Are there castes in modern India history. Indian castes
Do you want to see the country in all its glory, but have not decided what to see in Ukraine? Discover is designed to make your dream of the perfect trip come true! Here you will learn that a ski resort can be found hundreds of kilometers from the Carpathians, and there are unique natural sites in the very heart of industrial cities. It's time to get acquainted with Ukraine!
As a rule, the trip begins with planning. And the most exciting part of it is the search interesting places which are a must visit. And what a shame then to find out that some attraction was left without your attention. So that you don't miss a single ancient castle or trendy art object, we have collected them all on one map. Choose what you like and enter the coordinates into your navigator as soon as possible!
Wondering where to go in Ukraine? We are sure that there are thousands of places in our country that you can't help but fall in love with! Which of them to visit depends only on whether you are planning an active holiday, shopping, or you want to enjoy natural sites. Just use the appropriate filter, and we will show you such places of interest in Ukraine that will make you immediately start packing your bags. Here you will not only read interesting information about a museum or a fortress, but also learn useful life hacks from experienced travelers.
Are you not a fan of tours? historical places and get high from the influx of adrenaline in the blood? In the "active recreation" section you will find what you need: ski resorts and yacht clubs, kayaking schools and rope parks are waiting for you!
In many ways, the impression of the trip depends on the infrastructure. Therefore, we advise you to decide in advance where you will live and eat. On our website you can find the best hotels, hostels and recreation centers, plan a dinner in a luxurious restaurant or a stylish city cafe.
We believe that in the near future there will be no places in our country that are inaccessible to special people who have health problems. Taking care of your comfort, we have provided additional filters, thanks to which you can find out if a certain building is equipped for people in wheelchairs and those with hearing or vision problems.
And now, when all the must-see locations are defined, it remains only to create your own route by simply clicking on the “add to trip” icon. Why do it? So everything you need will be on your personal map, and the tools Google Maps automatically calculate the length of the route and the approximate time on the road. Travel and enjoy life with Discover!
Divided people into four estates, called varnas. The first varna, the brahmins, destined to enlighten and rule mankind, he created from his head or mouth; the second, the kshatriyas (warriors), the protectors of society, from the hand; the third, the vaishyas, the feeders of the state, from the abdomen; the fourth, sudras, from the legs, dedicating it to the eternal destiny - to serve the highest varnas. Over time, the varnas subdivided into many podcasts and castes, called jati in India. The European name is caste.
So, the four ancient castes of India, their rights and obligations according to the ancient law of Manu *, strictly enforced in.
(* Laws of Manu - an ancient Indian collection of prescriptions for religious, moral and social duty (dharma), today also called the "law of the Aryans" or the "code of honor of the Aryans").
Brahmins
Brahman "the son of the sun, a descendant of Brahma, a god among people" (the usual titles of this estate), according to the law of Menu, is the head of all created creatures; the whole universe is subject to him; other mortals owe the preservation of their lives to his intercession and prayers; his all-powerful curse can instantly destroy fearsome warlords with their numerous hordes, chariots and war elephants. Brahman can create new worlds; may even give birth to new gods. A Brahmin should be given more honor than a king.
The inviolability of the Brahmin and his life are protected by bloody laws. If a sudra dares to verbally insult a brahmana, then the law orders to drive a red-hot iron into his throat, ten inches deep; and if he takes it into his head to give some instruction to the Brahmin, the unfortunate one pours boiling oil over his mouth and ears. On the other hand, it is allowed for anyone to take a false oath or give false testimony before the court, if these actions can save the Brahmin from condemnation.
A Brahman cannot, under any condition, be executed or punished, either bodily or financially, although he would be convicted of the most outrageous crimes: the only punishment to which he is subject is removal from his fatherland, or expulsion from the caste.
The Brahmins are divided into laymen and spiritualists, and are subdivided according to their occupations into different classes. It is noteworthy that among the spiritual brahmins, the priests occupy the lower rung, and the higher rung are those who have devoted themselves only to the interpretation of sacred books. The worldly brahmins are the king's advisers, judges and other higher officials.
Only the brahmin is granted the right to interpret the sacred books, perform worship and predict the future; but he forfeits this last right if he makes a mistake three times in his predictions. Brahman can predominantly heal, for "illness is the punishment of the gods"; only a brahmin can be a judge, because the civil and penal laws of the Hindus are included in their sacred books.
The whole way of life of a Brahmin is built on the observance of a whole code the strictest rules. For example, all brahmins are forbidden to accept gifts from persons unworthy (lower castes). Music, dancing, hunting and gambling are also forbidden to all Brahmins. But the use of wine and all kinds of intoxicating things, such as: onions, garlic, eggs, fish, any meat, except from animals slaughtered as a sacrifice to the gods, are forbidden only to the lower Brahmins.
A Brahman will defile himself if he sits at the same table even with the king, not to mention members of the lower castes or his own wives. He is obliged not to look at the sun at certain hours and to leave the house during the rain; he cannot step over the rope to which the cow is tied, and must pass by this sacred animal or idol, leaving it only to his right.
In case of need, a brahmin is allowed to beg from people of the three higher castes and engage in trade; but by no means can he serve anyone.
A Brahmin who wants to be awarded the honorary title of interpreter of laws and supreme guru prepares for this with various hardships. He renounces marriage, indulges in a thorough study of the Vedas in some monastery for 12 years, refraining from even talking in the last 5 and explaining himself only by signs; thus, he finally reaches the desired goal, and becomes a spiritual master.
The financial support of the Brahmin caste is also provided for by law. Generosity to the Brahmins is a religious virtue for all believers, and is the direct duty of the rulers. Upon the death of a rootless Brahmin, his property turns not into the treasury, but into the caste. Brahmin does not pay any taxes. Thunder would kill a king who dared to encroach on the person or property of a Brahmin; a poor brahmin is kept at public expense.
The life of a brahmin is divided into 4 stages.
First stage begins even before birth, when learned men are sent to the pregnant wife of a Brahmin for conversations, in order "thus to prepare the child for the perception of wisdom." At 12 days, the baby is given a name, at three years old, his head is shaved, leaving only a piece of hair called kudumi. A few years later, the child is handed over spiritual guide(guru). Education with this guru usually lasts from 7-8 to 15 years. During the entire period of education, which consists mainly of the study of the Vedas, the student is obliged to blindly obey his preceptor and all members of his family. He is often entrusted with the blackest domestic work, and he must perform them unquestioningly. The will of the guru replaces his law and conscience; his smile is the best reward. At this stage, the child is considered single-born.
Second phase begins after the ritual of initiation or rebirth, which the young man goes through after the end of the teaching. From this moment on, he is twice born. During this period, he marries, brings up his family and performs the duties of a brahmin.
The third period of the life of a brahmin - vanaprastra. Having reached the age of 40, a Brahmin enters the third period of his life, called vanaprastra. He must retire to desert places and become a hermit. Here he covers his nakedness with tree bark or the skin of a black antelope; cuts neither nails nor hair; sleeps on a stone or on the ground; must spend days and nights "without a house, without fire, in perfect silence, and eating only roots and fruits." The Brahman spends his days in prayer and mortification.
After spending 22 years in prayer and fasting in this way, the Brahmin enters the fourth department of life, called sannyas. Only then is he freed from all external rites. The old hermit goes deep into perfect contemplation. The soul of a Brahmin who has died in the state of sannyas immediately acquires merger with the deity (nirvana); and his body in a sitting position is lowered into a pit and sprinkled around with salt.
The color of the Brahmin's clothes depended on what spiritual order they were in. Sannyasis, monks who renounced the world wore clothes orange color, family - white.
Kshatriyas
The second caste is made up of kshatriyas, warriors. According to the law of Menu, members of this caste could make sacrifices, and the study of the Vedas was made a special duty for princes and heroes; but later the Brahmins left them one permission to read or listen to the Vedas, without analyzing or interpreting them, and appropriated the right to explain the texts to themselves.
Kshatriyas should give alms, but not accept them, avoid vices and sensual pleasures, live simply, "as befits a warrior." The law says that "the priestly caste cannot exist without the warrior caste, nor can the last without the first, and that the tranquility of the whole world depends on the consent of both, on the union of knowledge and the sword."
With few exceptions, all kings, princes, generals and first rulers belong to the second caste; the judicial part and the management of education were from ancient times in the hands of the Brahmins (Brahmins). Kshatriyas are allowed to consume any meat except beef. This caste was formerly divided into three parts: all the ruling and non-possessing princes (rays) and their children (rayanutras) belonged to the upper class.
Kshatriyas wore red clothes.
Vaishya
The third caste is the Vaishyas. Previously, they also participated, both in sacrifices and in the right to read the Vedas, but later, through the efforts of the brahmins, they lost these advantages. Although the Vaishyas were much lower than the Kshatriyas, they still occupied an honorable place in society. They were supposed to be engaged in trade, arable farming and cattle breeding. The property rights of a vaishya were respected and his fields were considered inviolable. He had the right, consecrated by religion, to put money into growth.
The highest castes - Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas - used all three scarves, senar, every caste - their own, and were called twice-born, as opposed to once-born - Shudras.
Shudra
The duty of a sudra, Menu says briefly, is to serve the three the higher castes. It is best for a sudra to serve a brahmin, for his sake a kshatriya, and finally a vaishya. In such a single case, if he does not find an opportunity to enter the service, he is allowed to engage in a useful craft. The soul of a shudra, who has served a brahmin with zeal and honesty all his life, is reborn into a person of the highest caste upon resettlement.
A sudra is forbidden even to look at the Vedas. A Brahmin has no right not only to interpret the Vedas to a Shudra, but is also obliged to read them silently in the presence of the latter. A brahmin who allows himself to interpret the law to a sudra, or explain to him the ways of repentance, will be punished in hell Asamarite.
A sudra must eat the leftovers of his masters and wear their rags. He is forbidden to acquire anything, "so that he does not take it into his head to become proud of the temptation of the sacred Brahmins." If a sudra verbally insults a veishya or a kshatriya, then his tongue is cut out; if he dares to sit down beside the Brahmin, or take his place, then a red-hot iron is applied to the more guilty part of the body. The name of a sudra, says Menou's law, is a swear word, and the penalty for killing him does not exceed the amount that is paid for the death of an unimportant domestic animal, such as a dog or cat. Killing a cow is considered a much more reprehensible act: killing a sudra is a misdemeanor; killing a cow is a sin!
Bondage is the natural position of a sudra, and the master cannot release him by giving him leave; "for, says the law: who but death can free a sudra from the state of nature?"
It is rather difficult for us Europeans to understand such an alien world, and we, involuntarily, want to bring everything under our own concepts, and this is what misleads us. So, for example, according to the concepts of the Hindus, the Shudras constitute a class of people, designated by nature for service in general, but at the same time they are not considered slaves, they do not constitute the property of private individuals.
The attitude of the masters towards the Shudras, despite the given examples of an inhuman view of them, from a religious point of view, was determined by civil law, especially the measure and method of punishments, which in everything coincided with the patriarchal punishments allowed by folk custom in the relationship of a father to his son or an older brother to junior, husband to wife, and guru to disciple.
Impure castes
As almost everywhere a woman was subjected to discrimination and all kinds of restrictions, so in India the severity of the separation of castes weighs much more on a woman than on a man. A man, upon entering into a second marriage, is allowed to choose a wife from a lower caste, except for a sudra. So, for example, a Brahmin can marry a woman of the second and even the third caste; the children of this mixed marriage will occupy an intermediate degree between the castes of the father and mother. A woman, by marrying a man of a lower caste, commits a crime: she defiles herself and all her offspring. Shudras can marry only among themselves.
The mixing of any of the castes with the Sudras gives rise to impure castes, of which the most contemptible is that which comes from the mixing of the Sudras with the Brahmin. The members of this caste are called Chandalas, and must be executioners or flayers; the touch of a chandala entails expulsion from the caste.
Untouchables
Below the impure castes there is still a miserable kind of pariahs. Together with the Chandalas they engage in the lowest works. The pariahs skin the carrion, work it out, and eat the meat; but they abstain from cow meat. Their touch defiles not only a person, but also objects. They have their own special wells; near the cities they are assigned a special quarter, surrounded by a moat and slingshots. In villages, they also have no right to show themselves, but must hide in forests, caves and swamps.
A Brahmin, defiled by the shadow of a pariah, must bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges, for only they are able to wash away such a stain of shame.
Even lower than the Pariah are the Pulai, who live on the Malabar coast. Slaves of the Nairs, they are forced to take refuge in damp dungeons, and do not dare to raise their eyes to the noble Hindu. Seeing a Brahmin or Nair from afar, the pulais emit a loud roar to warn the masters of their proximity, and while the "masters" are waiting on the road, they must hide in a cave, in a thicket of the forest, or climb a tall tree. Whoever did not have time to hide, the Nairs cut down like an unclean reptile. Pulayi live in terrible slovenliness, eating carrion and any meat except cow.
But even the pulai can rest for a moment from the general contempt that overwhelms him; there are human beings even more miserable, lower than him: they are pariars, lower because, sharing all the humiliation of the pulai, they allow themselves to eat cow meat too! Muslims, who also do not respect the integrity of fat Indian cows and acquaint them with the location of their kitchen, all of them, in his opinion, morally, completely coincide with the contemptible pariar.
At the end of July, a 14-year-old untouchable died in a hospital ward in New Delhi, who had been held in sexual slavery by a neighbor for a month. The dying woman told the police that the kidnapper threatened her with a knife, forced her to drink juice mixed with acid, did not feed her, and, together with friends, raped her several times a day. As law enforcement officers found out, this was already the second kidnapping - the previous one was committed by the same person in December last year, but he was released on bail. According to local media, the court showed such leniency towards the criminal, since his victim was from Dalits (untouchables), which means that her life and freedom were worth nothing. Although discrimination based on caste is prohibited in India, Dalits are still the poorest, most disadvantaged and most uneducated part of society. Why this is so and how far the untouchables can rise up the social ladder - Lenta.ru explains.
How did the untouchables appear?
According to the most common version, these are the descendants of representatives of the tribes who lived in India before the Aryan invasion. In the traditional Aryan system of society, consisting of four varnas - Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (merchants and artisans) and Shudras (hired workers) - Dalits were at the very bottom, below the Shudras, who were also descendants of the pre-Aryan inhabitants of India . At the same time, in India itself, a version that arose back in the 19th century is widespread, according to which the untouchables are the descendants of children expelled into the forests, born from the relationship of a Sudra man and a Brahmin woman.
In ancient Indian literary monument"Rig Veda" (compiled in 1700-1100 BC) says that the Brahmins came from the mouth of the great man Purusha, the Kshatriyas - from the hands, the Vaishyas - from the thighs, the Shudras - from the feet. There is no place for the untouchables in this picture of the world. The varna system finally took shape in the interval between the 7th century BC. and II century AD.
It is believed that the untouchable can defile people from the highest varnas, so their houses and villages were built on the outskirts. The system of ritual restrictions among the untouchables is no less strict than that of the Brahmins, although the restrictions themselves are completely different. The untouchables were forbidden to enter restaurants and temples, wear umbrellas and shoes, walk in shirts and sunglasses, but they were allowed to eat meat - which strict vegetarian Brahmins could not afford.
Is that what they are called in India - "untouchables"?
Now this word is almost out of use, it is considered offensive. The most common name for the untouchables is dalits, "oppressed", or "oppressed". Previously, there was also the word "harijans" - "children of God", which Mahatma Gandhi tried to introduce into use. But it did not take root: the Dalits found it to be just as offensive as the "untouchables".
How many Dalits are there in India and how many castes do they have?
Approximately 170 million people - 16.6 percent of the total population. The question of the number of castes is very complicated, since the Indians themselves almost never use the word “castes”, preferring the more vague concept of “jati”, which includes not only castes in the usual sense, but also clans and communities, which are often difficult to classify as one or the other. another varna. In addition, the line between caste and podcast is often very vague. It can only be said with certainty that we are talking about hundreds of jati.
Dalits still live in poverty? How connected social status with economic?
In general, the lower castes are indeed much poorer. The bulk of the Indian poor are Dalits. Average level literacy in the country is 75 percent, among Dalits - a little more than 30. Almost half of the children of Dalits, according to statistics, drop out of school because of the humiliation they are subjected to there. It is the Dalits who make up the bulk of the unemployed; and those who are employed tend to be paid less than those of the higher castes.
Although there are exceptions: in India, there are approximately 30 millionaire Dalits. Of course, against the backdrop of 170 million poor and beggars, this is a drop in the bucket, but they prove with their lives that you can succeed even as a Dalit. As a rule, these are really outstanding people: Ashok Khade from the Chamar (tanner) caste, the son of an illiterate poor shoemaker, worked as a dock worker during the day and read textbooks at night to get an engineering degree, and at the same time slept under the stairs on the street, since he did not enough money to rent a room. His company is now pursuing deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars. This is a typical Dalit success story, a kind of blue dream for millions of the underprivileged.
Have the untouchables ever tried to start a riot?
As far as we know, no. Before the colonization of India, this thought could hardly have occurred at all: at that time, expulsion from the caste was equated with physical death. After colonization, social boundaries began to gradually blur, and after India gained independence, the rebellion for Dalits lost its meaning - they were given all the conditions to achieve their goals through political means.
The extent to which submissiveness has become ingrained in the minds of Dalits can be illustrated by an example given by Russian researchers Felix and Evgenia Yurlov. The Bahujan Samaj Party, representing the interests of the lower castes, organized special training camps for Dalits, in which they learned to "overcome centuries of fear and fear in the face of high-caste Hindus." Among the exercises was, for example, the following: a stuffed high-caste Hindu with a mustache and a tilak (dot) on his forehead was installed. Dalit had to overcome his timidity and go up to the effigy, cut off his mustache with scissors and wipe off the tilak.
Is it possible to escape from the untouchables?
It is possible, although not easy. The easiest way is to change religion. A person who converts to Buddhism, Islam or Christianity technically falls out of the caste system. Dalits first began converting to Buddhism in significant numbers in late XIX century. Mass conversions are associated with the name of the famous fighter for the rights of Dalits, Dr. Ambedkar, who converted to Buddhism along with half a million untouchables. The last such mass ceremony was held in Mumbai in 2007 - then at the same time 50 thousand people became Buddhists at once.
Dalits prefer to turn to Buddhism. Firstly, Indian nationalists treat this religion better than Islam and Christianity, since it is one of the traditional Indian religions. Secondly, among Muslims and Christians, over time, their own caste division was formed, albeit not as pronounced as among the Hindus.
Is it possible to change caste while remaining a Hindu?
There are two options here: the first is all sorts of semi-legal or illegal methods. For example, many surnames that indicate belonging to a particular caste differ by one or two letters. It is enough to slightly corrupt or charm a clerk in a government office - and, voila, you are already a member of another caste, and sometimes a varna. It is better, of course, to do such tricks either in the city, or in combination with moving to another area where there are not thousands of fellow villagers around who knew your grandfather.
The second option is the procedure "ghar vapasi", literally "welcome home". This program is implemented by radical Hindu organizations and aims to convert Indians of other religions to Hinduism. In this case, a person becomes, for example, a Christian, then sprinkles ashes on his head, announcing his desire to perform “ghar vapasi” - and that’s all, he is again a Hindu. If this trick is done outside of your native village, then you can always claim that you belong to a different caste.
Another question is why do all this. A caste certificate will not be asked when applying for a job or when entering a restaurant. In India, over the past century, the caste system has been breaking down under the influence of the processes of modernization and globalization. Attitude to to a stranger based on his behavior. The only thing that can fail is the surname, which is most often associated with the caste (Gandhis - merchants, Deshpande - brahmins, Acharis - carpenters, Guptas - vaishyas, Singhas - kshatriyas). But now, when anyone can change their last name, everything has become much easier.
And change the varna without changing the caste?
There is a chance that your caste will undergo a Sanskritization process. In Russian it is called vertical mobility castes”: if one or another caste adopts the traditions and customs of another, higher caste, there is a chance that sooner or later it will be recognized as a member of a higher varna. For example, the lower caste begins to practice vegetarianism, characteristic of the Brahmins, dress like Brahmins, wear a sacred thread on the wrist and generally position themselves as Brahmins, it is possible that sooner or later they will begin to be treated as Brahmins.
However, vertical mobility is characteristic mainly of castes of higher varnas. None of the Dalit castes has yet managed to cross the invisible line that separates them from the four varnas and even become Shudras. But times are changing.
In general, as a Hindu, you are not required to declare belonging to any caste. You can be a casteless Hindu - your right.
Why change caste at all?
It all depends on which way to change - up or down. An increase in caste status means that other people for whom the caste is significant will treat you with more respect. Lowering your status, especially to the Dalit caste level, will give you a number of real benefits, so many representatives of higher castes try to enroll in Dalits.
The fact is that in modern India, the authorities are waging a merciless fight against caste discrimination. According to the constitution, any discrimination based on caste is prohibited, and you will even have to pay a fine for asking about caste when applying for a job.
But the country has a mechanism of positive discrimination. A number of castes and tribes are listed as "Scheduled Tribes and Castes" (SC/ST). Representatives of these castes have certain privileges, which are confirmed by caste certificates. For Dalits, places are reserved in the civil service and in parliament, their children are admitted free of charge (or for half the fee) to schools, places have been allocated for them in institutes. In short, there is a quota system for Dalits.
It's hard to say if this is good or bad. The author of these lines met Dalits who could give odds to any Brahmin in terms of intelligence and general development - quotas helped them rise from the bottom and get an education. On the other hand, one had to see Dalits going with the flow (first by quotas for the institute, then by the same quotas for the civil service), not interested in anything and not wanting to work. They cannot be fired, so their future is secured until old age and a good pension. Many in India criticize the quota system, many defend it.
So Dalits can be politicians?
How else can they. For example, Kocheril Raman Narayanan, who was President of India from 1997 to 2002, was a Dalit. Another example is Mayawati Prabhu Das, also known as Mayawati Iron Lady, who served as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for a total of eight years.
Is the number of Dalits the same in all states of India?
No, it varies, and quite significantly. Most Dalits live in the state of Uttar Pradesh (20.5 percent of all Dalits in India), followed by West Bengal (10.7 percent). At the same time, as a percentage of the total population, Punjab holds the lead with 31.9 percent, followed by Himachal Pradesh with 25.2 percent.
How can Dalits work?
Theoretically, anyone - from the president to the toilet cleaner. Many Dalits act in films and work as fashion models. In cities where caste lines are blurred, there are no restrictions at all; in villages where ancient traditions are strong, Dalits are still engaged in "impure" work: skinning dead animals, digging graves, prostitution, and so on.
If a child is born as a result of an inter-caste marriage, to which caste will he be assigned?
Traditionally in India, the child was recorded in the lowest caste. Now it is considered that the child inherits the caste of the father, with the exception of the state of Kerala, where, according to local law, the caste of the mother is inherited. This is theoretically possible in other states, but in each individual case it is decided through the courts.
A typical story that happened in 2012: then a Kshatriya man married a woman from the Nayak tribe. The boy was registered as a kshatriya, but then his mother, through the courts, ensured that the child was rewritten as a nayak so that he could take advantage of the bonuses provided to disadvantaged tribes.
If I, as a tourist in India, touch a Dalit, can I then shake hands with a Brahmin?
Foreigners in Hinduism are already considered unclean, because they are outside the caste system, therefore they can touch anyone and for whatever reason, without defiling themselves in any way. If a practicing brahmin decides to communicate with you, then he will still have to perform purification rituals, so whether you shook the Dalit's hand before or not is essentially indifferent.
Are Dalits Filming Intercaste Porn in India?
Of course they do. Moreover, judging by the number of views on specialized sites, it is very popular.
Caste is the original civilizational model,
built on its own conscious principles.
L. Dumont "Homo Hierarchicus"
The social structure of the modern Indian state is unique in many respects, primarily due to the fact that it is still, as it was several millennia ago, based on the existence of the caste system, which is one of its main components.
The word "caste" itself appeared later than the social stratification of ancient Indian society began. Initially, the term "varna" was used. The word "varna" is of Indian origin and means color, method, essence. In the later laws of Manu, instead of the word "varna", the word "jati" was sometimes used, meaning birth, clan, position. Subsequently, in the process of economic and social development, each varna was divided into a large number of castes, in modern India there are thousands of them. Contrary to popular belief, the caste system in India has not been abolished, but still exists; The law abolished only discrimination based on caste.
Varna
In ancient India, there were four main varnas (chaturvarnya), or estates. The highest varna - the brahmins - are priests, clerics; their duties included the study of sacred texts, the teaching of people and the performance of religious rites, since it was they who were considered to have the proper holiness and purity.
The next varna is the kshatriyas; these are warriors and rulers who had necessary qualities(for example, courage and strength) to govern and protect the state.
They are followed by vaishyas (merchants and farmers) and sudras (servants and laborers). About the attitude to the last, fourth varna tells ancient legend about the creation of the world, which says that at first three varnas were created by God - the Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, and later the people (praja) and cattle were born.
The first three varnas were considered the highest, and their representatives were "twice born". The physical, "first" birth was only a door to this earthly world, however, for inner growth and spiritual development a person had to be born a second time - again. This meant that representatives of privileged varnas underwent a special rite - initiation (upanayana), after which they became full members of society and could learn the profession that they inherited from representatives of their kind. During the ceremony, a lace of a certain color and material, prescribed in accordance with the tradition of this varna, was put on the neck of a representative of this varna.
It was believed that all varnas were created from the body of the first man - Purusha: brahmins - from his mouth (the color of this varna is white), kshatriyas - from his hands (the color is red), vaishyas - from the hips (the color of the varna is yellow), shudras - from his feet (black color).
The "pragmatism" of such a class division was that initially, as it is supposed, the assignment of a person to a certain varna was due to his natural inclinations and inclinations. For example, the one who could think with his head (therefore, the symbol is the mouth of Purusha) became a brahmin, he himself had the ability to learn and could teach others. A kshatriya is a person with a warlike nature, more inclined to work with his hands (that is, to fight, therefore the symbol is the hands of Purusha), etc.
The Shudras were the lowest varna, they could not participate in religious rituals and study the sacred texts of Hinduism (Vedas, Upanishads, Brahmins and Aranyakas), they often did not have their own household, and they were engaged in the most difficult types of labor. Their duty was unconditional obedience to the representatives of the higher varnas. The Shudras remained "once born", that is, they did not have the privilege of being reborn to a new, spiritual life (probably because their level of consciousness was not ready for this).
Varnas were absolutely autonomous, marriages could take place only within the varna, mixing of varnas, according to the ancient laws of Manu, was not allowed, as well as the transition from one varna to another, higher or lower. So tough hierarchical structure was not only protected by laws and tradition, but was directly related to the key idea of the Indian religion - the idea of reincarnation: "As if childhood, youth and old age come to the incarnated here, so the new body comes: the sage is not puzzled by this" (Bhagavad Gita).
It was believed that staying in a certain varna is a consequence of karma, that is, the cumulative result of his actions and deeds in past lives. The better a person behaved in past lives, the more chances he had in his next life to incarnate in a higher varna. After all, varna affiliation was given by birth and could not change throughout a person’s life. For a modern Westerner, this may seem strange, but such a concept, which has completely dominated India for several millennia up to the present day, created, on the one hand, the basis for the political stability of society, and on the other hand, it was a moral code for huge segments of the population.
Therefore, the fact that the varna structure is invisibly present in the life of modern India (the caste system is officially enshrined in the main law of the country) is most likely directly related to the strength of religious convictions and beliefs that have passed the test of time and have remained almost unchanged to this day.
But is the secret of the "survivability" of the varna system only in the strength of religious ideas? Perhaps ancient India succeeded in somewhat anticipating the structure modern societies and it is no coincidence that L. Dumont calls castes a civilizational model?
A modern interpretation of the Varna division might look, for example, as follows.
Brahmins are people of knowledge, those who receive knowledge, teach it and develop new knowledge. Since in modern “knowledge” societies (a term officially adopted by UNESCO), which have already replaced information societies, not only information, but knowledge is gradually becoming the most valuable capital, surpassing all material analogues, it becomes clear that people of knowledge belong to upper strata society.
Kshatriyas - people of duty, top managers, administrators state level, the military and representatives of the "power structures" - those who guarantee law and order and serve their people and their country.
Vaishyas are business people, businessmen, creators and organizers of their business, whose main goal is to make a profit, they create a product that is in demand on the market. Vaishyas now, just as in ancient times, “feed” other varnas, creating material base for the economic growth of the state.
Shudras are people for hire, hired workers, for whom it is easier not to take responsibility, but to carry out the work entrusted to them under the control of management.
To live "in one's own varna", from this point of view, means to live in accordance with one's natural abilities, innate predisposition to a certain type of activity and according to one's vocation in this life. This can give a feeling of inner peace and satisfaction that a person lives his own, and not someone else's life and destiny (dharma). It is not for nothing that the importance of following one’s own dharma, or duty, is mentioned in one of the sacred texts included in the Hindu canon, the Bhagavad Gita: “It is better to fulfill one’s duties even imperfectly than other people’s duties perfectly. It is better to die doing your duty, someone else's path is dangerous.
In this “cosmic” aspect, the varna division looks like a completely pragmatic system for realizing a kind of “call of the soul”, or, in a higher language, fulfilling one’s destiny (duty, mission, task, vocation, dharma).
Untouchables
In ancient India, there was a group of people who did not belong to any of the varnas - the so-called untouchables, who de facto exist in India to this day. The emphasis on the actual state of affairs is made because the situation with the untouchables in real life is somewhat different from legal registration caste system in modern India.
The untouchables in ancient India were a special group that performed work related to the then ideas of ritual impurity - for example, dressing animal skins, cleaning up garbage, corpses.
In modern India, the term untouchables is not officially used, as well as its analogues: harijans - “children of God” (a concept introduced by Mahatma Gandhi) or a pariah (“outcast”) and others. Instead, there is the concept of Dalit, which is not considered to carry the connotation of caste discrimination, which is prohibited in the Indian constitution. According to the 2001 census, Dalits make up 16.2% of the total population of India and 79.8% of the total rural population.
Although the constitution of India has abolished the concept of untouchables, ancient traditions continue to dominate in mass consciousness, which even leads to the killing of untouchables under a variety of pretexts. At the same time, there are cases when a person belonging to the “clean” caste is ostracized for daring to do a “dirty” job. So, Pinky Rajak, a 22-year-old woman from the caste of Indian laundresses who traditionally wash and iron clothes, caused outrage among the elders of her caste, because she took up cleaning at the local school, that is, she violated the strict caste ban on dirty work, thereby insulting her own. community.
castes Today
To protect certain castes from discrimination, there are various privileges granted to citizens of lower castes, such as reserved seats in legislatures and public service, partial or full tuition fees in schools and colleges, quotas in higher educational institutions. In order to enjoy the right to such a benefit, a citizen belonging to a state-protected caste must obtain and present a special caste certificate - proof of his belonging to a particular caste listed in the table of castes, which is part of the Constitution of India.
Today in India, belonging to a higher caste by birth does not automatically mean a high level of material security. Often children from poor upper caste families who go to college or university common grounds with a lot of competition, they are much less likely to get an education than children from lower castes.
The discussion about the actual discrimination of the upper castes has been going on for many years. There are opinions that in modern India there is a gradual blurring of caste boundaries. Indeed, it is now almost impossible to determine which caste an Indian belongs to (especially in large cities), and not only appearance but often by the nature of his professional activity.
Creation of national elites
The formation of the structure of the Indian state in the form in which it is presented now (developed democracy, parliamentary republic) began in the 20th century.
In 1919, the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms were carried out, the main goal of which was the formation and development of the local government system. Under the English governor-general, who until then had virtually single-handedly ruled the Indian colony, a bicameral legislature was created. In all Indian provinces, a system of dual power (diarchy) was created, when both representatives of the British administration and representatives of the local Indian population were in charge. Thus, at the very beginning of the 20th century, democratic procedures were introduced for the first time on the Asian continent. The British, unwittingly, contributed to the formation of the future independence of India.
After India gained independence, it became necessary to attract national personnel to the leadership of the country. Since only the educated strata of Indian society had a real opportunity to “restart” public institutions under independence, it is clear that the leading role in the government of the country mainly belonged to the Brahmins and Kshatriyas. That is why the unification of the new elites was practically conflict-free, since the Brahmins and Kshatriyas historically belonged to the highest castes.
Since 1920, the popularity of Mahatma Gandhi, who advocated a united India without the British, began to grow. The Indian National Congress headed by him was not so much a party as a national social movement. Gandhi managed to accomplish what no one before him could do - albeit temporarily, but he practically eliminated the conflict of interests between the highest and lower castes.
What tomorrow?
In India in the Middle Ages there were no cities similar to European ones. These cities could rather be called big villages where time seems to have stopped. Until recently (particularly intense changes began to occur in the last 15–20 years), tourists who came from the West could feel themselves in a medieval atmosphere. Real change began after independence. The industrialization course taken in the second half of the 20th century caused an increase in the rate of economic growth, which, in turn, led to an increase in the proportion of the urban population and the emergence of new social groups.
Over the past 15-20 years, many cities in India have changed beyond recognition. Most of the almost "home" quarters in the center turned into a concrete jungle, and the impoverished quarters on the outskirts were transformed into sleeping areas for the middle class.
By 2028, India's population is projected to exceed 1.5 billion people, the largest percentage of them will be young people and, compared to Western countries, the country will have the largest number of labor resources.
Today, in many countries there is a shortage of qualified personnel in the field of medicine, education and IT services. This situation has contributed to the development in India of such a rapidly developing sector of the economy as the provision of remote services, for example, the United States and countries Western Europe. The Indian government is now investing heavily in education, especially in schools. One can see firsthand how in the mountainous regions of the Himalayas, where only 15–20 years ago there were only remote villages, state technological colleges grew up on large areas, with excellent buildings and infrastructure, intended for local children from the same villages. The bet on education in the age of "knowledge" societies, especially on school and university education, is a win-win, and it is no coincidence that India occupies one of the leading places in the field of computer technology.
Such a forecast of Indian population growth could be optimistic for India and lead to serious economic growth. But growth does not happen by itself. It is necessary to create conditions: new jobs, the provision of industrial employment and, no less important, the provision of qualified training for all this huge mass of human resources. All this is not an easy task and more of a challenge for the state than a bonus. If the necessary conditions are not met, mass unemployment will occur, a sharp decline in the living standards of the population and, as a result, negative changes in the social structure.
Until now, the existing caste system has been a kind of "fuse" against all sorts of social upheavals throughout the country. However, times are changing, Western technologies are intensively penetrating not only into the Indian economy, but into the consciousness and subconsciousness of the masses, especially in cities, forming a new, non-traditional for many Indians model of desires on the principle of “I want more now.” This model is intended primarily for the so-called middle class (“so-called”, because for India its boundaries are blurred, and the criteria for membership are not entirely clear). The question of whether the caste system can continue to serve as a safeguard against social cataclysms in the new conditions remains open for the time being.
Indian society is divided into estates called castes. Such a division occurred many thousands of years ago and has survived to this day. Hindus believe that following the rules established in their caste, in the next life you can be born a representative of a slightly higher and more revered caste, take a much better position in society.
History of the origin of the caste system
The Indian Vedas tell us that even the ancient Aryan peoples living on the territory of modern India about one and a half thousand years before our era already had a society divided into estates.
Much later, these social strata began to be called varnas(from the word "color" in Sanskrit - according to the color of the clothes worn). Another variant of the name of varnas is caste, which already comes from the Latin word.
Initially in ancient india there were 4 castes (varnas):
- brahmins - priests;
- kṣatriya—warriors;
- vaisya--workers;
- sudras are laborers and servants.
A similar division into castes appeared due to different levels of well-being: The rich wanted to be surrounded only by their own kind., prosperous people and disdained to communicate with the poorer and uneducated.
Mahatma Gandhi preached the fight against caste inequality. with his biography, this is truly a man with a great soul!
Castes in modern India
Today, Indian castes have become even more structured, they have a lot of various sub-groups called jati.
During the last census of representatives of various castes, there were more than 3 thousand jati. True, this census took place more than 80 years ago.
Many foreigners consider the caste system a relic of the past and believe that the caste system no longer works in modern India. In fact, everything is completely different. Even the Indian government could not come to a consensus regarding such a stratification of society. Politicians are actively working on dividing society into layers during elections, adding to their election promises the protection of the rights of a particular caste.
In modern India more than 20 percent of the population belongs to the untouchable caste: they have to live in their own separate ghettos or beyond locality. Such people should not go to shops, government and medical institutions, and even use public transport.
There is a completely unique subgroup in the untouchable caste: the attitude of society towards it is rather contradictory. These include homosexuals, transvestites and eunuchs who make a living by prostitution and begging tourists for coins. But what a paradox: the presence of such a person at a holiday is considered a very good sign.
Another amazing untouchable podcast - pariah. These are people who are completely expelled from society - marginalized. Previously, it was possible to become a pariah even by touching such a person, but now the situation has changed a little: a pariah becomes either born from an inter-caste marriage or from pariah parents.
Conclusion
The caste system originated millennia ago, but still continues to live and develop in Indian society.
Varnas (castes) are divided into podcasts - jati. There are 4 varnas and many jati.
In India there are societies of people who do not belong to any caste. This - exiled people.
The caste system gives people the opportunity to be with their own kind, provides the support of fellows and clear rules of life and behavior. This is the natural regulation of society, existing in parallel with the laws of India.
