another though subsisting within the larger society."
Aceording to Maclver "When status is wholly predetermined so that men are born to their
without any hope of change in it, then the class takes the extreme form lot
of caste."
Ccording to A.W.Green,Caste is a system of stratification in which mobility,
up and down in the status ladder, at east ideally, may not occur."
movement

Characteristics of the Caste System:

Segmental Division ofSociety:
Under caste system, society is divided into several
small social groups called castes. Each of
these castes is a well developed social group, the membership
of which is based on birth.
14
 is impossible. Each
Since membership is based on birth, mobility from one caste to another
caste has its own tradit ional social status, occupation, customs, rules and regulations. It has
its own governing body called the caste council or "jati panchayat, which enforces the caste
rules. Above all, members of a caste are bound together by mutual obligations of help and
co-operation in their day to day activities. Thus each caste is a social world by itself.

Hierarchy:
The caste system is always characterized by a hierarchical arrangement. It implies that there
are some castes which are considered superior to the others. Membership in the caste is based
on birth and is more or less fixed. Traditionally it is the hierarchical arrangement of caste
according to different degrees of dominance and subordinat ion. The Brahmins in India are
placed on the apex of the social ladder. A Brahmin is entitled to whatever exists in this
world. In the caste hierarchy the Brahmins are followed by the Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas.
At the bottom of the ladder are the Shudras.

3. Restrictions on Interaction

In the caste system, there are several restrictions on interaction. The members of one caste
cannot mix or move freely with the members of the other castes. This ban on interaction
becomes still more rigid when the question of mixing of a superior caste with an inerior one
comes to the front. Every caste abides by well-established customs and well-defined norms
of intergetwn.

Social and religious disabilities:

In caste system, the members of a higher caste impose certain disabilities and restrictions on
other castes. In the Hindu caste system. the Brahmins are the most privileged caste and the
Sudras are the oppressed ones. A Sudra cannot even touch an individual belonging to a
higher caste. People belonging to the lowest caste in the hierarchy are not allowed to dwell in
the cities and purchase property in the localities inhabited by the high caste people. They are
not allowed even to go to the temples and worship there. They are not even permitted to
study religious books etc. they are not also allowed to use vilage wells or ponds, used by the
higher castes.

5. mposition on restrictions on commensality:

Each caste group has its own laws which govern the food habits of the members. Generally,
there are no restrictions on fruit, milk, butter, dry fruits etc. But there are some restrictions
regarding unfried food. Unfried food has been divided into two classes, 'pacca' and
kachcha'. This division is based on the use of ghee' with or without water. The kachcha
food can be accepted only from a person of one's own caste or of a higher caste.

15
 the idea of caste as the four-fold division of society represents a gross
oversimplificat ion
of facts. The real unit of caste system is jati denoting an endogamous community
with
more or less defined ritual status and occupations tradit ionally linked to it
irdly. the tracing of the origin of caste to miscegenating or
Varna Shankar is also
misleading. It is possible that some castes have been formed as miscegenation,
but it is
not correct to say that all the castes have been formed due to miscegenation.)
K
Occupational Theory:

Nesfield regarded caste system as the natural product of the occupational division of
Hindu Society. In his own words "Function and function alone is responsible for the
origin of caste system". He holds the view that in the beginning when there was no
rigidity, each individual was free to have occupation of his choice. But gradually with the
rigidity in the system, occupational changes came to a halt. Castes were identified on the
basis of fixed occupation. Persons in noble occupations, such as educating the people
fighting in the battle field, trade etc. were considered as members of superior cástes. The
others were traced as persons belonging to inferior castes, such as Sudras. In support of
his theory, Nesfield cited the example that the occupation of artisans working in metals is
ranked higher than basket makers or some other primitive occupations which do not
involve the use of metals.
However, this theory is not frec from criticism. The line of attack is that occupation is not
the sole basis of causing caste differences. Wide variations are also marked in respect of
the position of agricultural castes which are rated lower, they are regarded as relatively
higher and respectable in North India.

Desindia tal
Potical Theory:( mp)
Some thinkers are of the opinion that not race but political convenience and manipulation
by those want ing to retain authority resulted in the origin of caste system. The Brahmins
were solely responsible for creating and maintaining this system so as to retain authority.
In the words of Dr. Ghurye, "caste is the Brahminic child of Indo-Aryans culture cradled
in the land of Ganges and hence transferred to other parts of India by Brahminic
prospectors."
by the Brahmins for
Abbe Dubois argues that caste system is an ingenious device made
intercourse to preserve their
Brahmins. Brahmins imposed restrictions on food and social
also accorded high status to
purity necessary for the sacerdotal functions. They
them. The salvation of individuals or
themselves and declared all others inferior to
by the Brahmin only. The Brahmins
society lied in the performance of religious rites
the king, through the priest or purohit in
even added the concept of spiritual merit of
ruer ofthe land.
order to get the support of the 18
 Criticism:
The theory of "Mana' has
been criticized on two counts. First, India is not only country
where the belief in 'Mana existed.
But in no other parts of the world it created the caste
system. Hence, the belief that
the theory that 'Mana' produced caste system appears to be
misleading. Secondly, there is
no evidence supporting the existence of caste system in
India alone.

Racial Theory of Caste:

Herbert Risley is one of the
ardent advocates of racial theory of the origin of caste
system. Other supporters
of this theory are the scholars like Ghurye, Majumdar,
Westermarck and others. According
to this theory, caste system came into existence due
to clash of cultures and
the contact of races. The Aryans came
because of their better complexion. to India as conquerors,
physical appearance and built up of the
comparison with the non-Aryans, the body. In
Aryans placed themselves as a superior race over
the non-Aryans. Thus the
Aryans considered the natives as inferior
maintained their own ideas and to them and
ceremonial purity. The Aryans got married
Aryan women, but refused to give to the non-
their own daughters in marriage to the non-Aryans.
The Chandals had the lowest position
in society. Thus the irregular union
and racial superiority were held responsible between races
for the origin ofcaste system in India.
Risley has mentioned six processes
of development of caste system.
(a) Changes in traditional occupation:
when a caste or a sub-caste changes its
occupation and adopts a different one, it traditional
ultimately develops into a distinct
(b) Migration: In the past the transport and caste.
communication system was
Therefore whenever a section of caste not developed.
migrated from one region to
difficulties in maintaining contacts with the the other, it faced
earlier place.
(c) Customary changes: From the earliest
times, the formation of new
on the rejection of old custom and usages castes was based
and acceptance of the new
habits. practices and
(d) Preservation of old practices: Some
caste groups are interested in
old tradit ions and on those bases they maintaining their
separate themselves from the
who follow relatively new customs rest of society
and traditions. The caste groups
patterns may take up new namnes. preserving old
(e) Getting into the folds of Hinduism:
Certain tribes or the section of the
the rank on Hinduism by changing their tribes enter into
lineage, by accepting the tenets
of Hindu religion, by joining Hindu of any school
religion and by establishing relations
Hindus without changing its name. with the
Thus, the tribes transform themselves
The examples of the Rajbanshies of into castes.
Bengal and Muria Gonds
this regard. of MP may be taken in
 there was a hierarchical arrangement wherein the Brahmins were at the top, whereas the
Sudras were at the lowest rung of the ladder.

Chapges in the Caste System:

Chanqinz ackor.
ADecline in the supremacy of Brahmins: In the
traditional caste system, the Brahmins were
at the apex of the social and religious sphere and
thus they enjoyed supremacy over
others. But due to the processes of secularization and
westernization, the authority of the
Brahmins gradually declined and they ceased to enjoy
the traditional respect and honour
in the society.
2. Changes in the caste hierarchy: Traditionally,
each caste was maintaining its own style of
life and the higher castes maintained a
better life than the rest. But in course of time the
process of Sanskritization started. Sanskritization
is a process in which a status group
aspiring for upward mobility in the system of social
stratification tends to emulate the life
style of the higher castes. The lower
castes followed Sanskritization to bring about a
change in their social status.
3. Changes in status: The status-indicating
function of castes has undergone changes due to
the process of secularization, westernization
and materialist ic attitude of individuals.
4. Occupational changes: In a caste-ridden
society, occupations were hereditary and an
individual's birth into a particular caste determined
his occupation forever. But when the
rigidity of the caste system broke down, occupational
changes were also marked.
Changes in the sphere of culture: It has changed
the life style of different caste groups,
their modes of living, patterns of worship and
performance of rites and rituals,
and traditional practices. customs
Changes in commensality: People are no more
confined to their places of origin.
have migrated to different places and so it They
becomes very difficult to stick
restrictions relating to the food habits. Particularly to the
in the urban places where
dine in hotels, it is impossible to maintain the strangers
restrictions. In various offices
organizations, the same relaxation is evident. and work-
The employees assemble
dining. together for inter
7. Attitudinal changes: Changes in the attitude
towards castes have been noticed
system. This relates to loss of faith in the within the
ascriptive pattern and jurisdiction
itself. of the system

FaetorsAffecting Caste System:

Moli lity
1. Modern Education: Modern
education being
secular in nature, is indifferent
against, religion. It is, on the one to, if not
hand,
based on such democratic
liberty and fraternity and on the other values like equality,
hand, grounded on
reason and observation. Therefore, such scientific vaues like
with the spread
divine origin of caste, karma and "karmaphala', of modern education, the beliefs like
which provided ethical justification
for
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+27
 Caste system, are growing weaker and weaker in the minds of people. As modern
cducation s usually imparted in co-educational institutions, it encourages inter-caste
marriages, based on ove, among the cducated young men and women. Thus, moden
education acts as a very powerful force against caste system in India.
2. Industrialization: Caste, like the joint family. is based on rural economy. As such,
industrial economy cuts across the roos of both caste and joint family. Occupational
CcANtes cannt survive in the tace o large scale tndustnalizaton. For example. the
members of the weaving castes are finding t extremely difficuk to folkow their traditional
Caste occupal kons as R IS DOt possibie tor em to compete wth the textie mills im the
open markets. As a resut, of industrialization, the tradit ion of folkowing caste
occupations has come in to disuse. Today. members of all castes fhave sought and got
employment in the modern factories. A Brahmin, who works by side of an untouchable in
a factory. canno avoid his touch or shadow.
3. a
Urbunizat ion: Under urban conditions of life, the ideas of pollution by touch of shadow
cannot be translated into action.
4. Modern means of transportation: Modern meas of transportation have ncreased spatial
mobility of the people and thereby pur an end to the geographical isolation, which Was a
favourable condtion for the creation and continuation of caste system in lndia. Moreover.
while travelling by the modern means of transportation like buses, trains, it is impossible
to observe caste rues regarding food, drink and social inter-course.
5. Increase in the importance of weahh: In our present age, wealhh is replacing birth as the
busis of socil prestige. Consequenly., caste, which is based on birth. is no longer the
poor Brahmin in our
hasi
al status, As a nch Sudra 1s more respected than a more
CEn Ey. Peope whiie choosing their occupations, give consideration to
income rather than anything else.
6. New social movements: In the past, a number of movements were launched against caste
system, but none of them succeeded, as they were mainly reformist in their mission. hey
never questioned orthodoxy. But the social movements started by Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
Dayananda Saraswati and others were unike the earlier movements. for they were bused
On ne authorily ot reason rather than the orthodox texts. As such, their deas could
influence the intelligentsia of the couniry against caste and otber evis ot Hindu society

Under the impact of all these powerful forces, wide cracks have already appeared in the walls
of the citadel of caste in India. But it would be a gross mistake to think that it has completely
collapsed.