The Caste System
Created By: Danna Wilson
What is the Caste System
the caste system is a type of class that is chosen at birth. The Caste system is in India and has been for a long time. There are 5 different classes that is in the Caste system. The highest class is the (aka priest) Brahmins. The next one is the Kshatriyas (aka warriors and rulers). The middle class is the Vaisyas (aka skilled traders, merchants, and minor officials). The second to last class is the Sudras (aka unskilled workers). The last class that is the lowest is the Pariah (aka Harijans and the untouchables).
The Brahmans
This class is the highest class that you can be in. These people do not have to work and can do normal stuff. They sometimes can basically do what they want to do. And if they want to, they can do farming and some other stuff. They are also responsible for teaching and keeping valuable knowledge. This class is also the only class to attend school. If you are in a brahman class, then you are very lucky.
The Kshatryas
This class is the second to first class that you could be in. They are apart of the military and ruling elite. This class is a large block of Hindu castes. Many people are in this class but people rarely make it in this class and the top class. This class basically means protecter of gentle people. If you make it into any of the top class of this class, then you are pretty lucky to be in these classes.
the Vaisyas
This class is the 3rd highest class out of all of the classes. Some of the people that are in this class are traders, moneylenders, or either farmers. They are required to wear a sacred thread. Many people just call the Vaisyas business people.
The Sudras
This class means that you are a laborer or a servant. This class was the lowest class until they added another class for the lowest, lowest people. This caste is not very lucky on what they do. All they do all day is do lots of labor that is very exhausting and not very fun. There are several hundreds of people that are in this caste.
Why It Is Used
The caste system told the identities of who you really are, some people said. but many others thought that the caste system was the people's mirror of like the way the universe worked. Some people had more privileges than other people. There were originally 4 caste but then they added another caste for the lowest people.
History of the Castes
Over millions of years, people thought of the Caste system as controlling the population. Aryan created the caste system. This Caste system is the oldest social order in the world. The Caste system took a lot of time developing but later, they finally were complete with it. One research says that the caste system was created 2000 years ago.
Prof. Mridu Rai: Caste system in India