What did castes do in ancient India? The untouchable caste in India: description, history and interesting facts. Caste divisions in India

At the end of July, a 14-year-old untouchable, held in sexual slavery by a neighbor for a month, died in a hospital ward in New Delhi. The dying woman told the police that the kidnapper threatened her with a knife, forced her to drink juice mixed with acid, did not feed her, and, together with his friends, raped her several times a day. As law enforcement officers found out, this was the second kidnapping - the previous one was committed by the same person in December last year, but he was released on bail. According to local media, the court showed such leniency towards the criminal because his victim was a Dalit (untouchable), which means her life and freedom were worth nothing. Although discrimination based on caste is prohibited in India, Dalits are still the poorest, most disadvantaged and most uneducated section of society. Why this is so and how far up the social ladder the untouchables can rise - Lenta.ru explains.

How did the untouchables appear?

According to the most common version, these are descendants of representatives of tribes who lived in India before the Aryan invasion. In the traditional Aryan system of society, consisting of four varnas - Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (traders and artisans) and Shudras (wage earners) - Dalits were at the very bottom, below the Shudras, who were also descendants of the pre-Aryan inhabitants of India . At the same time, in India itself there is a widespread version that arose back in the 19th century, according to which the untouchables are the descendants of children expelled to the forests, born from the relationship of a Shudra man and a Brahmin woman.

The oldest Indian literary monument, the Rigveda (compiled in 1700-1100 BC), says that brahmanas originated from the mouth of the proto-man Purusha, kshatriyas from the hands, vaishyas from the thighs, and shudras from the feet. There is no place for untouchables in this picture of the world. The varna system finally took shape between the 7th century BC. and 2nd century AD

It is believed that an untouchable person can defile people from higher varnas, so their houses and villages were built on the outskirts. The system of ritual restrictions among the untouchables is no less strict than among the brahmanas, although the restrictions themselves are completely different. Untouchables were forbidden to enter restaurants and temples, carry umbrellas and shoes, walk around in shirts and sunglasses, but they were allowed to eat meat - which strict vegetarian Brahmins could not afford.

Is that what they call them in India - “untouchables”?

Now this word has almost fallen into disuse and is considered offensive. The most common name for untouchables is Dalits, “oppressed”, or “oppressed”. Previously, there was also the word “harijans” - “children of God”, which Mahatma Gandhi tried to introduce into use. But it didn’t catch on: Dalits found it as offensive as “untouchables.”

How many Dalits are there in India and how many castes do they have?

Approximately 170 million people - 16.6 percent of the total population. The question of the number of castes is very complex, since Indians themselves almost never use the word “caste,” preferring the more vague concept of “jati,” which includes not only castes in the usual sense, but also clans and communities, which are often difficult to classify as one or another. another varna. Moreover, the boundary between caste and sub-caste is often very blurred. We can only say with certainty that we are talking about hundreds of jatis.

Do Dalits still live in poverty? How is social status related to economic status?

In general, the lower castes are indeed significantly poorer. The bulk of India's poor are Dalits. The average literacy rate in the country is 75 percent, among Dalits it is just over 30. Almost half of Dalit children, according to statistics, drop out of school because of the humiliation they are subjected to there. It is Dalits who make up the bulk of the unemployed; and those who are employed tend to be paid less than members of the upper castes.

Although there are exceptions: there are approximately 30 Dalit millionaires in India. Of course, against the backdrop of 170 million poor people and beggars, this is a drop in the bucket, but with their lives they prove that you can achieve success even as a Dalit. As a rule, these are truly outstanding people: Ashok Khade from the Chamar (tanner) caste, the son of an illiterate poor shoemaker, worked as a docker during the day, and at night he read textbooks to get an engineering degree, and slept under the stairs on the street, since he did not enough money to rent a room. Now his company is doing deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars. This is a typical Dalit success story, a kind of blue dream for millions of underprivileged people.

Have the untouchables ever tried to start a rebellion?

As far as we know, no. Before the colonization of India, this thought could hardly have arisen in our heads: at that time, expulsion from the caste was equivalent to physical death. After colonization, social boundaries began to gradually blur, and after India gained independence, rebellion became meaningless for Dalits - they were provided with all the conditions to achieve their goals through political means.

How deeply submissiveness has become ingrained in the Dalit consciousness can be illustrated by an example given by Russian researchers Felix and Evgenia Yurlov. The Bahujan Samaj Party, which represents the interests of lower castes, organized special training camps for Dalits, in which they learned to “overcome the age-old fear and fear of high-caste Hindus.” Among the exercises was, for example, the following: a stuffed figure of a high-caste Hindu with a mustache and a tilak (dot) on his forehead was installed. The Dalit had to overcome his shyness, approach the scarecrow, cut off his mustache with scissors and erase the tilak.

Is it possible to break out of the untouchables?

It is possible, although not easy. The easiest way is to change religion. A person who converts to Buddhism, Islam or Christianity technically falls out of the caste system. Dalits first began converting to Buddhism in noticeable numbers at the end of the 19th century. Mass conversions are associated with the name of the famous Dalit rights activist Dr. Ambedkar, who converted to Buddhism along with half a million untouchables. The last such mass ceremony took place in Mumbai in 2007 - then 50 thousand people simultaneously became Buddhists.

Dalits prefer to convert to Buddhism. Firstly, Indian nationalists treat this religion better than Islam and Christianity, since it is one of the traditional Indian religions. Secondly, over time, Muslims and Christians developed their own caste divisions, albeit not as clearly expressed as among Hindus.

Is it possible to change caste while remaining Hindu?

There are two options: the first is all kinds of semi-legal or illegal methods. For example, many surnames indicating membership in a particular caste differ by one or two letters. It is enough to be slightly corrupt or charming a clerk in a government office - and, voila, you are already a member of another caste, and sometimes even a varna. It is better, of course, to perform such tricks either in the city, or in combination with moving to another area, where there are not thousands of fellow villagers around who knew your grandfather.

The second option is the “ghar vapasi” procedure, literally “welcome home”. This program is implemented by radical Hindu organizations and aims to convert Indians of other religions to Hinduism. In this case, a person becomes, for example, a Christian, then sprinkles ashes on his head, declaring his desire to perform “ghar vapasi” - and that’s it, he is a Hindu again. If this trick is done outside your home village, you can always claim that you belong to a different caste.

Another question is why do all this. You will not be asked for a caste certificate when applying for a job or when entering a restaurant. In India, over the last century, the caste system has been demolished under the influence of the processes of modernization and globalization. The attitude towards a stranger is built on the basis of his behavior. The only thing that can let you down is the surname, which is most often associated with caste (Gandhi - traders, Deshpande - Brahmins, Acharis - carpenters, Guptas - Vaishyas, Singhs - Kshatriyas). But now that anyone can change their last name, everything has become much easier.

How about changing varna without changing caste?

There is a chance that your caste will undergo the process of Sanskritization. In Russian this is called “vertical mobility of castes”: if one caste adopts the traditions and customs of another caste of higher status, there is a chance that sooner or later it will be recognized as a member of a higher varna. For example, a lower caste begins to practice vegetarianism, characteristic of brahmins, dress like brahmins, wear a sacred thread on the wrist and generally position themselves as brahmins, it is possible that sooner or later they will begin to be treated as brahmins.

However, vertical mobility is characteristic mainly of the higher varna castes. Not a single Dalit caste has yet managed to cross the invisible line separating them from the four varnas and become even Shudras. But times are changing.

In general, being a Hindu, you are not required to declare membership in any caste. You can be a casteless Hindu - your right.

Why change the caste in principle?

It all depends on which direction to change - up or down. Raising your caste status means that others who value caste will treat you with more respect. Downgrading your status, especially to the level of the Dalit caste, will give you a number of real advantages, which is why many representatives of higher castes try to enroll as Dalits.

The fact is that in modern India the authorities are waging a merciless fight against caste discrimination. According to the constitution, any discrimination on the basis of caste is prohibited, and you will even have to pay a fine for asking about caste when hiring.

But the country has a mechanism of positive discrimination. A number of castes and tribes are included in the Scheduled Tribes and Castes (SC/ST) list. Representatives of these castes have certain privileges, which are confirmed by caste certificates. Seats are reserved for Dalits in the civil service and in parliament, their children are admitted free of charge (or for half the fee) to schools, and places are allocated for them in institutes. In short, there is a quota system for Dalits.

It's hard to say whether this is good or bad. The author of these lines met Dalits who were capable of giving a head start to any Brahmin in terms of intelligence and general development; quotas helped them rise from the bottom and get an education. On the other hand, we had to see Dalits going with the flow (first according to quotas for college, then according to the same quotas for the civil service), not interested in anything and not wanting to work. They cannot be fired, so their future is secured until old age and a good pension. Many in India criticize the quota system, many defend it.

So Dalits can be politicians?

How can they? For example, Kocheril Raman Narayanan, who was the President of India from 1997 to 2002, was a Dalit. Another example is Mayawati Prabhu Das, also known as the Iron Lady Mayawati, who served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for a total of eight years.

Are the number of Dalits the same in all states of India?

No, it varies, and quite significantly. The largest number of Dalits live in the state of Uttar Pradesh (20.5 percent of all Dalits in India), followed by West Bengal (10.7 percent). However, as a percentage of the total population, Punjab leads with 31.9 percent, followed by Himachal Pradesh with 25.2 percent.

How can Dalits work?

Theoretically, anyone - from the president to the toilet cleaner. Many Dalits act in films and work as fashion models. In cities where caste lines are blurred, there are no restrictions at all; In villages where ancient traditions are strong, Dalits are still engaged in “unclean” work: skinning dead animals, digging graves, prostitution, and so on.

If a child is born as a result of an inter-caste marriage, which caste will he be assigned to?

Traditionally in India, a child was registered as a lower caste. It is now believed that a child inherits his father's caste, except in the state of Kerala, where according to local law, the mother's caste is inherited. This is theoretically possible in other states, but in each individual case it is decided through the courts.

A typical story happened in 2012: then a Kshatriya man married a woman from the Nayak tribe. The boy was registered as a kshatriya, but then his mother, through the court, ensured that the child was registered as a nayak so that he could take advantage of the bonuses provided to disadvantaged tribes.

If I, as a tourist in India, touch a Dalit, will I then be able to shake hands with a Brahmin?

Foreigners in Hinduism are already considered unclean because they are outside the caste system, so they can touch anyone and for whatever reason without desecrating themselves in any way. If a practicing Brahman decides to communicate with you, he will still have to perform purification rituals, so whether you shook the Dalit’s hand before or not is essentially indifferent.

Do they make inter-caste porn with Dalits in India?

Of course they do. Moreover, judging by the number of views on specialized sites, it is very popular.

On September 24, 1932, the right to vote in India 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 classes called castes. This division occurred many thousands of years ago and continues to this day. Hindus believe that by following the rules established in your caste, in your next life you can be born as a representative of a slightly higher and more respected caste, and occupy a much better position in society.

After 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 financial 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, forced into slavery or into a dependent state, or, driven into the forests and mountains, there they led a meager life in inaction of thought 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 submitted voluntarily, renounced their fatherly gods, adopted the language, laws and customs of the victors, 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 houses of rich people. From them came a caste sudra . "Sudra" 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 beneath their dignity to enter into marriage unions with representatives of the Shudra caste. Shudra women were only concubines among the Aryans.

Over time, sharp differences in status and professions emerged between the Aryan conquerors of India themselves. But in relation to the lower caste - the dark-skinned, conquered 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 thread was placed on the Aryan, making him “reborn” (or “twice-born”, dvija). This ritual served as a symbolic distinction between all Aryans and the Shudra caste and the despised native tribes driven into the forests. Consecration was performed by placing a cord, which was worn placed on the right shoulder and descending diagonally across the chest. Among the Brahmin caste, the 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 kusha (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, were divided according to differences in occupation and origin into three estates or castes, with some similarities to the three estates of medieval Europe: the clergy, the nobility and the urban middle class. The beginnings of caste structures among the Aryans existed back in the days when they lived only in the Indus basin: there, from the mass of the agricultural and pastoral population, warlike princes of the tribes, surrounded by people skilled in military affairs, as well as priests who performed sacrificial rites, already stood out.

When the Aryan tribes moved further into India, into the country of the Ganges, militant energy increased in bloody wars with the exterminated natives, and then in a fierce struggle between the Aryan tribes. Until the conquests were completed, the entire people were busy with military affairs. Only when the peaceful possession of the conquered country began did it become possible for a variety of occupations to develop, the possibility of choosing between different professions arose, and a new stage in the origin of castes began. The fertility of the Indian soil aroused the desire for peaceful means of subsistence. From this, the innate tendency of the Aryans quickly developed, according to which it was more pleasant for them to work quietly and enjoy the fruits of their labor than to make difficult military efforts. Therefore, a significant part of the settlers (“vishes”) turned to agriculture, which produced abundant harvests, leaving the fight against enemies and the protection of the country to the tribal princes and the military nobility formed during the period of conquest. This class, engaged in arable farming and partly shepherding, soon grew so that among the Aryans, as in Western Europe, it formed the vast majority of the population. Because the name vaishya "settler", which originally meant all Aryan inhabitants in new areas, came to mean only people of the third, working Indian caste, and warriors, kshatriyas and priests, brahmanas (“prayers”), who over time became the privileged classes, made the names of their professions the names of the two highest castes.

The four Indian classes listed above became completely closed castes (varnas) only when they rose above the ancient service of Indra and other gods of nature. Brahmanism, - new religious teaching about Brahma , the soul of the universe, the source of life, from which all beings originated and to which they will return. This reformed creed gave religious sanctity to the division of the Indian nation into castes, especially the priestly caste. It said that in the cycle of life forms passed through by everything existing on earth, brahman is the highest form of existence. According to the dogma of rebirth and transmigration of souls, a creature born in human form must go through all four castes in turn: to be a Shudra, a Vaishya, a Kshatriya and, finally, a Brahman; 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 deity, to exactly fulfill everything commanded by the brahmanas, to honor them, to please them with gifts and signs of respect. Offenses against Brahmanas, 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 transmigration of souls, a person must go through all four castes

The belief in the dependence of the future life on the present was the main support of the Indian caste division and the rule of the priests. The more decisively the Brahman clergy placed the dogma of transmigration of souls at the center of all moral teaching, the more successfully it filled the imagination of the people with terrible pictures of hellish torment, the more honor and influence it acquired. Representatives of the highest caste of 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 future life depend on them. It is not surprising that with the development of religiosity among the Indians, the power of the Brahman caste increased, tirelessly praising in its holy teachings respect and generosity towards the Brahmans as the surest ways to obtain bliss, instilling in the kings that the ruler is obliged to have Brahmans as his advisers and make judges, is obliged to reward their service with rich content and pious gifts.

So that the lower Indian castes did not envy the privileged position of the Brahmans and did not encroach on it, the doctrine was developed and strenuously preached that the forms of life for all beings are predetermined by Brahma, and that the progression through the degrees of human rebirth is accomplished only by a calm, peaceful life in the given position of man, the right one. performance of duties. Thus, in one of the oldest parts of the Mahabharata it is said: “When Brahma created beings, he gave them their occupations, each caste a special activity: for the brahmanas - the study of the high Vedas, for the warriors - heroism, for the vaishyas - the art of labor, for the shudras - humility before other flowers: therefore ignorant Brahmanas, unglorious warriors, unskillful Vaishyas and disobedient Shudras are worthy of blame.”

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

Some Brahmins are not allowed to eat meat.

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

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 ruler. Currently, representatives of the Brahmin caste are also involved 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 or do any manual labor, but women can do various household chores.

A representative of the priestly caste can only marry someone like himself, but as an exception, a wedding with a Brahman from another community is allowed.

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

Some brahmanas are not allowed to eat meat.

Kshatriyas - warrior caste

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

Currently, 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 prohibited from marrying a man from a lower caste. Kshatriyas can eat animal products, but they also avoid forbidden foods.

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

Vaishya

Vaishyas have always been the working class: they farmed, raised livestock, and traded.

Now representatives of the Vaishyas are engaged in economic and financial affairs, various trades, and the banking sector. 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 eat contaminated dishes.

Shudras - the lowest caste

The Shudra caste has always existed in the role of peasants or even slaves: they did 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.

The Untouchables

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

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

Unique Features of Castes

Having a brahmana in your neighborhood, you can give him a lot of gifts, but you shouldn’t expect anything in return. Brahmins never give gifts: they accept, but do not give.

In terms of land ownership, Shudras can be even more influential than Vaishyas.

The untouchables were not allowed to step on the shadows of people from the upper classes

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

Castes and modernity

Today, Indian castes have become even more structured, with many different subgroups called jatis.

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

Many foreigners consider the caste system to be 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 this stratification of society. Politicians actively work on dividing society into layers during elections, adding protection of the rights of a particular caste to their election promises.

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 boundaries of the populated area. Such people are not allowed to enter stores, government and medical institutions, or even use public transport.

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

The untouchable caste has a completely unique subgroup: society’s attitude towards it is quite contradictory. These include homosexuals, transvestites and eunuchs who make their living through prostitution and asking tourists for coins. But what a paradox: the presence of such a person at the holiday is considered a very good sign.

Another amazing podcast of the untouchables is Pariah. These are people completely expelled from society - marginalized. Previously, one could become a pariah even by touching such a person, but now the situation has changed a little: one becomes a pariah either by being born from an intercaste marriage, or from pariah parents.

The first castes appeared in India at the stage of state formation. About one and a half thousand years BC, the first settlers appeared on the territory of modern India. They were divided into four classes. Much later, called varnas, this word, literally translated from Sanskrit, means color. The word caste itself carries a semantic concept as a pure breed.

Belonging to some community of people in power has always been highly valued among all nations. It’s just that in ancient times, intertwined with Indian religion, this concept acquired the status of an unshakable law. At the very beginning, these were brahmins, priests, in their hands was the right to interpret the word of God. Thanks to this, this caste occupied the highest position. Because above them there was only a divine essence with which only they could communicate. Any word they said was law and was not subject to discussion. Next came the kshatriya warriors. Very numerous and powerful caste of India. At all times and among all peoples, professional military men have participated in government. Only on the territory of India did they become a separate group of people who passed on their skills and traditions.

How people's lives differ in different parts of India, read more:.

The caste was so closed that for many centuries ordinary people could not even imagine becoming a soldier. Such heresy was punishable by death. Vaishyas included traders, farmers, and cattle breeders. This caste was also numerous, but the people who were part of it did not have any political influence, since representatives of the highest castes of India, at any moment, they could deprive them of all their property, home, family, simply by saying that it pleases the gods. Shudra servant worker. The most numerous and powerless caste, the people who belonged to it were actually equated to the level of animals. Moreover, some animals in India lived much better because they had sacred status.

Further divisions into castes in India

Later, after quite a long time has passed. The first castes began to be divided into smaller ones, with even more strict assignment of certain privileges and rights to a certain group of people. Religion played a big role in this division. In Hinduism, it is believed that after death, the soul can be reincarnated into a person more high caste india, if he strictly observes all the rules of this division during his lifetime. If not, he will be reborn into a lower caste. It was impossible to leave the caste limit; even if a person had some excellent qualities, he could not rise during his lifetime.

As time passed, this system of building society only became stronger. Neither the conquest of the people by the Mughals, who brought with them the Muslim religion, nor the later conquest by the British, could shake the very foundations of this system. The very nature of caste seems quite logical. If the family is engaged in farming, then the children will do the same. Only the Indians have abolished the very possibility of making a decision in this matter; everything is decided only by birth. Where you were born is what you will do. To the main four, another one was added, the untouchables. This is the lowest caste. It is believed that communication with members of this caste can pollute anyone, especially members of the higher castes. Therefore, they never directly communicated with representatives of the untouchables.

Modern caste division

In modern India there are a huge number of castes. Priests, warriors, merchants and even untouchables have their own division. It is quite difficult to understand all these intricacies. Yes, with the advent of the possibility of leaving the country, young people are increasingly beginning to think about the appropriateness of this order of things. But in the provinces in the interior of the country these laws are treated very jealously. And at the state level, this tradition is supported by the government of the country. There is a Constitutional Table of Castes. So, this is not medieval savagery and a relic of the past, but an absolutely real, state structure. Each state has its own division into castes. No matter how visitors feel about it, this whole cumbersome mechanism works. Perfectly fulfilling its purpose.

It should be noted, since modern India is a democratic state, all freedom rights associated with obtaining Caste certificates are very strictly observed, various methods of state support are provided for the maintenance of lower castes. Even to the point of setting quotas for special seats in parliament. Currently, all peoples living in India recognize the caste division and follow this tradition. Even the Spanish and British priests who remained on the territory of the state after the departure of the colonialists created their own Indian caste system and stick to it. This emphasizes that with the right, competent approach, any system of government can work, no matter how conservative and orthodox it may look in the eyes of visitors. In modern India, a change of castes has become possible. It is enough for one or several families to change their occupation and that’s it, a new caste is ready. In modern reality, especially in large industrial cities, such changes are treated quite loyally.

Before traveling to India, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the cultural characteristics of the country, for more details:.

The Untouchables

This is a completely separate category of people. It is considered the lowest, people whose souls sinned greatly in the previous incarnation go there. But even this last rung of India's social ladder has its divisions. At the very top there are working people or those who have some kind of craft. For example, hairdressers or garbage collectors. The bottom of this staircase is occupied by petty thieves who make their living by stealing small livestock. The most mysterious thing in this hierarchy is the group of hijras; it includes representatives of any sexual minorities. It is amazing that representatives of these seemingly dregs of society are invited to weddings and births of children. They are often felt in numerous church ceremonies. But the worst thing in India is considered to be a person without a caste, even of the lowest rank. Such people are called pariahs here. These are people born from other pariahs or as a result of inter-caste marriages and not recognized by one of the castes. More recently, you could become a pariah simply by touching one of them.

Indian castes, video:

Having left the Indus Valley, the Indian Aryans conquered the country along the Ganges and founded many states here, whose population consisted of two classes that differed in legal and financial status.

The new Aryan settlers, the victors, seized land, honor, and power in India, and the defeated non-Indo-European natives were plunged into contempt and humiliation, forced into slavery or into a dependent state, or, driven into the forests and mountains, they were led there in inaction thoughts of 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 conquered by the power of the sword suffered the fate of captives and became mere slaves. The Indians, who submitted voluntarily, renounced their fatherly gods, adopted the language, laws and customs of the victors, 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 houses of rich people. From them came a caste sudra. "Sudra" 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 beneath their dignity to enter into marriage unions with representatives of the Shudra caste. Shudra women were only concubines among the Aryans.

Ancient India. Map

Over time, sharp differences in status and professions emerged between the Aryan conquerors of India themselves. But in relation to the lower caste - the dark-skinned, conquered 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 ritual served as a symbolic distinction between all Aryans and the Shudra caste and the despised native tribes driven into the forests. Consecration was performed by placing a cord, which was worn placed on the right shoulder and descending diagonally across the chest. Among the Brahmin caste, the 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 kusha (Indian spinning plant), and among the Vaishya caste, who received it no earlier than the 12th year, it was made of wool.

The "twice-born" Aryans, over time, were 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 beginnings of caste structures among the Aryans existed back in the days when they lived only in the Indus basin: there, from the mass of the agricultural and pastoral population, warlike princes of the tribes, surrounded by people skilled in military affairs, as well as priests who performed sacrificial rites, already stood out.

At the resettlement of Aryan tribes further into India, into the country of the Ganges, militant energy increased in bloody wars with exterminated natives, and then in a fierce struggle between Aryan tribes. Until the conquests were completed, the entire people were busy with military affairs. Only when the peaceful possession of the conquered country began did it become possible for a variety of occupations to develop, the possibility of choosing between different professions arose, and a new stage in the origin of castes began. The fertility of the Indian soil aroused the desire for peaceful means of subsistence. From this, the innate tendency of the Aryans quickly developed, according to which it was more pleasant for them to work quietly and enjoy the fruits of their labor than to make difficult military efforts. Therefore, a significant part of the settlers (“ Vishey") turned to agriculture, which produced 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 conquest. This class, engaged in arable farming and partly shepherding, soon grew so that among the Aryans, as in Western Europe, it formed the vast majority of the population. Because the name vaishya"settler", which originally meant all Aryan inhabitants in new areas, came to mean only people of the third, working Indian caste, and warriors, kshatriyas, and priests, brahmins(“prayers”), who over time became the privileged classes, made the names of their professions the names of the two highest castes.

The four Indian classes listed above became completely closed castes (varnas) only when Brahmanism rose above the ancient service to Indra and other gods of nature - a new religious doctrine about Brahma, the soul of the universe, the source of life from which all beings originated and to which they will return. This reformed creed gave religious sanctity to the division of the Indian nation into castes, and especially the priestly caste. It said that in the cycle of life forms passed through by everything existing on earth, brahman is the highest form of existence. According to the dogma of rebirth and transmigration of souls, a creature born in human form must go through all four castes in turn: to be a Shudra, a Vaishya, a Kshatriya and, finally, a Brahman; 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 deity, to exactly fulfill everything commanded by the brahmanas, to honor them, to please them with gifts and signs of respect. Offenses against Brahmanas, severely punished on earth, subject the wicked to the most terrible torments of hell and rebirth in the forms of despised animals.

The belief in the dependence of the future life on the present was the main support of the Indian caste division and the rule of the priests. The more decisively the Brahman clergy placed the dogma of transmigration of souls at the center of all moral teaching, the more successfully it filled the imagination of the people with terrible pictures of hellish torment, the more honor and influence it acquired. Representatives of the highest caste of 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 future life 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 its holy teachings respect and generosity towards the Brahmins as the surest ways to obtain bliss, instilling in the kings that the ruler is obliged to have Brahmins as his advisers and make judges, is obliged to reward their service to the rich contents and pious gifts.

So that the lower Indian castes did not envy the privileged position of the Brahmans and did not encroach on it, the doctrine was developed and strenuously preached that the forms of life for all beings are predetermined by Brahma, and that the progression through the degrees of human rebirth is accomplished only by a calm, peaceful life in the given position of man, the right one. performance of duties. So, in one of the oldest parts Mahabharata It is said: “When Brahma created beings, he gave them their occupations, each caste a special activity: for the brahmanas - the study of the high Vedas, for the warriors - heroism, for the vaishyas - the art of work, for the sudras - humility before other flowers: therefore ignorant brahmanas, ignorant warriors, unskillful vaishyas and disobedient sudras.”

Brahma, the main deity of Brahmanism - the religion that underlies the Indian caste system

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 an improvement in their fate in a future existence. He gave religious sanctification to the Indian caste hierarchy. The division of people into four classes, unequal in their rights, was from this point of view an eternal, unchangeable law, the violation of which is the most criminal sin. People do not have the right to overthrow the caste barriers established between them by God himself; They can achieve improvement in their fate only through patient submission. The mutual relations between the Indian castes were clearly characterized by the teaching; that Brahma produced the Brahmanas from his mouth (or the first man Purusha), the Kshatriyas from his hands, the Vaishyas from his thighs, the Shudras from his feet dirty in mud, therefore the essence of nature for the Brahmanas is “holiness and wisdom”, for the Kshatriyas it is “power and strength”, among the Vaishyas - “wealth and profit”, among the Shudras - “service and obedience”. The doctrine of the origin of castes from different parts of the highest being is set forth in one of the hymns of the last, most recent book Rigveda. There are no concepts of caste in the older songs of the Rig Veda. Brahmins attach extreme importance to this hymn, and every true believer Brahmin recites it every morning after bathing. This hymn is a diploma with which the Brahmins legitimized their privileges, their dominion.

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,

Shudras

After the conquest of the Ganges valley by the Aryan tribes who came from the Indus, part of its original (non-Indo-European) population was enslaved, and the rest were deprived of their lands, turning into servants and farm laborers. From these natives, alien to the Aryan invaders, the “Sudra” caste little by little formed. The word "sudra" does not come from a Sanskrit root. It may have been some kind of local Indian tribal designation.

The Aryans assumed the role of a higher class in relation to the Shudras. Only over the Aryans was the religious rite of laying the sacred thread performed, which, according to the teachings of Brahmanism, made a person “twice-born.” But even among the Aryans themselves, social division soon appeared. By type of life and occupation, they fell into three castes - Brahmans, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, reminiscent of the three main classes of the medieval West: the clergy, the military aristocracy and the class of small property owners. This social stratification began to appear among the Aryans even during their life on the Indus.

After the conquest of the Ganges Valley, most of the Aryan population took up farming and cattle breeding in the new fertile country. These people formed a caste Vaishyas(“villagers”), who earned their livelihood by labor, but, unlike the Shudras, consisted of legally entitled owners of land, livestock or industrial and commercial capital. Warriors stood above the Vaishyas ( kshatriyas), and priests ( brahmins,"prayers") Kshatriyas and especially Brahmins were considered the highest castes.

Vaishya

Vaishyas, farmers and shepherds of Ancient India, by the very nature of their occupations, could not equal the tidiness of the upper classes and were not so well dressed. Spending the day in labor, they had no leisure either for acquiring Brahmin education or for the idle pursuits of the Kshatriya military nobility. Therefore, Vaishyas soon began to be considered people unequal to priests and warriors, people of a different caste. Vaishya commoners did not have warlike neighbors who would threaten their property. The Vaishyas did not need sword and arrows; they lived quietly with their wives and children on their piece of land, leaving the military class to protect the country from external enemies and from internal unrest. In the affairs of the world, most of the recent Aryan conquerors of India soon became unaccustomed to weapons and the art of war.

When, with the development of culture, the forms and needs of life became more diverse, when the rustic simplicity of clothing and food, housing and household utensils began to not satisfy many, when trade with foreigners began to bring wealth and luxury, many Vaishyas turned to crafts, industry, trade, giving money back as interest. But this did not increase their social prestige. Just as in feudal Europe the townspeople did not belong to the upper classes by origin, but to the common people, so in the populous cities that arose in India near the royal and princely palaces, the majority of the population were Vaishyas. But they did not have room for independent development: artisans and traders in India were subject to the contempt of the upper classes. No matter how much wealth the Vaishyas acquired in large, magnificent, luxurious capitals or in commercial seaside cities, they did not receive any participation either in the honors and glory of the Kshatriyas, or in the education and authority of the Brahman priests and scholars. The highest moral benefits of life were inaccessible to vaishyas. They were given only the circle of physical and mechanical activity, the circle of material and routine; and although they were allowed, even obliged to read Veda and legal books, they remained outside the highest mental life of the nation. The hereditary chain chained the Vaishya to his father's plot of land or business; access to the military class or to the Brahman caste was forever blocked.

Kshatriyas

The position of the warrior caste (kshatriyas) was more honorable, especially in iron times Aryan conquest of India and the first generations after this conquest, when everything was decided by the sword and warlike energy, when the king was only a commander, when law and custom were maintained only by the protection of weapons. There was a time when the Kshatriyas aspired to become the preeminent class, and in dark legends there were still traces of memories of the great war between warriors and Brahmins, when “unholy hands” dared to touch the sacred, divinely established greatness of the clergy. Traditions say that the Brahmins emerged victorious from this struggle with the Kshatriyas with the help of the gods and the Brahmin hero, Frames, and that the wicked were subjected to the most terrible punishments.

Education of a Kshatriya

Times of conquest were to be followed by times of peace; then the services of the kshatriyas became unnecessary, and the importance of the military class decreased. These times were favorable to the desire of the Brahmans to become the first class. But the more firmly and decisively the warriors held on to the second most honorable class. Proud of the glory of their ancestors, whose exploits were praised in heroic songs inherited from antiquity, imbued with the sense of self-esteem and consciousness of their strength that the military profession gives people, the kshatriyas kept themselves in strict isolation from the vaishyas, who had no noble ancestors, and looked with contempt on their working, monotonous life.

The Brahmans, having strengthened their primacy over the Kshatriyas, favored their class isolation, finding it beneficial for themselves; and the kshatriyas, along with lands and privileges, family pride and military glory, inherited respect for the clergy to their sons. Separated by their upbringing, military exercises and way of life from both the Brahmans and the Vaishyas, the Kshatriyas were a knightly aristocracy, preserving, under the new conditions of social life, the warlike customs of antiquity, instilling in their children a proud belief in the purity of blood and in tribal superiority. Protected by hereditary rights and class isolation from the invasion of alien elements, the kshatriyas formed a phalanx that did not allow commoners into their ranks.

Receiving a generous salary from the king, supplied from him with weapons and everything necessary for military affairs, the kshatriyas led a carefree life. Apart from military exercises, they had no business; therefore, in times of peace - and in the calm valley of the Ganges time passed for the most part peacefully - they had a lot of leisure to have fun and feast. In the circle of these families, the memory of the glorious deeds of their ancestors, of the hot battles of antiquity was preserved; singers of kings and noble families sang old songs to the kshatriyas at sacrificial festivals and funeral dinners, or composed new ones to glorify their patrons. From these songs gradually grew Indian epic poems - Mahabharata And Ramayana.

The highest and most influential caste were the priests, whose original name “purohita”, “household priests” of the king, was replaced in the country of the Ganges by a new one - brahmins. Even on the Indus there were such priests, for example, Vasishtha, Vishwamitra- about whom the people believed that their prayers and the sacrifices they performed had power, and who therefore enjoyed special respect. The benefit of the entire tribe demanded that their sacred songs, their ways of performing rituals, their teachings be preserved. The surest way to achieve this was for the most respected priests of the tribe to pass on their knowledge to their sons or students. This is how the Brahman clans arose. Forming schools or corporations, they preserved prayers, hymns, and sacred knowledge through oral tradition.

At first each Aryan tribe had its own Brahman clan; for example, the Koshalas have the family of Vasishtha, and the Angs have the family of Gautama. But when the tribes, accustomed to living in peace with each other, united into one state, their priestly families entered into partnership with each other, borrowing prayers and hymns from each other. The creeds and sacred songs of various Brahmin schools became the common property of the entire community. These songs and teachings, which at first existed only in oral tradition, were, after the introduction of written signs, written down and collected by the Brahmins. This is how they arose Veda, that is, “knowledge”, a collection of sacred songs and invocations of the gods, called Rigveda and the following two collections of sacrificial formulas, prayers and liturgical regulations, Samaveda And Yajurveda.

The Indians placed great importance on ensuring that sacrificial offerings were performed correctly and that no mistakes were made in invoking the gods. This greatly favored the emergence of a special Brahmana corporation. When liturgical rites and prayers were written down, the condition for the sacrifices and rituals to be pleasing to the gods was the exact knowledge and observance of the prescribed rules and laws, which could only be studied under the guidance of the old priestly families. This necessarily placed the performance of sacrifices and worship under the exclusive control of the brahmans, completely ending the direct relationship of the laity to the gods: only those who were taught by the priest-mentor - the son or pupil of a brahman - could now perform the sacrifice in the proper way, making it “pleasing to the gods.” ; only he could deliver God's help.

Brahman in modern India

The knowledge of the old songs with which the ancestors in their former homeland honored the gods of nature, the knowledge of the rituals that accompanied these songs, increasingly became the exclusive property of the Brahmans, whose forefathers composed these songs and in whose clan they were passed down by inheritance. The property of the priests also remained the legends connected with the divine service, necessary for understanding it. What was brought from their homeland was clothed in the minds of the Aryan settlers in India with a mysterious sacred meaning. Thus, the hereditary singers became hereditary priests, whose importance increased as the Aryan people moved away from their old homeland (the Indus Valley) and, occupied with military affairs, forgot their old institutions.

The people began to consider the Brahmins as intermediaries between people and gods. When peaceful times began in the new country of the Ganges, and concern for the fulfillment of religious duties became the most important matter of life, the concept established among the people about the importance of the priests should have aroused in them the proud thought that the class that performs the most sacred duties, spending its life in the service of the gods, has the right to occupy first place in society and the state. The Brahman clergy became a closed corporation, access to it was closed to people of other classes. Brahmins were supposed to take wives only from their own class. They taught the whole people to recognize that the sons of a priest, born in a legal marriage, have by their very origin the right to be priests and the ability to make sacrifices and prayers pleasing to the gods.

This is how the priestly, Brahman caste arose, strictly isolated from the Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, placed by the strength of its class pride and the religiosity of the people at the highest level of honor, seizing science, religion, and all education into a monopoly for itself. Over time, the Brahmans became accustomed to thinking that they were as superior to the rest of the Aryans as they considered themselves to be superior to the Shudras and the remnants of the wild native Indian tribes. On the street, in the market, the difference in castes was already visible in the material and shape of clothing, in the size and shape of the cane. A brahmana, unlike a kshatriya and a vaishya, left the house with nothing less than a bamboo cane, a vessel of water for purification, and a sacred cord over his shoulder.

The Brahmins tried their best to put into practice the theory of castes. But the conditions of reality confronted their aspirations with such obstacles that they could not strictly implement the principle of division of occupations between castes. It was especially difficult for the Brahmins to find a means of living for themselves and their families, limiting themselves only to those occupations that specifically belonged to their caste. Brahmans were not monks who took into their class only as many people as needed. They led a family life and multiplied; therefore it was inevitable that many Brahman families became poor; and the Brahman caste did not receive support from the state. Therefore, the impoverished Brahman families fell into poverty. The Mahabharata states that two prominent heroes of this poem, Drona and his son Ashwatthaman, there were brahmins, but due to poverty they had to take up the military craft of the kshatriyas. In later inserts they are strongly condemned for this.

True, some Brahmins led an ascetic and hermit life in the forest, in the mountains, and near sacred lakes. Others were astronomers, lawyers, administrators, judges, and received a good living from these honorable occupations. Many Brahmins were religious teachers, interpreters of sacred books, and received support from their many disciples, were priests, servants at temples, lived on gifts from those who made sacrifices and in general from pious people. But whatever the number of Brahmanas who found their means of living in these occupations, we see from laws of Manu and from other ancient Indian sources that there were many priests who lived only on alms or supported themselves and their families with activities inappropriate for their caste. Therefore, the laws of Manu take great care to instill in kings and rich people that they have a sacred duty to be generous to the Brahmanas. The laws of Manu allow brahmanas to beg for alms and allow them to earn their living by the activities of kshatriyas and vaishyas. A Brahman can support himself by farming and shepherding; can live “by the truths and lies of trade.” But in no case should he live by lending money on interest or by seductive arts, such as music and singing; should not be hired as workers, should not trade in intoxicating drinks, cow butter, milk, sesame seeds, linen or woolen fabrics. Those kshatriyas who cannot support themselves by military craft, the law of Manu also allows them to engage in the affairs of the vaishyas, and it allows the vaishyas to feed themselves by the activities of the sudras. But all these were only concessions forced by necessity.

The discrepancy between the occupations of people and their castes led over time to the disintegration of castes into smaller divisions. Actually, it is these small social groups that are castes in the proper sense of the word, and the four main classes we have listed - brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas and sudras - in India itself are more often called varnas. While leniently allowing the higher castes to feed on the professions of the lower ones, the laws of Manu strictly forbid the lower castes from taking up the professions of the higher ones: this insolence was supposed to be punished by confiscation of property and expulsion. Only a Shudra who does not find hired work can engage in a craft. But he should not acquire wealth, so as not to become arrogant against people of other castes, before whom he is obliged to humble himself.

Untouchable caste - Chandals

From the Ganges basin, this contempt for the surviving tribes of the non-Aryan population was transferred to the Deccan, where the Chandals on the Ganges were placed in the same position pariahs, whose name is not found in laws of Manu, became among Europeans the name of all classes of people despised by the Aryans, “unclean” people. The word pariah is not Sanskrit but Tamil. Tamils call pariahs both the descendants of the ancient, pre-Dravidian population, and Indians excluded from castes.

Even the situation of slaves in Ancient India was less difficult than the life of the untouchable caste. Epic and dramatic works of Indian poetry show that the Aryans treated slaves meekly, that many slaves enjoyed great confidence from their masters and occupied influential positions. The slaves were: those members of the Shudra caste whose ancestors were enslaved during the conquest of the country; Indian prisoners of war from enemy states; people bought from traders; faulty debtors handed over by judges as slaves to creditors. Males and female slaves were sold on the market as goods. But no one could have a slave from a caste higher than his own.

Having emerged in ancient times, the untouchable caste exists in India to this day.

Any traveler who decides to visit India has probably heard or read that the population of this country is divided into castes. There is nothing like this in other countries; castes are considered a purely Indian phenomenon, so every tourist simply needs to get acquainted with this topic in more detail.

How did castes appear?

According to legend, the god Brahma created varnas from parts of his body:

Mouths are brahmins.
Hands are kshatriyas.
Hips are vaishyas.
The feet are sudras.

Varnas are a more general concept. There are only 4 of them, while there can be a great many castes. All Indian classes differed from each other in a number of features: they had their own duties, homes, individual color of clothing, the color of the dot on the forehead and special food. Marriages between members of different varnas and castes were strictly prohibited. Hindus believed that the human soul is reborn. If someone has followed all the rules and laws of his caste throughout his life, in his next life he will rise to a higher class. Otherwise he will lose everything he had.

A little history

It is believed that the first castes in India appeared at the very beginning of the formation of the state. This happened about one and a half thousand years BC, when the first settlers began to live on the territory of modern India. They were divided into 4 classes, later these groups were called varnas, which literally means “color”. The word “caste” itself contains a certain concept: origin or pure breed. Each caste has been defined over the centuries mainly by its profession or type of activity. The family craft passed from father to son and remained unchanged for dozens of generations. Any Indian castes lived under a certain set of regulations and religious traditions that regulated the norms of behavior of their members. The country developed, and along with it the number of different population groups increased. The multiple castes in India were amazing in their numbers: there were more than 2000 of them.

Caste divisions in India

Caste is a certain level in the social hierarchy that divides the entire population of India into separate groups of low and high origin. Belonging to one or another part determines the type of activity, profession, place of residence, as well as who a person can marry. The division into castes in India is gradually losing its significance. In modern large cities and the educated environment, division into castes is officially prohibited, but there are still classes that largely determine the life of entire groups of the Indian population:

Brahmins are the most educated group: priests, mentors, teachers and scholars.
Kshatriyas are warriors, nobles and rulers.
Vaishyas are artisans, cattle breeders and farmers.
Shudras are workers, servants.

There is also a fifth group representing the Indian castes - the untouchables, who have recently come to be called the oppressed. These people do the hardest and dirtiest work.

Characteristics of castes

All castes in Ancient India are characterized by certain criteria:

Endogamy, that is, marriages can only take place between members of the same caste.
By heredity and continuity: you cannot move from one caste to another.
You cannot eat with representatives of other castes. In addition, any physical contact with them is strictly prohibited.
A specific place in the structure of society.
Limited choice of professions.

Brahmins

Brahmins are the highest varna of Hindus. This is the highest Indian caste. The main goal of brahmins is to teach others and learn themselves, bring gifts to the gods and make sacrifices. Their main color is white. At the very beginning, only the priests were Brahmins, and only in their hands was the right to interpret the word of God. Thanks to this, these Indian castes began to occupy the highest position, since only God himself was higher, and only they could communicate with him. Later, scientists, teachers, preachers, and officials began to be classified as the highest caste.

Men of this caste were not allowed to work in the fields, and women could only do housework. A brahmana should not eat food prepared by a person from another class. In modern India, more than 75% of government officials are representatives of this caste. There are unequal relations among the various subclasses. But even the poorest of the Brahmin subcaste occupies a higher level than others. Killing a member of the highest caste in ancient India is the greatest crime. From time immemorial it was punishable by death in a cruel form.

Kshatriyas

Translated, “kshatriya” means “powerful, noble.” These include nobles, military personnel, managers, and kings. The main task of a kshatriya is to protect the weak, fight for justice, law and order. This is the second most important varna representing the Indian castes. This class maintained its existence by collecting minimal taxes, duties and fines from subordinates. Previously, warriors had special rights. They were the only ones allowed to carry out punishments against members of castes other than Brahmins, including execution and murder. Modern kshatriyas are military officers, representatives of law enforcement agencies, and heads of enterprises and firms.

Vaishyas and Shudras

The main task of a vaishya is work related to raising livestock, cultivating the land and harvesting crops. This is any socially respected occupation. For this work, the vaishya receives a profit or salary. Their color is yellow. This is the main population of the country. In modern India, these are clerks, simple hired workers who receive money for their work and are satisfied with it.

Representatives of the lowest caste in India are the Shudras. From time immemorial they have been engaged in the most difficult and dirty work. Their color is black. In Ancient India these were slaves and servants. The purpose of the Shudras is to serve the three highest castes. They did not have their own property and could not pray to the gods. Even in our time, this is the poorest segment of the population, which often lives below the poverty line.

The Untouchables

This category includes people whose soul sinned greatly in a past life, the lowest stratum of society. But even among them there are numerous groups. The highest classes, representing the untouchable Indian castes, photos of which can be seen in historical publications, are people who have at least some kind of craft, for example, garbage and toilet cleaners. At the very bottom of the hierarchical caste ladder are petty thieves who steal livestock. The most unusual layer of untouchable society is considered to be the hijru group, which includes representatives of all sexual minorities. Interestingly, these representatives are often invited to weddings or births of children, and they often participate in church ceremonies.

The worst person is the one who does not belong to any caste. The name of this category of the population is pariahs. These include people who were born from other pariahs or as a result of inter-caste marriages and who are not recognized by any class.

Modern India

Although there is a public perception that modern India is free from the prejudices of the past, today this is far from the case. The system of division into classes has not disappeared anywhere; castes in modern India are as strong as ever. When a child enters school, he is asked what religion he professes. If it is Hindu, the next question will be about his caste. Also, when entering a university or college, caste is of great importance. If a prospective student belongs to a higher caste, he needs to score fewer points, etc.

Belonging to a particular class affects employment, as well as how a person wants to arrange his future. A girl from a Brahmin family is unlikely to marry a man from the Vaishya caste. Unfortunately it is so. But if the groom is higher in social status than the bride, an exception is sometimes made. In such marriages, the child's caste will be determined by the paternal line. Such caste rules regarding marriage have been completely unchanged since ancient times and cannot be relaxed in any way.

The desire to officially downplay the importance of caste in modern India has led to the absence of a line on membership in a particular group in the latest census forms. The last data on castes in censuses was published in 1931. Despite this, the cumbersome mechanism of dividing the population into classes still works. This is especially noticeable in the remote provinces of India. Although the caste system appeared thousands of years ago, today it is alive, working and developing. It allows people to be around others like themselves, provides support from fellow humans, and defines rules and behavior in society.

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