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    The Hindu Caste System: Social Structure in India

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    Maneesh Bhardwaj
    The Hindu caste system is a social hierarchy in India where one's social status is determined by birth. It is a rigid system with four main castes - Brahmins (priests and scholars), Kshatriyas (rulers and warriors), Vaisyas (merchants and farmers), and Sudras (laborers). Below the Sudras are the "untouchables" who perform unpleasant tasks. Each caste has specific duties and is restricted to marrying within their caste. The caste system aims to maintain social order and harmony by having each group fulfill their role for the benefit of society. While still influential today, the caste system has become more flexible with urbanization and a market economy.

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    The Hindu Caste System: Social Structure in India

    Uploaded by

    Maneesh Bhardwaj
    71 views17 pages
    The Hindu caste system is a social hierarchy in India where one's social status is determined by birth. It is a rigid system with four main castes - Brahmins (priests and scholars), Kshatriyas (rulers and warriors), Vaisyas (merchants and farmers), and Sudras (laborers). Below the Sudras are the "untouchables" who perform unpleasant tasks. Each caste has specific duties and is restricted to marrying within their caste. The caste system aims to maintain social order and harmony by having each group fulfill their role for the benefit of society. While still influential today, the caste system has become more flexible with urbanization and a market economy.

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    The Hindu caste system is a social hierarchy in India where one's social status is determined by birth. It is a rigid system with four main castes - Brahmins (priests and scholars), Kshatriyas (rulers and warriors), Vaisyas (merchants and farmers), and Sudras (laborers). Below the Sudras are the "untouchables" who perform unpleasant tasks. Each caste has specific duties and is restricted to marrying within their caste. The caste system aims to maintain social order and harmony by having each group fulfill their role for the benefit of society. While still influential today, the caste system has become more flexible with urbanization and a market economy.

    Copyright:

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    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    71 views17 pages

    The Hindu Caste System: Social Structure in India

    Uploaded by

    Maneesh Bhardwaj
    The Hindu caste system is a social hierarchy in India where one's social status is determined by birth. It is a rigid system with four main castes - Brahmins (priests and scholars), Kshatriyas (rulers and warriors), Vaisyas (merchants and farmers), and Sudras (laborers). Below the Sudras are the "untouchables" who perform unpleasant tasks. Each caste has specific duties and is restricted to marrying within their caste. The caste system aims to maintain social order and harmony by having each group fulfill their role for the benefit of society. While still influential today, the caste system has become more flexible with urbanization and a market economy.

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    The Hindu Caste System

    Social Structure in India


    Definition:
    A type of social
    organization/hierarchy in which
    a person’s occupation and
    position in life is determined by
    the circumstances of his birth.
    Rigid, hereditary membership into
    birth caste
    Marriage only among member of
    same caste
    Occupation choices restricted
    Personal contact with other castes
    restricted
    Acceptance of fixed place in society
    Members of a caste rely on each
    other for support
    Each caste is born out of Brahma (the creator)
    Brahmins—
    thinkers/knowers
    Ksatriya—doers
    Vaisya—provide
    food for the belly
    Sudra—do the work
    Each caste has an occupation(s) and
    contributes to the good of the whole
    Jajman—gives gift (landlord)
    Kamin—gives service to the landholder
    (lower castes)
    Landholder gives grain to…

    Barber Priest
    Potter
    Blacksmith
    Carpenter
    Today…more of a market system
    Reincarnation Karma
    A person is born,
    A person’s social
    lives, dies, and is
    reborn again position in the
    many times. Souls next life is
    are reborn many determined by his
    times until they conduct in the
    are pure enough present life.
    to be with the
    creator, Brahma
    Dharma Laws of Manu
    Code of behavior Hindu book of
    or set of moral
    and ethical rules sacred law
    that govern the Rules and
    conduct of each restrictions for
    social class. Each daily life
    group has a
    different set of
    rules to live by.
    Brahmins – Priests, Teachers,
    Judges; usually don’t own land
    therefore need other castes to work
    the land and provide for them
    Kshatriyas – Warriors and Rulers
    (landowners)
    Vaisyas – Skilled Traders,
    Merchants, Farmers
    Sudras – Unskilled Workers—
    Laborers and Craft workers
    Below these four castes are people
    who belong to no caste
    Untouchables – Outcastes, Children of
    God
    Concept of pollution…the most pure
    at the top (Brahmins) and the most
    polluted at the bottom (Untouchables)
    Purpose is to help
    people of other
    castes fulfill their
    dharma
    Perform rituals and
    observe vows for the
    sake of others
    Responsible for
    leadership of the
    people
    Often rely on
    advice from
    Brahmins
    Shopkeepers
    who sell
    products (unlike
    the Shudra who
    sell services)
    Each subgroup of
    this caste
    performs a
    specific service.
    Jobs include
    gardeners, potters,
    and clothes
    washers
    Belong to no caste
    Expected to do the
    “dirty” jobs
    Come in contact with
    animal skins, dead
    bodies and human
    feces
    Avoid contact with
    “caste” Indians for
    fear of “pollution”
    Source
    http://www.csuchico.edu/~cheinz/syllabi/asst001/spring98/16.htm

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