Is Caste rigidity present in Indian social structure? or is it a myth. the researcher argued the caste as a social institution is dying but as a political institution is getting corporatized and serving the vote banks.

1. Dr. M. Swarna Latha
Head
Dept. of Sociology
Kakatiya University
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2. • Caste is a social stratification system in India.
• Caste is an ascribed status by birth. It cannot be
changed.
• caste has a social ranking according to which
social status and privileges are given.
• Caste is endogamous.
• Occupations are caste based until yester years.
• Interdependence of castes is there owing to caste
based division of labor.
• Many rituals are associated with caste
occupations.
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3.  Caste is an attribute of Hindu Religion
 Vedas, Upanishads promoted caste system
 Caste is seen only in India
 Caste has same status throughout India
 Caste and Untouchability is there since time
unknown.
 Caste is rigid.
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4. • Caste it is to be seen as a social practice that is
seen in the Indian subcontinent, Nepal, Sri Lanka
and some such places, rather than a religious
manifestation.
• Further if we look at the studies related to Hindu
religion, many ethnographers have an opinion that
in fact Hinduism in itself is not a religion. It is a
coalition of several faiths intermingled, converged
and evolved into a collective faith of several tribal
pockets.
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5. • Many Indigenous tribal populations in the earlier
days have their own path of faith systems which in
later days so to say during and after the Aryan
Invasion (this theory is getting refuted after new
excavations and findings by archeological
surveys) have experienced cultural assimilation,
acculturation and transculturation. Therefore
forming into a general common culture with
various subcultures.
• Hindu dharma is a way of living.
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6.  Each sub culture has retained its own path of
belief system, cultural identity within the common
culture. That is how Hinduism has 33 million gods
so to say.
 Since majority of the population in India follows
Hindu Dharma a common culture. That is how
this common culture came to be known as a
religion.
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7. • In Mahabharatha, When Yudhishthira is asked the question “
who is Brahmin” his answer was that who possess Brahma
Gnana is the Brahmin and not necessarily the son of a Brahmin”.
Several instances were there in Mahabharata where a lower
caste person reached the highest position and got revered.
• Vyasa the author of Mahabharata.
• Krishna the shepherd.
• Vidura born to a servant mother.
• Rishi Valmiki, authored great Ramayana, belongs to a
bowerman community which is a lower caste. Had it not been
Ramayan and Ram Bhakti in today’s political scenario there is no
Hindu religion.
• Rishi Matang, Kapinjalada, Thiruvalluvar, Kamban all born to
lower caste father or mother or both parents.
• see: http://www.hinduwisdom.info/Caste_System6.htm)
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8. • Hindu history is full of saints belonging to lower castes but
because of them that the greatness of Hinduism is kept
alive.
• It is said, however, that a bloodline may be fully removed
from it’s previous caste designation should the family strain
persistently regenerate into higher castes for 3 consecutive
generations. This shows the effect of socialization and
environmental conditioning lay the ground work for the
entire changeover in the attitudinal behavior coupled with
overall improvements in lifestyle, recurring consistently. As
happened with our Muslim and Christian brothers and
sisters.
• See:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/whitehindu/2015/03/the
-truth-about-caste-hinduism/
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9. • Caste system is a feature of Indian subcontinent, and
not just the Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians too
end up practicing caste-based discrimination. Many
studies confirmed the fact that among converts of
Islam and Christianity, the Dalit identity did not fade
away but they have to deal with the conflict between
two identities, Dalit and Minority and resultant
discrimination.
• It is also seen in Sri Lanka. Nepal and certain other
south Asian countries. In fact it is a kind of social
stratification system.
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10. • Another great myth about caste is, it is associated with Vedas.
Nowhere in Vedas caste is mentioned. In vedic period only 4 varnas
are mentioned.
• In Yajurveda, Purusha suktha, Verse 31. 10 sloka, one question is
asked- who is mouth, Who is hand, Who is thigh and finally who is leg.
The answer to this question is given in 31.11 Brahmin is mouth, (the
knowledge possesso r,) Kshatriya is hand (one who is protecting the
society), the Vysyas are thighs (one who sits and do business) while the
artisans, formers and all others who toil to feed and service the society
are rendered as feet of the god. Here god is not a man. And in god’s
creation everything has equal place and respect. In a being all the
organs are important so to say, these four varnas are equally important.
The sloka does not say that these people are born from … but by virute
of the division of labor, the work is categorized into four. People
according to their abilities fall into these categories. But not people by
birth are categorized into four varnas. This is major fact that got
misinterpreted in the hands of some organized missionaries and
people.
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11. • Even in vedas, god is described as omnipotent,
omnipresent and has no form and quality..
“Nirantara, nirgunaakara”, nor can be measured in
terms of time, height and weight.
• Then it is very absurd to say that the head, mouth
shoulder thigh and feet are indicative of higher
and lower status of the people belonging to that
varna.
• Caste is a European feature which has no place in
or connection with Vedas.
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12. • In Vedic culture, everyone is considered to be born as
Shudra. Then based on his or her education and
other deeds one becomes Brahmin, Kshatriya or
Vaishya. The completion of education is considered
to be the second birth. What we term today
convocation a ceremony takes place after one
completes their graduation has its roots in earlier
education system. After one completes his/her
education, it is considered to be a second birth.
Hence these three Varnas are called Dwija or twice-
born. Those who remain uneducated for whatever
reasons are continued as Shudras while performing
supportive activities for the society.
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13. • It is very unfortunate that, in the country of Vedas,
we forgotten the original spirit of vedas and got
misdirected and trapped in varied misconceptions.
Birth-based caste system and discrimination is
wrongly attributed to Hindu religion.
• The misleading theories of communists and
biased indologists have sown seeds of difference,
while the colonial government’s divide and rule
policy has laid the foundation for the caste based
policy measures.
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14. • It is believed that caste possess equal status
everywhere in India the third myth. But in reality,
the castes are so varied and certain castes that
belong to lower strata are considered forward
castes in another region. It is evident in many
castes like gouds, Kapus in andhra and telangana
region belonging to both Backward Classes, and
forward castes. Therefore there are regional
variations in social rankings of the castes.
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15. • Lower or upper rank of the caste is determined by
the regional customs and traditions.
• It is also worth mention about Sanskritization of
Castes, where the lower castes emulating the
cultural habits of the upper castes so as to gain
equal status with those reference group castes of
the society.
• See: M.N. Srinivasan “Castes in India, and
Ghurye.
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16. • The evil of untouchability associated with caste is
attributed to vedas and invariably to Hinduism.
The mention of untouchables is not seen in vedic
period. In post vedic scriptures the mention of
Panchamas indicating the fifth varna is seen. The
people who committed heinous crimes were out
casted and they formed this group. They were
shunned from mainstream because of their
criminal behavior.
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17.  Caste discrimination and rigidity go hand in hand
according to some social scientists.
 This rigidity restricts the individual to move up the
social ladder.
 It restrains the individual’s life choices and
capabilities thereby limiting the opportunities to
lead a decent life. To conclude it perpetuates
poverty, insult, and oppression.
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18.  caste is to be seen as a social practice that is
seen in the Indian subcontinent, Nepal, Sri Lanka
and some such places, rather than a religious
manifestation.
 Therefore the caste rigidity can be classified at
two levels. Social and cultural level and the other
is economic and political level.
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19. • In this context, caste is rooted in the society as a social
institution that facilitates for social functioning until yester
years and sporadically in today’s world.
• It ensured heredity in occupations, serving as employment
guarantee scheme.
• It ensured suitable match making system so that the
eligible young people got their partners with less difficulty.
• It provided a harmonic relationship with various caste
occupations and positions. Both functional and ritualistic
interdependence can be seen in the caste system.
• Apart from the above functions, it is a major tool of social
stratification to ascertain social ranking within the social
system.
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20. • In modern India the defining characteristics of
caste like endogamy, caste occupations,
traditional social interdependence were fading
away very fastly. The livelihoods of caste
occupations are on the peril thanks to
globalization. The traditional skilled artisanship
was replaced by machinery resulting in the
erstwhile owners of the traditional crafts becoming
mere laborers in their own trade.
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21. • Given the major characteristics, in the changed times,
the caste as a social institution is dying.
• The indicators for this phenomenon are three basic
parameters. Occupation, interdependence and
Marriage.
• In Urban centres, caste is felt as an inherent feature
but not clearly visible. Yet the presence of caste
associations are far more than caste welfare
associations but are politically charged affirmative
institutions.
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22. • Caste based occupations are almost dead. Thanks to globalization.
Anybody can profess any occupation earned through competition. So
does the interdependence the common thread to unite all the caste
based occupations and tradition was cut. Goldsmiths, carpenters,
blacksmiths, potters, weavers, farmers, landlords each one of them
have ritual and social interconnection. . The traditional rituals are only
nominal these days, thereby limiting the role of artisans in the rituals.
Only symbolic representations are being observed with artificial or
samplistic crafts and things.
• The readings of Edmund Leach and F.G.Bailey, as cited by Dumont
holds the same opinion that “If interdependence is replaced by
competition, caste is dead…. There remain groups that one continues
to call 'castes'; but they are set in a different system" ([1970] 1998:
227).5. For social theorists, though the impact of social and political
movements resulted in making the caste system dead, the element of
casteism might still exist.
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23. • The social function of marriage is ensured within the caste system. This endogamy was
strictly observed through ages.
• However recent studies and surveys have confirmed that the inter-caste marriages are on
their way to be a part of the social structure.
• There is no strict objection or value judgment against the inter caste marriages in the
society
• Social acceptance is there which is indicated by one survey which says every year of all
marriages in India, 10% of them are inter-caste marriages.
• The survey also put the Mizoram state at forefront as this state has 55% of inter caste
marriages of all marriages in the state. This is an interesting phenomena.
• See:http://thewire.in/2016/05/11/mizoram-has-highest-number-of-inter-caste-marriages-in-
india-with-55-35241/
• In the said survey, the findings include the observations of the owner of a renowned
matrimonial site. He observes that, near about 50% of the prospective Brides and
Bridegrooms exercised “Caste No Bar” option in their profile. This is more evident in
educationally, occupationally highly placed sections of the society.
• see: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/caste-no-bar-in-words-if-not-in-
action/article4989269.ece#
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24. • Given these facts, the endogamy as the second most important
characteristic of the caste is fading slowly.
• It is also noted that career occupied first place than marriage
among young generation; they are not hesitant to move to far off
places for education and employment. Up to 30 years of age,
the present generation is struggling with settlement in career.
These are the major factors for the rise of inter-caste marriages.
• the inter caste marriages are taking place mostly between well
settled, culturally equal or evolved castes.
• Caste and gender inequalities are getting addressed by the
affirmative actions of the governments, that empowered the
weaker sections in the society to have an equal standing in the
social structure at least economically.
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25. • Historians observed that the colonial strategies of
enumeration and related projects helped to produce
systematic, statistical knowledge about the peoples
and social hierarchy of India and also helped to
categorize them into discrete groups. Though these
had specific implications for governance and
increasingly also for social reform, theorists added, the
enumeration and the census played no small role in
setting the stage for substantiating and politicizing the
caste.
• Dirks expressed the opinion that colonial census has
given “rise to a competitive politics that began to make
caste the basis for political mobilization on a new
scale" in the late- 19th and early-20th centuries (Dirks
2001: 235-6).
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26. • Deepa S. Reddy observes, “that the efforts of the
movements lies in not to destroy the caste system but
to claim equal rights and opportunities. Also these
movements tried to help the underprivileged castes to
assert their caste identities and to claim dignity in the
society”.
• Politically speaking, Kanshi Ram rightly argued that
even though the ruling classes were now comprised of
diverse castes because of reservations, the
brahmanical ideologies or oppressive ideologies still
present in the ruling ideology.
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27. • Comaroff and Barth who suggested the idea that the
ethnic (caste) groups don’t just experience the world in
terms of we-them relations, but play a role in
producing them. In this context, with each
consolidation of identity, it spurs the others toward
consolidation too.
• The aggressive castes consolidation and their
hegemony has resulted in the consolidation of the
Dalits and Bahujans. The role of these sections in
present day politics cannot be undermined. Especially
the SCs and STs together they form a serious and
important vote bank for the political parties.
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28. • These sections not only seek their righteous demands
like dignity and equality, but equally tried to climb the
power ladder. Thanks to reservation system, now we
have varied castes in the political structure and in the
ruling class. .
• In today’s India, caste system is more an instrument
to mobilize people for economic and political gains.
We find resurgence of caste in very many situations
with new faces. The corporateness (sic.) of the caste
system has eroded at the ritual level but it has
emerged at political and economic level
See: (K.L. Sharma Indian social structure and change:
p.159, 182.)
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29. • Thanks to affirmative actions of government that
resulted in reservation system; now more and more
castes who are placed just above the reserved
classes of the castes are now demanding their castes
to be included in the reserved category. Jats in UP,
Fisherman community and Kapus in Telangana and
Andhra Pradesh are to quote a few.
• Going by the observations of the eminent Indian
sociologists like G.N. Ghurye and M.N. Srinivas it can
be concluded that the caste is not going disappear,
but was adapting itself variously in response to
prevailing social moods.
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30. • Caste as a social institution is dying. Caste based
occupations and the resultant interdependence
among castes was replaced by Machinization and
Globalization. Endogamy is giving place to Inter-
caste Marriages.
• But as a political entity it is playing a role in vote
bank politics.
• And finally caste is not going to disappear, but is
adapting itself according to the political needs and
social moods.
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31. • Cultural Acculturation: Replacement of one’s cultural traits
with that of another by force, negotiation and agreement.
• Cultural assimilation: The process in which a minority
group gradually adapts to the customs and attitudes of the
prevailing culture and customs.
• Transculturation: It encompasses more than transition
from one culture to another; it does not consist merely of
acquiring another culture (acculturation) or of losing or
uprooting a previous culture (deculturation). Rather, it
merges these concepts and additionally carries the idea of
the consequent creation of new cultural phenomena
(neoculturation).[
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