The regard for Untouchables in the Indian caste system was so low
that they were considering a polluting influence and were not allowed to
touch any person of the upper classes. In certain parts of South India,
the concept of Untouchables went as far as demanding certain people
stay out of the sight of the upper castes.
The idea of Untouchables dates to the rise of Aryan cultural
domination in India. Evidence suggests that some tribal groups and
people last integrated into India became “outcastes” or “the fifth
caste.” The Aryans had embraced a fourfold class system since antiquity.
The Caste System
Going back to the Vedic hymns, there are references to four social
orders, later known as castes. One hymn refers to ritual sacrifices
performed on Earth by a priestly class. The hymn speaks of four social
orders, and the passage emphasizes the magical-ritualistic origin of
castes.
B.C.E. ,
the “modern” caste system, a system of social hierarchy, began to
develop in India. In Vedic tradition, the concept of varna stratified
society into four groups: Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors),
Vaishyas (common people, including merchants), and Shudras (servant
classes). In addition to the four classes, a fifth class, known as
Untouchables, emerged.
The Hindu tradition first distinguished between those who are twice born and those who aren't. The twice born are in the highest three stages of the social hierarchy — the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas. Those not twice born are Shudras.
The Brahmins made up the highest social order, the literate intelligentsia that gave India its thinkers, law makers, judges, and ministers of state. This scholarly elite has usually been associated with the priesthood. The Rajanyas, later called Kshatriyas, or rulers, and the military class, were the second highest social order. Landowners, merchants, and moneylenders, known as Vaishyas, made up the third class. Finally, the Shudras, originally those peoples conquered by the Aryans, were workers, artisans, or serfs. The concept of Untouchables was created to refer to people whom the upper classes would not even allow to be near them or to touch them.
Before the caste system was solidified, there was evidence of social intercourse among classes. We now tend to associate the caste system in India with the four basic social groups — Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. However, these groups were once divided into many, many more. There were castes of metal workers, weavers, warriors, and priests. Other castes developed along ethnic or religious lines; tribal communities, as well as Muslims, Christians, and Jews, were incorporated into Hindu society as distinct caste groups. As a consequence, more than 3,000 castes emerged in Indian society.
The Caste System in Everyday Life
The caste system dominated every aspect of life in traditional Hindu society. Caste, more properly jati,
or birth, is directly related in most cases to occupation, so entering a
caste was not an act of merit or will; a person was born into the caste
of his parents. From that moment on, a person's caste determined much
of his future; caste determined diet, vocation, place of residence, and
choice of mate. In addition, caste hierarchy was based on concepts of
purity and pollution. The more contact a person had with the sources of
pollution — blood, death, and dirt — the lower his position in the
system. The sacerdotal position, or priestly work, was considered
purest. At the other extreme, work that involved dealing with the dead,
carrion, cleaning of sewers, sweeping, and other such tasks was
considered unclean and lowly and considered suitable for and to be
performed by only hereditary Untouchables.
Whatever one's judgment may be, there is no doubt that the caste system has shaped Indian society throughout the last several thousand years and that it is still of large practical significance. But today in Indian society people are no longer ranked rigidly by occupation.
Caste Development
At some time after 700The Hindu tradition first distinguished between those who are twice born and those who aren't. The twice born are in the highest three stages of the social hierarchy — the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas. Those not twice born are Shudras.
The Brahmins made up the highest social order, the literate intelligentsia that gave India its thinkers, law makers, judges, and ministers of state. This scholarly elite has usually been associated with the priesthood. The Rajanyas, later called Kshatriyas, or rulers, and the military class, were the second highest social order. Landowners, merchants, and moneylenders, known as Vaishyas, made up the third class. Finally, the Shudras, originally those peoples conquered by the Aryans, were workers, artisans, or serfs. The concept of Untouchables was created to refer to people whom the upper classes would not even allow to be near them or to touch them.
Before the caste system was solidified, there was evidence of social intercourse among classes. We now tend to associate the caste system in India with the four basic social groups — Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. However, these groups were once divided into many, many more. There were castes of metal workers, weavers, warriors, and priests. Other castes developed along ethnic or religious lines; tribal communities, as well as Muslims, Christians, and Jews, were incorporated into Hindu society as distinct caste groups. As a consequence, more than 3,000 castes emerged in Indian society.
The Caste System in Everyday Life
The caste system dominated every aspect of life in traditional Hindu society. Caste, more properly jati,
or birth, is directly related in most cases to occupation, so entering a
caste was not an act of merit or will; a person was born into the caste
of his parents. From that moment on, a person's caste determined much
of his future; caste determined diet, vocation, place of residence, and
choice of mate. In addition, caste hierarchy was based on concepts of
purity and pollution. The more contact a person had with the sources of
pollution — blood, death, and dirt — the lower his position in the
system. The sacerdotal position, or priestly work, was considered
purest. At the other extreme, work that involved dealing with the dead,
carrion, cleaning of sewers, sweeping, and other such tasks was
considered unclean and lowly and considered suitable for and to be
performed by only hereditary Untouchables.Legacy of the Caste System
This formalized social pecking order has been defended as the best and most natural functioning division of society and a model for the entire world to emulate. On the other hand, it has been attacked as the root cause of all social evil and the root of the economic backwardness of India.Whatever one's judgment may be, there is no doubt that the caste system has shaped Indian society throughout the last several thousand years and that it is still of large practical significance. But today in Indian society people are no longer ranked rigidly by occupation.
Today's Dalit
Almost all of the freedom fighters in India who agitated for
independence from Britain denounced the idea of caste and called for the
permanent abolition of the Untouchable designation.
Chief among those abolitionists was Mohandas Gandhi. Instead of referring to people as Untouchables, he coined the term harijan(meaning
“born of God”) to relieve the stigma of Untouchables. The constitution
of India was written by an Untouchable, Dr. Babasaheb R. Ambedkar
(1891–1956). When it came to setting up India's central and state
governments, Untouchables were given designated quotas of positions,
including parliamentary seats, to guarantee their advancement.By now, India's Untouchables have taken an increasingly militant political stance. They prefer to call themselves Dalit,
meaning “the oppressed.” Many of them have converted to Buddhism,
following Dr. Ambedkar's conversion in later life. Buddhism was always
opposed to caste notions and preached equal spirituality.
source:-netplaces
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