The caste system is one of the main topics I get asked about whenever I say I have lived in India. In this post, I want to share what I could notice during my time in India in 2012. Indian society particularizes itself for its social system stratified into castes, based on the Hindu religion, followed by 80% of the Indian population.
A caste is a permanent social class, inherited by birth. An Indian citizen dies and is born in the same caste, regardless of how much money and any other efforts he takes for a better life. And determines the life path of an Indian citizen: social capital, career perspectives, who to marry, where to live, etc. For many Indians, money is something that flows from one hand to another, a mere mechanism to exchange for what brings comfort, a joy to family, and friends. If money is not decisive, what makes the difference in Indian society? Power! And power is not for everyone.
When it comes to social organization, it’s clear a strong hierarchy in Indian society. Every single interaction is based on who is going to be superior and who is going to be inferior, there is no sense of equality at all. Even Indian diaspora groups themselves based on caste as well as on religion, language, ethnic group, etc. There are 5 main groups of castes, subdivided into thousands of sub-castes, which takes to a total superior to 6.000 castes. A summary of these 5 main groups:
- Brahmins: it’s the group of castes on the top of the pyramid that concentrates the cultural power. Its social role is linked to the Hindu religion, educational, cultural, and intellectual activities;
- Kshatriyas: the highest group of castes after the Brahmins, concentrating the military power. Its social role is linked to militarism and war activities, guided by honor, glory, and respect for duties;
- Vaisyas: a third-scale group of caste that concentrates commercial power. It groups the castes related to business and trade, seeking wealth, comfort, and luxury;
- Sudras: It groups the castes related to manual jobs and unskilled workers whose life priority is to satisfy their physical impulses and seek pleasures;
- Dalits/Pariah: also known as “untouchable”, the Dalits are casteless, living marginally in Indian society.
Castes not only have different social roles but also have different values and mindsets, so as different Gods, facts that are usually not noticed by foreigners traveling in India, and even by those living in the country. And the power of each caste gains more prominence depending on the circumstance. For example, military power is what matters in a war context, intellectual power is important when it comes to education and culture, and commercial power when it comes to business. Therefore, each caste has its responsibilities and rewards.
By the way, in what castes are foreigners in India? I would love to read comments from Indians on this question. Living in India like a foreigner means from what I could see living like a casteless person but with celebrity or VIP status, especially when you have fair skin as explained in this post for women travelers. You’re the attraction at clubs and bars like animals in the zoo (girls, lots of guys will take pictures of you!) and overcharged all the time for the sake of being a foreigner.
Is Indian society materialistic?
Yes, much more than you could imagine. To answer this question, it’s necessary to understand the subtleties of the caste system in India. That image of India built upon white clothes, peace, and love, yoga, meditation refers to the Brahmin mindset. As it’s linked to the highest group of castes, it’s still the predominant mindset in Indian society. It doesn’t mean that Brahmins are saints that live all day on yoga and meditation.
Interesting to observe that the castes related to business and trade aren’t at the top of society. A particular curiosity is how modern India projects towards the Kshatriya mindset, linked to values such as glory, honor, and action. The clash between Brahmin and Kshatriya mindsets is one of the main cultural codes of modern India, very well described by Dheeraj Sinha in his book Consumer India: Inside the Indian Mind and Wallet.
Is it possible to imagine India without caste?
Personally, I don’t think so. The caste system is a millenary social structure that holds a power system built for centuries, if not for thousands of years. It’s not only about the power of some individuals, it’s about the power and the fortunes of whole families relying on the caste system.
In the Western media and public opinion, the caste system is usually covered under the bias of political correctness, painting the world as John Lenon sings Imagine. Meanwhile, for the common Indian citizen, the caste gives him a sense of security in the middle of a chaotic daily life, indicating where is his place, and what’s expected from him. If India is already chaotic with castes, don’t try to imagine what would be more than 1.3 billion people lost to the lack of orientation and meaning to their lives.
There’s a huge comfort zone for those on the top of the pyramid, so as for those on the bottom. Those on the top just need to maintain what they have inherited and those on the bottom just need to follow some rules or beliefs. It’s possible to see families inserted in a certain economic activity for centuries. There are families whose names are enough to indicate their business, or company, as well as power and influence.
On the other side, I have seen Dalits sleeping in the streets, children picking food from the trash, and low castes citizens working in slave conditions, so poor families who found their comfort zone getting used to primitive habits and averse to modern facilities. The caste system is very different from what Westerners are used to seeing. It goes beyond the economic sphere, it’s a power-driven social structure. Every society in this world has its divisions that serve as a reference for who will rule, who will defend, and who will produce vital services. It is naive to believe that all members will assume the same degree of responsibility, either by capability or by will.
Originally posted 2017-10-03 16:55:46.
