The Hindu Caste System



The Hindu Caste System:

Does Caste Still Matter?

Part I. Read the excerpt below from the Rig Veda.

As you read, label the human outline.

Answer the focus question at the bottom of the page.

Focus Questions: How does the Rig Veda use the human body to explain

how society is organized? Why is this a good metaphor?

The Vedas are ancient Hindu texts that are considered sacred and include chants or hymns used in religious rituals as well as explanations of Hindu beliefs and philosophy. This excerpt from the Rig Veda explains the creation of the world.

When they divided the Man, into how many parts did they apportion him? What do they call his mouth, his two arms and thighs and feet?

His mouth became the Brahmin; his arms were made into the Warrior, his thighs the People, and from his feet the Servants were born.

The moon was born from his mind; from his eye the sun was born. Indra [god of rain and thunder] and Agni [god of fire] came from his mouth, and from his vital breath the Wind was born.

From his navel the middle realm of space arose; from his head the sky evolved. From his two feet came the earth, and the quarters of the sky from his ear. Thus they set the worlds in order.

[pic]

Part II. Read the descriptions of the caste system below.

Use the description to create a diagram of the caste system.

Then answer the focus questions at the bottom of the page

Focus Questions: How is caste a useful way to think about society?

What problems might it cause?

Source 1: "Caste" is the term used to describe the complex system of social divisions that pervades life in India. Caste is an ancient hereditary system that developed alongside and became intertwined with Hinduism. Caste determines whom a person can marry, specifies what kind of work he can do, and even controls what he can eat or touch. Since the great majority of Indians are Hindu, the caste system has played an enormous role in the history of India, and it continues to exert tremendous influence on modern Indian culture and politics.

Hindus are divided among four castes or varnas and a fifth group, known as the untouchables. The four varnas are: the Brahmins, the traditional priest class; the Kshatriya, the warrior class; the Vaishya, the workers; and the Sudra, whose role is to serve the three higher classes. Below the Sudra are the untouchables, who are supposedly unclean and are therefore assigned jobs that would "pollute" higher classes. These include working with dead animals or cleaning sewage.

The caste system in India is linked to the beliefs of Hindu religion. The life a person is reincarnated into is determined by his or her karma; a person with good karma may be reborn as a higher caste human, while a person with bad karma might be reborn as a lower caste human. Hinduism teaches that since a person's fate is determined by his past life, his fate is justified. A good Hindu, therefore, accepts his position in life; by accepting his position willingly, he can improve his karma and thereby hope for a better incarnation in the next life. The social implication of this belief system has been a remarkable stability—or rigidity—in Indian culture.

Source: "Caste System." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 12 Sept. 2014.

Source 2: In the 1940s, the great Indian leader Mohandas K. Gandhi, known as Mahatma (“great spirit”), called on all Indians to stop the harsh treatment of untouchables whom Gandhi called Harijans, or “children of God.” Because of his and other reformers’ efforts, the 1950 Indian Constitution outlawed discrimination against Harijans and provided for quotas for them in schools, government, and elective positions. However, customs change slowly, especially in Indian villages, and many Harijans still suffer greatly.

Source: “From Top to Bottom.” Ancient India. Kids Discover. 2003

Part III: Read the 3 articles about caste in India today.

Highlight or underline parts of the text that help answer the Focus Questions

Focus questions: Should caste have any influence on life in India today?

Does caste still matter?

What is a Caste Certificate and Why is it Needed?



A Caste Certificate is the proof of one’s belonging to a particular caste, especially in case one belongs to any of the “Scheduled Castes,” as specified in the Indian Constitution. The Government felt that people in some castes needed special encouragement and opportunities to progress at the same pace as the rest of the citizenry. As a result, as part of the Indian system of Protective Discrimination, there exist certain special privileges granted to people in “Scheduled Castes” such as reservation of seats in the Legislatures and in Government Service, waiving of part or all the fees for admission to schools and colleges, quotas in educational institutions, relaxation of upper age limits for applying to certain jobs, etc. To be able to access these privileges, a citizen belonging to a Scheduled Caste must be in possession of a valid Caste Certificate.

School shuts doors on girls for not producing caste certificate

Arpita Sarkar TNN Aug 28, 2013, 07.00AM IST



INDORE: The Right to Education suffered a big blow on Tuesday when two girls were denied their fundamental right to education. The two seeking admissions to a government school were turned away after their parents failed to produce a document.

The admissions were sought under the a law that assures free and compulsory education and states that producing a caste certificate is not mandatory for admission.

The incident took place at Khajrana when two girls were seeking admissions to class IV and II respectively at Government Hindi Girls School (school number-20). They were denied admission as their parents failed to produce their caste certificates.

Badrilal Pawar, who works at a construction site, has had difficulty getting his daughters admitted to a school despite having mark sheets and school leaving certificates from their previously attended MGM Public School.

Pawar said that he had approached the principal of the school with the documents but was told that his daughters cannot be admitted as he did not have their caste certificates.

Officials from the education department said that admission to government school is given on basis of mark sheet and transfer certificate (TC). In this particular case, the TC does not mention their caste. However, activists say admission can not be denied as caste certificate is required only in case of scholarship.

Mukesh Badoliya, who works with community people and had accompanied Pawar and his daughters for admission, said that the principal is in no mood to give admission and had even tore admission form in front of them out of anger. "She (principal) simply declined saying she needs the caste certificate, else she will not give admission, which is clearly a violation under rules of SSA," adds Mukesh.

Child rights activist Rakesh Chandore said that in this case, parents are being unnecessarily pestered by school authority despite having all the documents.

The Caste System In India

By : Justice Markandey Katju, Judge, Supreme Court of India



The caste system is one of the greatest social evils plaguing our country today. It is acting as a powerful social and political divisive force in our country at a time when it is absolutely essential for us to be united if we wish to face our nation’s challenges. It is a curse on our country which must be speedily eradicated if we wish to progress.

We may consider a few facts to realize how strongly caste is still entrenched in our society today.

1. Our politics is largely governed by caste vote banks. When the time comes for selecting candidates for the elections a study is made of the numerical caste distribution in a constituency, because voters in most areas vote on caste basis.

2. What to say of the illiterate people, even the so called intellectuals tend to operate on caste lines. Thus, in the elections to many bar associations the lawyers tend to vote for the candidates of their caste.

3. Many castes want to be declared as O.B.C.s or Scheduled Castes, to get the benefits of reservation. Even some O.B.C.s strive to be declared as M.B.C.s (most backward castes) or Scheduled Castes.

4. Fake caste certificates have become rampant, as is often witnessed in our law courts, to get jobs or admissions in educational institutions.

5. Marriages are still largely performed within one’s caste.

6. Violence often occurs between castes, as was noticed in the recent fight between students of different castes in a University in Chennai, while the policemen looked on as silent spectators.

Summarize: Answer the questions in the space below to summarize what you learned.

What are the benefits of a caste system? What are the problems? Does caste still matter?

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