Cultural Anthropology: An Overview of the Hindu Caste System

Cultural Anthropology
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Cultural Anthropology
An Overview of the Hindu Caste System
Hindu society has a 3,000 years old complex hierarchy when it comes to people's social and religious status. Although it is declared illegal in India’s constitution, Hindus regard it as the basis of law and order in a social setting, as announced in their ancient religious book ‘Manusmiriti.’
Historically, they have divided their society into four sects based on purity, food, and relationships. The purest group is Brahmins, created from God’s head. The second group is Kshatriyas, descending from the same God’s arm. Secondly, there are Vaishyas, made by God’s thighs. The lowest slot is Shudras, a part of God’s feet. Another well-known caste concept in Hindu society is ‘achhoots’ or Dalits, whom the upper caste people cannot even touch (BBC, 2019). These four categories have numerous sub-categories of caste relying on intellect, occupation, and food.
The Hindus have been living according to this widely accepted caste system in their country for centuries. Particularly, the rural areas are stricter in following this tradition. The Brahmins do not share their food or drink with lower castes. Likewise, no upper caste shares their water wells with lower caste people (BBC, 2019). Marriages are not allowed from one caste to another. Recently, a woman, Amrutha, lost her husband, Paraney, and the father of her expected child, because he was an ‘acchoot’ by caste. Although legally they were married, society did not accept them and stabbed the husband to death (Slater, 2019). Similar cases of oppression, torture, and killing based on the caste system are ordinary in India, particularly in the villages.
Although the advancement in education has refined India's social views, some lower caste individuals rose to good social status. For example, Indian president KR Narayanan was a Dalite (BBC, 2019). However, as it is a century-old, theologically accepted social order of Hindu society, the people still follow it at the expense of society’s welfare and justice.
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