ABSTRACT
The Indian caste system is a system of
social divisions and compulsions in India in which communities are
distinguished by thousands of endogamous heritable groups known as Jatis. On
the other hand, democracy means that every citizen of India must enjoy the
democratic values like equality, fraternity, liberty, secularism and justice.
But the striking prospect regarding social, economic and political relations
circumambulate around the issues of discrimination, untouchability and
inequality which wholly and solely rely on caste, class, gender and race. The
controversies and strife of Indian socio- economic order remained almost
constant even after 71 years of Independence. This much time is more than
enough for the society to realize their flaws and mistakes that are predominant
in the society that has completely shattered the social order. But even at the
onset of modern age or 21st century, Indian society has not
succeeded yet to resolve its contradictions and errors. Despite the endeavors
taken by the Post- Independent Indian state towards the goal of equality,
liberty, harmony and justice, the concept of discrimination and disharmony and
inequality has not been diminished yet. The present paper unveils the issues of
suppression, oppression, discrimination, exploitation over a targeted group of
people namely Dalits (lower castes) who are still the backward classes of
Indian society and with which Indian democracy is at stake. Thus the country of
India would lose the title of being a democratic country, if the
discrimination, dehumanization remain continuous.
KEY WORDS :
Caste system, Dalit, Discrimination,
Exploitation, Untouchability and Restoration
INTRODUCTION :
In reality the
socio- economic discrimination is still the pivot of Indian social order. The
extreme tyranny and oppression on Dalits has now remained undefined and
elusive. These marginalized sections of Indian society are not allowed to
billow socially, politically, educationally and economically. All such
opportunities are only offered to a particular section of society. The Dalits
constitute more than 16% of the total Indian population. In order to maintain
the political power in Independent India, Dalits generated a revolt against the
Brahmanical order and dominance; but still could not get their social rights
and thus remained suppressed and oppressed. The reason of their suppression is
that almost all the higher positions are occupied by the upper class tyrants.
Whenever they raised their slogans against the dominant castes, there was no
one to hear them.
Dalits are those
people who are subservient in all social, political, economic and educational
aspects which covers the main reason of their humiliation, discrimination,
dehumanization and oppression by the upper castes. SharankumarLimbale
delineates the Dalits as:
Harijans
and neo- Buddhists are not only the Dalits. The term describes all the
untouchable communities living outside the boundary of the village, as well as
Adiasis, landless farm- labourers, the suffering masses, and nomadic and
criminal tribes. In explaining the world, it will not do to refer only to the
untouchable castes. People who are lagging behind economically will also need
to be included (Towards an Aesthetic
11).
Their
exploitation and annihilation is directly associated with the Varna model which ramified the Hindu
society in to four hierarchical orders i.e., the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the
Vaishyas and the Shudras. These three
castes enjoyed all material comforts but the Shudras are not allowed. Shudras
are subjected to perform menial work like scavenging, washing, land cultivation
and shoe making. They got the tag of untouchables and are oftenly refused to
eat and even not granted to sit with the members of the upper castes. This
heinous and hideous condition of Dalits was felt and explored by some great
personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar and JotiraoPhule. They took
some major steps for the upliftment of Dalits in India. After Independence different social and
political organizations came forward to rectify the pitiable circumstances of
Dalits in India. For their social status and dignity two major steps were
taken. Reservations in education, rights of voting and political participation
were the major steps taken by the government of India to ameliorate the Dalit
condition. But despite of such reservation policies provided by the government
of India towards Dalits, their condition remained unchanged. In Indian
constitution the term Dalit is oftenly employed as a substitute for Schedule
Castes in India.
The term Dalit
was later on popularized by new Buddhist activists i.e., the devotees of B.R.
Ambedkar in early 1970s. Dalits are humiliated and suppressed by the upper
classes in a deliberate way; treated them nasty and that is the reason of
arousing caste hierarchy in Indian society. Thus according to Ambedkar the
individual who is a Dalit do not believe in God, religion, rebirth, holy books,
hell and heaven. He believes that all such concepts have made him a servile and
serf. He only trusts on egalitarianism. The Dalit state itself discloses the
torment of suffering and humiliation. In 1970s, Dalit panthers resurrected the
term and implemented it on Schedule castes, poor peasants and all those who
were being exploited socially, politically and economically in the name of caste
and religion. Different names are given to these submissive groups like
Chandala, Panchamas, Shudra, Anti- Shudras, Ashprush and Harijans. Thus Dalits
are the people who represent the self- identification of a particular group of
people who are conventionally treated as untouchables. They are the meek and
annihilated masses of the society. The forking of Indian society generally
among the Hindus is due to emergence of Varna or class system and has become
the most barbarous, heinous and worst thing towards the members of the lower
class. On the basis of ritual purity Indian society is divided into four
sections. They are Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. On the basis of
ritual purity, the lower class in hierarchical order are severely humiliated and
exploited.
In Rigveda there is the amalgamation of different castes or groups
with their own occupation and duties. Thus the Varna system treats the lower
caste as filthy and impure and this ideology is highly prevalent in Hindu
culture. The four classes and their culture and occupation are discoursed as:
The Brahmin
occupies the first serene, sheeny and highest position among the four Varnas.
He treats himself as Lord and God of the universe and demands reverence,
respect and worship from others. He is simply a dominant person socially and
culturally. Each Varna has its own specified occupation. Brahmins are treated
as elite, ken and intellectuals of the society. They are always busy in gaining
the highest religious knowledge and are associated to different branches of
Vedas. Thus Brahmins treat their Varna most suave, cognizant and pedantic Varna
of all Varnas.
Among the four
Varnas, Kshatriyas occupy the second position in Hindu hierarchical model in
India. Kshatriyas are also called as a military caste. The traditional function
of the Kshatriya is to protect society by fighting in wartimes and governing in
peacetime. Apart from their governing and war fighting inheritance they have a
very rich culture from centuries. The Kshatriya community is propagating
rapidly and even in modern world they are following their culture and
traditions in a modern way. The pivot of the Indian culture lies in the
Kshatriya culture. There is uniqueness in their festivals and marriage
ceremonies and their rituals are completely dissimilar from other Varnas.
Kshatriyas are the people who possess the blood of warriors in their veins.
Vaishya is a
Sanskrit word which means settler or settlement. This varna occupies the third
highest position among the four Varnas. They are aroused from the Brahma’s
belly. Lord Krishna says in Bhagwat Gita that this Varna has the special bounty
of God upon them and their brains are naturally embedded with professional
knowledge and specialization. Usually they belong to the merchant class and are
also shopkeepers, halwai etc. Apart from merchandizing they also play a vital
role in the emergence of Indian culture.
Shudras lies at
the bottom of the hierarchical system and are usually engaged in performing the
menial jobs. Conventionally they are peasants, cobblers, scavengers, servants
etc. They are treated as smutty and filthy and are considered as inferior in
rank from other three Varnas. They are also called as servile or subalterns.
The term Shudra is magnificently constructed by Ambedkar as:
The
Shudras were one of the Aryan
communities of the solar race; there was a time when the Aryan society
recognised only three varnas, namely Brahmin,
Kshtriya, Vaishya. The Shudras did
not form a separate vena. They ranked as a part of the Kshatriya varna in the Indo- Aryan society. There was a continuous
feud between the Shudra king and the Brahmins in which the Brahmins were subjected to many
tyrannies and indignities. As a result of the hatred towards Shudras generated by their tyrannies and
oppressions, the Brahmins refused to
perform the Upanayan of the Shudras and owing to the denial of Upanayana, the Shudras, who are actually Kshatriyas,
became social degraded and fell below the rank of the Vaishyas and thus came to turn the fourth varna- class (Who are Shudras? 11-12).
It is because of
the emergence of caste system that leads the Shudras to live a worst life like
animals. Shudras are exploited, humiliated and divided on the religious basis
and gave them the name of untouchables. The worst thing is that they are not
granted to enter any village without permission and also forced to fetch water
fromthe separate wells. Their worth is not more than the dogs and hogs. They
eat food in broken utensils and their touch and shadows are considered as
polluted. They are discriminated in every aspect and were believed to take
birth for the purpose to serve the upper class people. Thus it becomes clear
that it is only because of the emergence of caste system that is responsible
for the ontogenesis of Dalits and Untouchability in India. In order to
understand the background of Dalits and Untouchability, it is mandatory to
comprehend the egression of caste system in India which reflects the hideous
picture of untouchability. The Indian social order has adopted an important
position in the world only because of its caste system.
In India the
emergence of caste system has become most controversial facet of Indian life
and conscience. Since from the time of British rule both historians and
anthropologists treated India as a society of caste. Caste is also referred as
a conduit of force and tyranny upon Indian people. In this regard Dr. Susan
Bayly suggests: “Caste is not the essence of Indian culture and civilization.
It rather a contingent and variable response to the enormous changes that
occurred in the subcontinent’s political landscape both before and after the
colonial conquest” (Paswan, Dalits and
Practices 1). Caste includes the ancestral traits or genetic traits.
Bateille says: “caste is a small and named group of persons characterised by
endogamy, hereditary membership and a specific style of life which includes the
pursuit by tradition of a particular occupation and is usually associated with
a more or less distinct ritual status in a hierarchical system” (Caste, Class and power 46).
The term caste
is taken from a Portuguese word Casta,
which means race. Caste is usually
used to define two concepts that are completely associated to one another i.e.,
‘Jati’ (birth group) and ‘Varna’ (colour, class, order or kind). Caste is the
only reason of people’s segregation. Rigveda
and Pursasukta hymns are regarded as
the first literary traces regarding the evolution of caste system in India. The
division of Indian society in to various castes appeared in the age of Simritis
and Sutras. They couched arduous and different rules in terms of marriage,
occupation and religion. This age is responsible for the emersion of
untouchability in India. Untouchability is the most horrendous and baneful
aspect of caste system. Varna actually means ‘colour’, which is the pivot in
the development of hierarchical system and distinguished people in to higher
and lower ranks on the basis of ritual purity. It is the caste system that
checks and governs the social, political, economic and educational life of
Indians. The division of Indian people in to diverse groups is highly
ascertained by their birth group. An individual’s birth in a particular caste
determines his/ her success or failure. Thus the caste system emerged during
the Purusasukta of Rigveda in about 500 B.C. The oppression
and exploitation of the lower class is their destiny and their occupation is
determined by God himself on the basis of moral values. In this arena Manu, the
lawgiver says:
The
principle of caste as a universal law of nature. The key principle of ‘caste
Hindu’ thought is understood the code of duty, religious laws and right human
conduct which defines the path of virtue (Dharma) and spiritual fulfillment for
all mankind. The source of this Dharma is the will of the Divine creator who
gave each of the four human archetypes or varnas a distinct moral quality, and
a calling to follow. God the ‘Lustrous one’ made ‘separate innate activities’
for the different orders of humanity. He called these, ‘varnas’ and laid down
their duties and responsibilities so as to make life in society comfortable and
meaningful (Paswan, Dalits and Practices
3).
The advent of
caste system in India has aroused the curse of untouchability in Indian
society. The emergence of untouchability has entirely shattered the life of
Dalits and subalterns. Untouchability snatched from them the rights of freedom,
education, economy and political participation. Their destiny and destination
remained only to the levels of scavenging, shoemaking and latrine cleaning.
According to B.R. Ambedkar: “The distinction between the Hindus and the
untouchables in its original form, before the advent of untouchability, was the
distinction between tribes men and ‘broken men’ from alien tribes. It is the
broken men who subsequently came to be treated as untouchables” (Michael, Dalits in Modern India 18). There are
two reasons for the appearance of untouchability in India. First, Brahmanical
hatred and envy against the depressed and exploited people who were converting
themselves to Buddhism. Secondly, the depressed and broken men did not give up
the habit of beef eating after it had given up by the others. There are also
other reasons in the egression of untouchability in India. The reasons are
stated by Manu as:
Untouchability
is the punishment for miscegenation between a member of a high caste and that
of a low caste or an outcaste. The children of such an unequal pair become
Untouchables and the greater the social gap between the two parents, the lower
the status of their children. The consequences are also more severe if the
mother is of a superior caste. Thus, the offspring of a Brahmin father and a
Shudra mother is called Nishada; the child becomes a fisherman. The offspring
of a Shudra father and a Brahmin mother is called Chandala; he is the most
degraded of all mortals. A degraded occupation is not the cause of
untouchability, rather untouchability condemns a person to a low and impure
occupation (Michael, Dalits in Modern
India 17).
In the later
times miscegenation or racial amalgamation was regarded as nasty. Due to the
intensification of practice of untouchability the condition of Dalits became
worst like animals and was drawn towards the lowest or bottom of the social
order by the Aryans. Thus the arrival of Aryans is responsible for the
segregation of Indian society. In order to comprehend the emersion of
untouchability and Dalits in India, it is important to throw light on the
historical background of ancient Indian society and Vedic period. By analysing
these two aspects a clear picture is reflected in front of us regarding the
emergence Dalit and untouchability in India.
The Varna system
was developed by the Aryans for their well- being and pleasant life and this is
the reason they segregated society in to four Varnas or classes. In terms of
the early Vedic period there are meagre testimonials regarding the practice of
untouchability. It is widely acknowledged that early Vedic period was free from
the curse of untouchability. This age is marked with the generation highly
embedded with compassion, sympathy, generosity and philanthropy. It was only
the illegal entry of exotic Aryans who changed all the system of aboriginal
society. Thus for the sake of blissful and hedonistic life, Aryans
disintegrated Indian society in to four folds. Aryans developed their own
culture which was not genetic. The mirror of the Rigvedic period reflects the
period of liberty, honour and freedom and an individual’s free will of
migrating from one Varna to another Varna without any halt. Aryans had
completely different culture from the untouchables. Untouchables treated as
outcasts, developed their own culture in order to differentiate themselves from
the barbaric and cunning Aryans. Untouchables cannot hear the Vedas, cannot
enter any temple and any village.
The rules,
regulations and codes framed by the Aryans for their benefits were pictured by
Manusmriti. Manusmriti is of the opinion that the untouchables should not be
treated as humans, but as boars. The purpose of Manusmriti was to disintegrate
the established social order and balance and to hold grip on the social order
in order to supress the lower class. The atrocity and dehumanization of
Manusmriti is presented as: “According to Manu, they were to be the hangman who
were to be prohibited entry in to the villages and towns during day time, were
to be stamped with some marks and were to serve as the undertakers for
unclaimed corpses” (Sivaprakasam, Dalits
and Social Mobilisation, 5). The rules and laws couched by Manusmriti for
lower class; emphatically drew untouchables to abject adversity. Later on, the
emergence and propagation of new rites and class system became genetic and the
untouchables were not even allowed to listen to vedas. In class system, the
untouchables are forcibly hurled in to the bottom of the varna system and
obviously were linked to perform menial and defiled work. They had to perform the menial jobs and thus
got the tag of ‘out- castes’. The aboriginals of India were well mannered and
well cultured. It was only because of the successive invasions of Aryans that
resulted in the submission of the lower classes. They were forced to accept the
new Aryan culture and to perform nasty and filthy work like scavenging, saddle
repairing etc and left them meek generations after generations.
CONCLUSION:
From the
foregoing analysis it is now crystal clear that it was the Aryans that grabbed
the social, political, economic and educational aspects and left nothing but
only dehumanization and exploitation for lower classes. Their introduction of
varna system transferred the well dignified and respectable life of aboriginals
in to the life full of adversity and calamities. They are also responsible for
the emersion of untouchability and hence Dalits in India. The Varna system or
caste system imposed by Aryans in India is still the predominant concepts
applied and adopted by the modern man, which resulted in the meekness and
backwardness of lower classes in almost every aspect like economic,
educational, political and social spheres of life. This would be a biggest
threat to Indian democracy because this will not enable India to become a
developed country. Until and unless the caste conceptions in India are not
diminished, it will never run on a smooth track. Besides that fraternity, equality
amongst all caste people would also enable this country to reach the pinnacles
i.e., smooth democracy.
REFERENCES
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1.
Ambedkar, B.R. The Untouchables: Who were they? And
why they became Untouchables. New Delhi: AmritBooks, 1848. Print.
2.
Who were Shudras? Dr. Ambedkar’s Writings and
Speeches. Bombay : Government of Maharashtra, 1990. Print.
3.
Beteille, Andre. Caste, Class and Power- Changing
Pattern of Stratification in a TanjoreVillage. Berkley: University of
California Press, 1965. Print.
4.
Limbale, Sharankumar. Towards an Aesthetics of Dalit
Literature: History, Controversies and Considerations.Ed. Alok Mukherjee.
Hyderabad: Orient Longman, 2004. Print.
5.
Massey, James. Dalits in India: Religion as a Source
of Bondage or Liberation with Special Reference to Christians. New Delhi:
Manohar Publications, 1995. Print.
6.
Paswan, Sadanand. Dalits and Practices of
Untouchability. New Delhi: Adhyayan, 2011. Print.
AUTHOR: Asif
Ali Malik, Research Scholar, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Madhya Pradesh
CITE THIS:
Malik, A. A. (2018). Caste System in India: An Analysis. Praxis International Journal of Social Science and Literature, 1(1). https:/www.pijssl.com