However, as scholars it is important to understand the motive of the Brahmin writing this myth. Possibly due to the new social situation, id est settlement and the conquered Indus people, it was necessary to establish a system in society that will enable authority. Indeed Varna is Sanskrit for colour, therefore it is possible to infer that the Caturvarna was created to prevent the suppressed Indus people from reaching a position of authority in Aryan society, id est the Shudra’s colour is black, the possible skin colour of the Dravidian Indus people. Furthermore, each Varna is supposedly thought to have belonged to an age of the Earth: the Brahmin to the “pure” first age the Krita Yuga, the Kshatriyas the second Treta Yuga, the Vaisyas to the Dvapara Yuga, and the Sudra to the Kali Yuga. Therefore, with such ancient authority leaking through the centuries to the modern era, it is understandable that the idea of the caturvarna has gained such an important standing in society. Thus to criticise the caste system is to criticise Hinduism.
The caste system remains a very apparent feature of Modern Indian society; affecting marriage, the occupations and social standing of Hindus. Although it is possible to argue that the caste system is sustained only by conservative Hindus, its impact cannot be underestimated. Marriage, for example has the potential to tear apart families, and thus it is a prime example of how the caste system affects society. Because “in the standard Hindu view one’s birth in a particular caste is determined by one’s karma in a previous life” it is only permissible for a couple of the same caste to marry; otherwise their families may become “polluted” by another caste. By Western standards such an idea is a social taboo, however it must be remembered that Hinduism is a product of Indian philosophy and therefore cannot by judged by western perspectives.
The concept of pollution is the possible origin of the approximately three thousand Jatis, another key feature of the Caste system. A Jati meaning “to beget” is a subdivision of each varna, many counted as being outside the caste system. Jati is primarily occupational based, id est a Jati would belong to a potter within the Vasiyas Varna. A Hindu who is born into a particular Jati is expected to carry out the Dharma expected of them in that particular Jati; however this has raised the issue to personal ambition, for example a boy born into a jati for farmers would have to be a farmer, despite his ambition to become a doctor. Furthermore, a Hindu of a Jati is expected to marry another who is endogamous to the Jati, if this social expectation is broken by marrying a person exogamous to the Jati families are often split apart and the couple seek anonymity in a large city. Such a “corruption” of a Jati may result in the formation of a new Jati that derives from the polluted marriage. A new Jati may arise when a new occupation presents itself, and example of this is the fairly recent introduction of the telephone operator.
Although there are many key features of the caste system, such as symbols, criticisms etc, there are really four main significant features: the origins, the four Varna and the Jatis the affect of society and Moksha. However, what is deemed to be important features of the caste system is dependent on the scholar investigating it or the Hindus themselves. Looking at the caste system from a western perspective presents an obstacle to attaining a full understanding of the caste system. Indeed, the caste system is often perceived as a feature separate from the idea of Hinduism. However, perhaps to gain a full insight to the caste system it is necessary to consider it in the wider context, as one feature that plays its part in the entirety of Hinduism.
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Comment on the criticisms made on the caste system (6)
Ever since its creation the caste system has been subject to scrutiny and criticism, being criticised for being inequitable and promoting prejudice. Criticisms have originated from the Bhagavad Gita, via Prince Arjuna, the Bhatki movement and Ghandi. With such criticism lasting for centuries why does the caste system still exist? In order to answer this question it is necessary to address the issues raised from the caste system and the importance it has for society and the Hindus.
The main issue that has emerged from the caste system is the treatment of the untouchables or Dalits. The Dalits exist outside the caste system, there are literally outcastes, and because of this status thrust upon them they are at the bottom of the social hierarchy. This status has dire consequences for the dalits. In village life they are expected to dwell outside the confines of the village, as they are considered to be polluting for the higher castes. Because they are considered to be polluting they are expected to have certain occupations that caste Hindus would consider polluting, such occupations include pig tending and assisting to cremate the dead, occupations that are not particularly appealing. They are the subject of crime and discrimination, for example K Danalaxmi, a Dalit, in Tamil Nadu and 57 other dalits have had been raided by higher caste Hindus and their huts the subject to arson attacks: she tells a BBC correspondent: “the parents of children that go to the same school as my daughter did this…they hate us and may come back again.” Politically speaking the dalits are legally equal to any other higher caste Hindu, indeed in the village Tamil Nadu high caste Hindus go to school with dalit children, so efforts have been made to reconcile the social rift between castes. However, such action has resulted in the assaults and violent actions committed against the dalits similar to that of the dalits in the village of Tamil Nadu. Indeed throughout history there have been many attempts to affiliate the higher castes with the “untouchables”.
In the middle ages the Bhatki movement, meaning to love, encouraged the worship of God through adoration and devotion. More importantly in terms of caste, it attracted Hindus of all castes and presented a greater representation in Hindu society for those of the lower castes. In the 12th century, founder of the new philosophic movement, Shankaracharya preached that the two ways to salvation, dhyan and karma, was being monopolised by the Brahmin caste. Devotion was considered by the Bhatki movement as an equal path towards salvation.
Another historical example of criticism of the caste system came much later in the 18th and 19th centuries, during the days of the British Empire. Missionaries were sent out to “civilise” the native “pagans” to the light of Christianity. Missionaries were successful at converting the dalits and the lower castes; for these subsections of society Christianity presented an attractive alternate life style.
More recently another critic of the Caste system had an enormous impact on Indian society, indeed on the world. Mahatma Ghandi, who was a Vaisya, campaigned against the unjust social and economic aspects of the caste system, and did much work to improve the status of the untouchables, which he called “the children of God” or Harijans (a term much resented by the untouchables who preferred the term Dalits.)
The caste system is a highly controversial aspect of Hinduism, originating from Vedic times and lasting to the present day. It affects every aspect of Indian society, from marriages to government. It is has been heavily criticised since its creation, and constantly reformed. Indeed in the Bhagavad-Gita Lord Krishna invented the concept of Dharma, which offered reassurance to low caste Hindus for a chance for salvation. Albeit the caste system’s origins may have been secular, it has become so embodied with the religion of Hinduism that to criticise the caste system is to criticise Hinduism. Thus it remains the foundation of modern Indian society. Has the caste system outlived its relevance to modern life? From a western perspective it has, westerners see it as inequitable and morally wrong. But in order to understand the true flaws of the caste system it is necessary to view the caste system from a Hindu perspective, only then can a scholar see if the caste system should still exist and the importance it has to Hindu life.
Bibliography
Introduction to Hinduism-Kim Knott
http://artworld.uea.ac.uk/teaching_modules/india/historical_background/the_hindu_caste_system/welcome.html
Introduction to Hinduism-K.K. Klostermaier.
At the core of most religions is the idea of attempting to join a supreme being.
The term cycle is perhaps misleading as it is more linear than a cycle. (perhaps)
Arvind Shama in Hinduism by Kim Knott.
www.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/459591.stm
