Caste Discriminations in India
Caste Discriminations in India
India is an extreme diverse country with vast differences in geography, climate, cultures, languages and ethnicity across its expanse. India is a union of twenty-eight states and seven union territories. India is also well known from its caste system. In order for me to fully understand the concept of the word caste, in my Webster dictionary it states that caste is a social group or class distinction. The word caste derives from the Portuguese casta, meaning breed, race or kind. India has consisted since ancient times several thousand tribes, castes, or communities called Jati. The phrase the “Hindu Caste System” conflates two different concepts-the Varna (class/group), theoretical scheme based on ideal Brahminal traditions, and the Jati system prevalent throughout the Indian society since historical times (USA Today, May, 2006). I will show that this caste system is still a concern showing discrimination in education, and economic growth, as well as, prejudices of social rights. Many castes are traditionally associated with an occupation, such as high-ranking Brahmans; middle-ranking famers and artisan groups, such as potters, barbers, and carpenters; and very low-ranking “untouchables”, such as, leather workers, butchers, launderers, and latrine cleaners. There is some correlation between ritual rank on the caste hierarchy and economic prosperity.
The system which dates back more than 2000 years ago divides the population into higher castes, which includes priests and warriors, and lower casts, such as laborers. At the bottom sit the “untouchables” known as the Dalits. Oppression of the 160 to 180 million Dalits, who are viewed as being too low to even be a part of the caste system, is one of the most repelling, but enduring, realities of the Indian countryside. Equally oppressive is the violence perpetrated against them, especially their woman. To be a Dalit today means having to live in subhuman, degraded, insecure fashion:
India is an extreme diverse country with vast differences in geography, climate, cultures, languages and ethnicity across its expanse. India is a union of twenty-eight states and seven union territories. India is also well known from its caste system. In order for me to fully understand the concept of the word caste, in my Webster dictionary it states that caste is a social group or class distinction. The word caste derives from the Portuguese casta, meaning breed, race or kind. India has consisted since ancient times several thousand tribes, castes, or communities called Jati. The phrase the “Hindu Caste System” conflates two different concepts-the Varna (class/group), theoretical scheme based on ideal Brahminal traditions, and the Jati system prevalent throughout the Indian society since historical times (USA Today, May, 2006). I will show that this caste system is still a concern showing discrimination in education, and economic growth, as well as, prejudices of social rights. Many castes are traditionally associated with an occupation, such as high-ranking Brahmans; middle-ranking famers and artisan groups, such as potters, barbers, and carpenters; and very low-ranking “untouchables”, such as, leather workers, butchers, launderers, and latrine cleaners. There is some correlation between ritual rank on the caste hierarchy and economic prosperity.
The system which dates back more than 2000 years ago divides the population into higher castes, which includes priests and warriors, and lower casts, such as laborers. At the bottom sit the “untouchables” known as the Dalits. Oppression of the 160 to 180 million Dalits, who are viewed as being too low to even be a part of the caste system, is one of the most repelling, but enduring, realities of the Indian countryside. Equally oppressive is the violence perpetrated against them, especially their woman. To be a Dalit today means having to live in subhuman, degraded, insecure fashion: