The caste system of India

1. The caste system of India Janine and Sandra

2. Structure • What exactly is a “caste system”? • The caste system of India • The different castes • Where does it come from? • Criticism on the system

3. What exactly is a caste system? • Social stratification → people are ranked into groups • “True” caste systems are only found in India • The caste is a closed group whose members are severly restricted in their choice of occupation • Social status is determined by the caste of one’s birth • Marriage outside the caste is prohibited

4. The caste system of India • Has been in use for many years • Still today the values of the caste system are held strongly • Has a major role in modern India • Gives a sense of order and peace among the people • System has worked well

5. The different castes(from highest to lowest) • Brahman → priests, scholars • Kshatriya →ruler, warriors, landowner • Vaishya →merchants • Shudra → artisans, agriculturalists • Harijan → actually not part of the caste system, „outsiders“ and once known as „untouchables“

6. Where does the system come frome? • It’s not 100% proven where this system comes from but there are assumptions • The Indo-Aryans may have established a caste system in which they placed themselves in higher classes • The caste system was already established by tribes and with the arrival of the Indo-Aryans those castes just became more well-defined

7. Criticism on the system • Some activists think the system is a form of racial discrimination • Lower castes aren’t allowed to go to the high castes areas • Lower castes have to drink water from public wells • Mustn’t visit the same temples as the higher castes • Often sit in the back of classrooms • Many Hindus are persuaded that the system is a part of the society and not with Hinduism backgrounds • Observers think the caste system is a system of exploitation of poor lower castes by the higher

8. Thanks for your attention!