The caste system is a description of the way the people in the Hindu society were divided based on their talents and the corresponding vocations (Sarma); it was once supposedly devised to bring order, discipline, and specialization. It “lays down social, moral and ethical precepts for the guidance of the people and formulates rules for the observance of rites and ceremonies; it is absolutely binding on Hindus.” (Walker 27). It typifies social conditions. (Klass 188).
It however had a profound influence on the social life of the Hindus for overages; a few examples of its negative influences on some sections of the society, are oppression, ‘untouchability’, and denial of entry into religious places. While all those benefited by it sing its praises, those put to disadvantage curse it utterly. In other words, lower castes detest it with vengeance. (Walker 29).
Problem Statement
This paper examines the origin of the caste system, its features, and its status as of now. In other words, the social forces that introduced this system are traced; its characteristics are enumerated. Besides, the present status of the system which underwent changes overages as any institution does will be described.
Origin of Caste System
An ancient Hindu sage called Manu (called the law-giver) is the supposed author of a famous code of Hindu law and jurisprudence. (Walker 27). He, according to Sivananda, who lived 30 million years ago1 during the age of mental purity (age of truth) is said to have laid down this caste system in his code of laws called Manu-smriti, the first of the three such codes, to allot duties to the persons in the society in correspondence with their abilities and aspirations.
Manu dictated 100,000 verses but now it stands abridged into 2,685 verses divided into 12 books. (Walker 28). The code was inviolable. A famous Vedic verse declares, “All that Manu said is medicine.” The chief design of code seems to have been to give divine sanction to the institution of caste, to make caste supreme in India. (Walker 28). At a time when the society was in its initial phase of civilization and the people were living as tribes or clans, a system was needed to allow work to each individual so that the society’s needs were fulfilled.
The goods and services were bartered among the castes. It was rather an ancient model of the recent self-sufficiency economical system. (Sarma). As ages passed by, the allotted work became a vocation or a profession in a straight jacket fashion and the generations started inheriting those vocations no matter what one’s inborn skills were and how different they were from those of his forefathers.
To make matters worse, each profession or vocation varied in the level of esteem it commanded from the society; persons of castes such as Brahman and Ksatriya were held in high esteem while those of the Sudra caste was given low esteem. Manu says, “When a Brahmin is born, he springs to light above the world; he is the chief of all the creatures, entitled by the eminence of birth to the wealth of the world.” (Walker 28). This kind of sanction deprived the lower castes of equal treatment by society.
As a consequence, the respect that each caste commanded from the society had automatically arranged them in a hierarchy. It means that a society that was once divided horizontally turned into a vertically divided society – of hierarchy. The system, either at the instance of upper castes or something else, perpetuated itself into the present-day society, no matter how talented the persons belonging to lower castes are and how poorly talented the persons belonging to the upper castes are.
Characteristics of Caste System
A discussion on the constituents of the caste system- four castes is proper here before we try to understand its present status. The Hindu social system of Vedic people who moved from the west into South Asia during the second millennium BCE was composed of four major subdivisions: brahmana, a sacerdotal or priestly category; ksatriya, a chiefly, noble or warrior category; vaishya who were variously perceived as commoners, farmers or merchants or all three together and sudra, a category of servants or commoners of a status lower than vaishya. (Klass 188).
Brahmins worship God for themselves as well as others and teach knowledge to others. Kshatriyas rule the land and implement laws among the people for the latter’s overall welfare. Vaishyas cultivate lands and trade in goods. According to Sharma, “sudra was limited in his vocational options and was generally relegated to providing service and assistance to members of the host tribe.”
The members of all the four castes are called ‘caste Hindus’. Besides them, there is a miscellaneous caste called ‘panchama or chandala’ whose members are the social outcasts. They, it is believed, violated the code of social conduct and hence were ostracized by society (zz gupshop forum). These ghettoized-untouchable, non-vegetarian persons known as non-caste Hindus are mostly cobblers and menial workers.
Stutley and Stutley (323) describe the differences among the castes. Brahmins wear gold and silver ornaments whereas Ksatriyas wear gold and silver items of inferior quality. Vaishyas wear brass ornaments whereas Sudras wear iron items. In regards to matrimonial sanctions, Brahmins can marry four wives, Ksatriyas three, Vaishyas two, and Sudras one only.
Changes in Caste System
The caste system seems to have received the approval of the then society as reflected in the hymn of Rigveda:10.90 which declares that “original castes are in existence and they represent the manifest expression of transmigration of souls and divine justice.” (Klass 189). But the caste system has undergone drastic changes, though certain fundamental differences remain. Since the ages till right now, nobody can marry more than one wife in any community though it was otherwise in the Manu-smriti. Women who were supposedly confined to be homemakers in the ancient code have now been donning different roles including those of rulers. Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi are examples.
K.R. Narayan, belonging to the so-called lower caste was President of India. All these points to fact that Manu-smriti is no longer of any relevance in India. (The Present Day Indian). Sarma too argues that manu-smriti contradicts Vedas and hence was never popular among Hindus. The caste system of manu was only a temporary device of some sections and hence not a fully approved institution. Walker (29) observes that “Manu’s Brahmins were a creation which emerged as a method of self-preservation in opposition to Eurasia and hybrid people flooding India.”
Present Status of Caste System
According to a Wikipedia article, “the Indian caste system is gradually relaxing, especially in metropolitan and other major urban areas, due to deeper penetration of higher education, co-existence of all communities and lesser knowledge about caste system due to alienation with rural roots of people. But in the countryside and small towns, this system is still very rigid. However, the total elimination of the caste system seems distant, if ever possible, due to caste politics.
The Government of India has officially documented castes and sub-castes, primarily to determine those deserving reservation (positive discrimination in education and jobs) through the census. The caste system is still prevalent in the Hindu community through some welcome changes towards its eradication are taking place.
Works Cited
Klass, Morton. Varna. The Encyclopedia of Religion. Vol.15. 1987.
Present Day Indian. India Culture Discussion Chat Forums. Hindu Religion: Improvising with times. 2007. Web.
Sarma, S.C. Hindu Caste System & Hinduism: Vedic Vocations Were Not Related To Heredity. 2001. Web.
Sivananda, S S. Hindu Law-Givers: The Hindu Law-Givers in the Hindu Scriptures. 2007. Web.
Stutley, J & Stutley, M. A Varna. Dictionary of Hinduism: Its Mythology, Folklore and Development 1500 B.C.-A.D.1500. 1977.
Walker, Benjamin. Manu. Hindu World: An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. 1968.
ZZ, Gupshop Forums. 2007. Web.