Caste system in India

                    -Sudharsan

What?

India's caste system is among the world's oldest forms of surviving social divisions.

Two terms translates closer to caste in India, Varna, the broader division and its sub division Jathi. Varna divides people in to Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warrior), Vaishyas (trader) and the Shudras (farmers) 

Why?

The castes divides Indian society into hierarchial groups, it was initially based on occupation then by their birth. It still places restrictions on marriage, culture, food etc...

When?

During the vedic period (1500 BCE) there were only two varnas, the arya varna and dasa varna (rival tribe). The Vedic texts neither suggests the concept of untouchability nor  restrictions on food or marriage.

Vedas even mentions anyone who restrains from harming other beings is a brahmin. The four Varna system probably developed in the period between 500 to 100 BCE.

Only the post vedic books like Manusmriti mentions castes, untouchablity, and calls lower castes impure.

Susan Bayly a famous historian suggests that this rigid caste system we have now, developed only after the fall of Mughals.

And strengthened after the British made castes a central mechanism of administration.

They used jatis to decide which group of people were qualified for which jobs in the colonial government. Only after various protest this was changed in 1920s.

How?

Slaves and workers who did the most low level jobs were considered untouchables or Dailits. It was under the Gupta dynasty (100CE), population mixing was stopped, and complete endogamy was established.

Now? 

Post Independent India identified communities that were discriminated by this old unfair system.

They were given quotas and preferences (ST, SC... ), because of their cultural, economic and social backwardness.

Certain section still believe they are superior by birth, and only marry within their own caste.

Honor killings are still a common occurrence even today. People kill their own daughters and sons if they marry outside their castes.

And so

Caste were predominantly a social economic, racial division that somehow gained religious importance. It was a discriminatory, cruel and cunning practice, imposed by the ruling class on the poor and working section of the society.