India’s caste system originated when the Aryans arrived. The Aryans had a social system where the warriors and priests where the ones with power. When these people encountered the farming society of India, the Aryans assumed power over the darker skinned Indians. The Indian people were then oppressed and forced to do the lower, less desirable jobs. This created the basis of the caste system. The idea of different jobs based on economic functions created an upper and lower caste. Throughout history, the caste system has stayed in place and impacted citizens of India today despite the eradication of law that enabled the caste system. Hinduism has played a large factor in the strengthening of the caste and is one of the reasons of the
Firstly, the caste system reflects the inequality of Indian society. Although religion in India is characterized by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices, majority of Indian population follow Hinduism. Therefore, the dominance of Hinduism beliefs is common in India. There is a belief in caste system, as Brood said, “a system of hierarchical social organization”1. Hindu society is divided into four main classes; the priestly class, the warrior and administrator class, the producer class who is farmers and merchants and the servant class. The remaining group of people who is “outcastes” is called “untouchables” or dalit. Brodd recognizes “dalits continue to suffer terrible oppression, especially in rural communities in India”. I still could not imagine how terrible this bottom class suffers until reading Max Bearak article. All sufferings of Rohith Vemula, from the hardships of growing up poor, interactions with society in caste to scholarship revoke and suicide, happened tragically because he was born in a dalit family. This is the
The caste system has been extremely stable in India for over two thousand years. It is only since the more modern, independent state of India was formed that the system has come under any scrutiny at all. It is presently outlawed, but many of the practices, attitudes and traditions remain ingrained in Hindu society (University of Wyoming, 1997).
When Indian caste system became stable it suddenly became rigid, and people stayed where they were born. Although hierarchy was rigid in both classical societies, they developed stable social classes that produced various kinds of people: the most important being the farmers.
As in China, another dominant developing classical civilization, India, (300 B.C.-A.D. 500) focused greatly on philosophy and religious progress. Implanted within Indian divine belief systems, social status dictated all. The caste system, provided order and stability in India. Based out of Hinduism, the caste system clearly determined social status between five different divisions. The top of the caste were Brahmins (priests), followed by the Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaisyas (merchants), underneath merchants were Shudras (peasants and laborers), and the lowest rank were Pariahs (untouchables). Hinduism and Buddhism, the two dominating religions in India share many of the same concepts, as well as some distinct differences. These two religions
The caste system began around 1000 B.C.E. to distinguish among the different individuals in early Aryan society, such as the warrior elite, priests, ordinary tribesmen, and conquered subjects. In the caste system there are four groups, reffered to as varna, Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra. The Brahman were priests, the Kshatriya were warriors and officials, the Vaishya were merchants and artisans, and the Shudra were peasants and laborers. Those who were not included in a caste were known as outcastes. These people belonged to no caste due to them either entering this social division later than others or violating rituals and losing their caste status. The outcastes were disdained because they made a living by foul jobs such as dressing
In Hinduism there are 330 million gods. 330 million is a mighty vast number. The distance from Earth to Jupiter, at their closest point, is 365 million miles. That’s almost one god for every mile between Earth and Jupiter. A 5-pound broiler chicken’s feather is about 0.0082 grams. 330 million chicken feathers would weigh about 2.71 metric tons, that’s the same as a blue whale’s tongue. Things like those are why I enjoy studying about different religions. Three areas of Hinduism that I’ll be focusing in this essay are caste system, genders and the Om.
Although now banned, India’s social structure is still burdened with inequalities and hierarchies known as the caste system. The caste system is a class structure determined by birth, and is derived from Varna, and idea taken from Hindu literature. Society was divided by labor and comprised of four occupational groups (Fisher 98). These four groups were the Brahmins, the priests or spiritual class; the Kshatriya, the nobility or ruling class; the Vaishya, the merchants and farmers; and the Shudras or servants. There was also a group outside of the caste system known as the Dalits. Eventually these groups became
At this point in history, the social and economic diversity was a big part of India. The diversity was not only caused by a linguistic difference or a racial aspect, but also by the caste system. The caste system was a major factor in the ever-popular religion of Hinduism. With the country constantly growing and the surge in population, subcategories in the caste system came into existence; based on a person’s abode, occupation, and family. The caste system made sure everyone had a place in the social hierarchy; the system put you in a spot and expected you to stay there (Gilbert). When Buddhism and Jainism came around, their teachings challenged this idea. About this time, the political and economic situation of India was picking up speed and growing. When the religions began confronting the idea of the caste system, the Mauryan merchants joined in.
(Worlds, 2475) The four castes originated from “Riga Veda” which speaks of the sacrifice of Purusha and how “his mouth became the brahman; his two arms were made into the rajanya; his two thighs the vaishyas; from his two feet the shudra was born.” (Worlds, 2597) While a caste system has good organization in the aspect of the four caste divisions from Brahmans to the Sudras this meant no one is equal in the social hierarchy, and since a mans status is pre-determined, his status cannot be changed, and he cannot move up through the four castes in society, so someone will always be inferior to the other. This also applies to marriage, you had to marry someone within your own said caste, this really shows the rigid social system within
Caste systems are a fundamental part of Hinduism. The main caste system in place is known as the varna system, which is composed of five different castes. Our textbook says that, “The word varna refers to a system of hierarchical social organization,” which helps to explain the fundamental function of castes. The original four parts of the varna system are outlined in the poem Purusha Sukta, which describes the, “primordial sacrifice of the cosmic man.” The highest class, composed of priests, came from his mouth; the next class were the warriors and kings, which came from his arms; next came the commoner, which came from his thighs; finally, the final and lowest class, the servants, came from his feet. These castes serve as very rigid social groups in which people are generally bound to for the rest of their life (although people hope to be reincarnated into a higher caste in their next life) in which each one has specific duties. The highest caste is charged with conducting the most sacred of matters, including religious rituals and learning about the sacred text of Hinduism. The second highest caste is made up of the kings and warriors who were given the task of ruling and protecting the masses. The second-lowest caste is composed of common, everyday people that includes a plethora of roles, such as students, teachers, doctors, lawyers, etc. The lowest class is made up of all the people who have been charged with forever performing the filthiest, disgusting, and menial
The origin of the Indian caste system is related to the age of the Vedas. According to one long-held theory about the origins of South Asia’s caste system, Aryans from central Asia invaded South Asia and introduced the caste system as a means of controlling the local population. Also, many believe that all human originated from Brahma the Hindu God of creation.
Hinduism is a religion with a majority of Hindus are found in the subcontinent of India, it also exist outside other subcontinents such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. In addition, it is also said to be one of the oldest religion. Unlike most other religion, Hinduism has no exact beginning or founder. I feel that Hinduism is compatible with capitalism and typical business practices and teamwork. Because the compatibility with capitalism is the aspect of the Caste System, according to the lesson, it states, “You have probably heard of the “caste system” in connection with India and Hinduism. In general, this term refers to a rigid social hierarchy based on birth, with strict rules limiting interaction between people in different
In old Hindu society your caste and assigned duty was the most important aspect of your life. No matter what caste someone was in, fulfilling their dharmas, or duties, that they were assigned to was their priority. These duties were innate, meaning that were inborn, or natural. These dharmas played a role in social order; everyone in the four castes had a role to play. Manu, the creator god, made “separate innate activities for those born” from him, in order to “protect this [his] whole creation” (40, 87). Brahmins were priests and were at the top of the caste system. Priests’ innate activities were to teach, learn, sacrifice for themselves and others, and giving as well as receiving (40, 88). If they did not perform these duties they were no longer considered priests. Even if someone performed their duty “without any good qualities” (43, 97), it was better than performing someone else's innate activity greatly. If someone were to do the duties of another caste, they would fall from their own caste immediately. For example, a priest would not be able to live as a priest performing the duties of a shudra, or a servant.
After the Aryans (a very patriarchal and militaristic group of pastoral nomads) invaded and destroyed the Indus River Valley civilization, they took charge. The Aryans already were superior -- they had demolished an entire settlement. This left the original settled people scared, and being scared, easily controllable. The Aryans then wrote the Lawbook of Manu, which is the origin of a caste system known as the Varna system that is still in practice today. The Varna system, which placed people into a social category, was a way to categorize and create, in the writers of the Lawbook of Manu’s eyes, a well-run society. In the Lawbook of Manu it states: “For the sake of the prosperity of the worlds, he created the Brahman, the Kshatriya, the Vaishya, and the Shudra to proceed from his mouth, his arms, his thighs and his feet…"2The four different groups of people were initiated to create a society in which everyone knew their place. the Brahman (the voices of society) were the religious leaders, the Kshatriya (the arms of society) were the warriors, the Vaishya (the thighs of society) the workers, and the Shudra (the feet of society), who “served meekly to the three other castes” and were generally the former Indus River Valley people. The last caste, the Shudra, didn’t have a religious
Our text book tells us that Aryans became dominant in north India. In Sanskrit text the Indo-Aryan developed the caste and the Brahman religion. The Brahman religion developed into Hinduism. (Beck et al.) India’s caste system there is 4 caste or social levels of people. At the top there is the Bhramin which are the priests and teachers. Second is the Kshatryia which are the leaders and warriors. Third is the Vaishya which are the merchants and landowners. Fourth is the Sundra which are commoners, peasants, and servants. Not considered in the caste system is the untouchables which are the outcasts. They held the lowest valued jobs such as street sweepers, latrine cleaners, and slaughter house workers. The caste system in India forbids people from mingling with other levels of castes. What caste level you were born into you were required to stay at that level. There was no