The Caste System

The caste system has five parts to it, as you learned in the paragraph before. The highest class, the Brahmins, include rulers and priests. The second class is the Kshatriyas, and the people in that class are the warriors and nobles. The Vaisyas, the third class, are the bankers, merchants, and farmers. The fourth class are the Sudra and the people are artisans and laborers. Last,

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 is known as the spine of the Hindu religion, its presence is essential for most Hindus. Although it creates a lot of hard time on those of the lower caste as it describes them as filthy and untouchable, it is much widely accepted by most Hindus because of one main reason, it is mentioned in the Vedas which is an ancient Hindu script that explains the primary ideals of the Hindu religion.

The intense hierarchical system in India has been immensely fascinating for thousands of years. A probable theory to the beginning of the caste system is the movement of Aryan population into India from the north. The Aryan peoples conquered much of India and its ' natives causing a separation between the two populations, possibly explaining the separation between the higher castes and the “untouchables.” Additionally, the Aryan 's imposed their preexisting hierarchy on the natives thus creating the caste system. However, “According to Hindu tradition the caste system owes its origins to the four Varna.”(149. Hutton) The Varna are based on different parts of Brahma, or God, each part representing a seperate caste. Much of Hindu belief, practices, and text further the structure of the caste system, such as the idea of Dharma, and text in the Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu scripture. Though the creation of the caste system, similar to Hinduism itself, is not traceable, the caste system and its continuation can largely be contributed to the Hindu faith. From creation the Hindu faith helped perpetuate, enforce, and build the caste system through stories, texts, laws, and practices.

groups. It is a system inspired by Hindu scriptures in what the leaders wanted to create a society where jobs and functions were assigned to specific classes. These classes include the highest class, Brahmin made of those who are priests and educated individuals, Kshatriyas otherwise known as the warrior caste, Vaishya this was the trade and commerce class, Shudras, unskilled laborers; the agricultural or manual labor class. This class also includes all others who do not fit into any of the other classes but not to include the “untouchables”. The untouchables are not a caste class they are the rock-bottom of social order. The untouchables or Dalit, are those who are assigned and are forced into occupations that are unclean, defiling or are not members of the caste system, the lowest of the low. It is a handicap to be an untouchable in the eyes of

Similar to the Brave New World, higher caste members have higher social status. Brahmins, the highest caste of them all, most of them are priests. Kshatriyas are the military. They are powerful. Vaishyas and Shudras are like the middle class, taking up jobs not so important in the society.

Gradually the profession or activities became hereditary as the profession began to be followed by succeeding generations as it was easy for the father to teach his son his profession. This was the starting point of Caste system that began to be based upon one’s birth in a particular family. However each group had its own advantages and disadvantages. The priest class had to lead a very simple life without craving for worldly pleasures of life; they were supposed to spend the major part of their life or their entire life in the study of scriptures, in teaching and in spiritual practices that were their duties. They were also supposed to follow tradition in every aspect of their life including their appearance and dress code. All these involved strict discipline of body, mind and Spirit in everything that was really difficult especially for youngsters. But they were also given the highest place in society because ancient India always respected learned, knowledgeable ones and men of wisdom. Similarly the Kshatriyas were expected to protect the sovereignty of their Mother land and its people. There was the risk of losing their very lives when they engaged themselves in such acts that was their duty. Their advantage was that they could command others, could become their leaders and administer them on account of their leadership and administrative qualities and they could lead a life full of comforts and luxuries. People had high esteem for such people as they were considered as leaders and protectors of their life and possessions. The Vysyas who were good in business could lead a luxurious life as they could amass wealth through their business. However they had to take risks in business that led to losing their wealth sometimes even totally and especially in olden times they had to travel long distances on foot for the sake of doing business in far off places and as the

In Hinduism they had a caste system in place which was a social group believed to be an expression of dharma and based on relative purity. There were four classes from highest rank to lowest went

In ancient Hindu culture, there existed a caste system with five levels of classes. The Brahmin, the priests, were the highest and had considerable importance because of their religious ties. Below them were the Kshatriyas, or the warrior class, who were more

In the Book of Manu, the caste system is broken down into 5 levels. The first level or top level is the Brahmins, the priest and scholars of the Hindu faith. The second level is the Kshatiyas, the warriors and rulers of the Hindu people. Vaishyas is the third level of people, these are the merchants and landowners. These top three levels in the caste system are people that are twice born. The term twice born means they are permitted to participant in the Hindu life, and all that it entitles. Members of this group can be recognized by the cord that is looped around their shoulder. The Shudra is the fourth level of the castle system; they make up the workers on behalf of the top three levels. Finally, the fifth group are the Dalits, these are the untouchables of the caste system. These people are intrinsically unclean and if the can find work, it is the the jobs that are thought to defiling. The caste system was set up as a way to ensure that people could focus on one job and not have to worry about other activities, such as if a person was a banker he would have to worry about making horse shoes for his horse. With all things that was intended for good, the caste system has turned out bad, by keep the two low levels from ever being able to improve their status. In the article “Untouchability and Social Exclusion in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things” by

The Caste System has four different types of groups where the groups have different meanings and people don’t get to choose which type of group they want, because they are born into it. This system had a lot of people suffering, because they didn’t have any freedom to do what they want or be what they wanted. Brahmins belong to the highest caste. They are priests and scholars. Kshatryas are soldiers and warriors. Vaisyas are merchants and professionals. Sudras are the lowest cast. They are labors and

The caste system in India is divided into five different levels. “Each caste possesses a different dharma, which specified spate duties and abilities depending on the caste into which you were born. At the summit was the dharmas of the priestly Brahmin caste, which granted these people control over all spiritual and religious aspects of society, They also possessed the “sacred power” of the word, and were the only caste permitted to read and write. Next there was the warrior Kshatriya caste, whose dharma was to command the military and to rule the secular world as kings. The merchant Vaishya caste follows in the traditional ranking. The Vaishyas were viewed by some of their betters as a caste of “thieves who are not called by the name of thief.” But

What are the four major castes? What implications does the caste system have for everyday life? How does the caste system relate to Hindu ideas of spiritual life? “The four major castes of Hindu society are; seers ( brahmins ), administrators ( kshatriyas ), artisans or farmers ( vaishyas ), and followers or servants ( shudras)”( Smith 56). Smith writes, religious leaders, teachers, artists, and philosophers are members of the first caste, brahmins, khatriyas, the second caste, first known as warriors are now managers. The tillers of the land, the makers of bricks, and the builders are part of the third caste, vaishyas. The fourth caste is made up of servants, those who will take care of the other castes’ needs (56)”. While I was working in India, summer of 2001 and there at the invitation of the richest family in India and staying at one of their compounds, some of my co-workers and I were playing snooker. A young boy walked into the room where we were playing. He stopped and talked to us for a few minutes before continuing to bed. Accompanied by a man of about twenty years old, the boy’s shudra, who had been the boy’s personal servant for ten or more years. The shudra’s purpose was to protect and serve his charge’s every need. Although there is inequality between castes, Smith denotes.“ within each caste, there is equality, opportunity, and social insurance ( 57)”. Although the text

Brahmins: a priest in the social caste system. It is among the top of the caste system. Warriors, peasants or traders, and shudras followed this social class.

There were three main points that explained the significance of the caste society: religious worship, meals, and marriage. Marriage across caste lines was not allowed, so most people just married within their own jati, which was just a Hindu caste or specific social group. When it was meal time, any of the people could take food from the Brahmins, but if a Brahmin took food from a lower class than them, than they would be considered contaminated, especially if taken from an untouchable (also, if an untouchable drew water from a well, then it was considered polluted and unusable by anyone else). Brahmins, being considered the religious priests of the society,