The Way Of The Caste System
By: Brice Struckman
Think about it, you are an ancient scholar in India. You were born into the caste of a Vaishya but you fell in love with a girl in the Shudra caste. You know if you marry her you will become an untouchable but, if you don't you will be lonely for the rest of your life. What would you do?
Rules And Places And Roles Oh My!
The caste system is a very complex system and this paragraph talks all about it. The caste system is so strictly regulated that if you speak to someone in a different caste you would become an untouchable. Your caste was chosen by what family you were born into, what job you had or your occupation, and how much money you have. The roles in the caste system are both social and economic. The caste system is very important to Hinduists.
A Diagram Of The Caste System
The Part You Must Play
The caste system has many roles. First of all ,there are the Brahmans they are strictly vegetarians and they can never do anything remotely evil. They are the priests of the caste system. Second is the Kshatriyas, there job is to protect their townspeople. They are the political rulers and warriors of the caste system. Next are the Vaishyas, they are the middle class or commoners. They are also the farmers and the traders of the caste system. After that are the Shudras. The Shudras are supposedly living the correct way. They are artisans and the laborers. The worst caste of all to be in is the Untouchable caste. The word Untouchable literally means don't touch them. They have to do the nasty work. A man named Mahatma Ghandi gave the lowest caste the Untouchables their label.
Ancient Hinduist's Thoughts And Beliefs
Hinduists thought of many things about the caste system. They thought the caste system was a mirror of the way the way things work. Just as the sun and planets each person is supposed to follow their path that they did not choose. The Hinduists made it seem impossible to change the caste system. The caste system gave special rights to some people and took away rights from many others. They believe women could gain salvation. The women were not even allowed to read the Vedas.
Fun Fact
If two people from a different caste got married and had a child they all would be untouchables, even the baby.
Author's Note
All together, I think the caste system is completely wrong. I don't think it is right that people should be segregated into groups. People who were Untouchables shouldn't have to do the nasty jobs. I am glad the caste system is not followed today.
Bibliography
Social Studies Text Book
Burnstein , Stanley. World History
Austin: Holt , Rinehart and Winston , 2006. print.
School.eb.com/levels/middle/article/318963
Caste
accessed on 12/7/2014
www.dummies.com/how-to/content/indias-caste-system.html
Manian , Ranjini India's Caste System
Accessed on 12/8/2014