Can someone explain the caste system?

Question

I have heard that it is based on economic status, education, or the region of the country the parents are from, and even fair skin vs dark skin. When I try to ask my friends here (US), it appears to be an uncomfortable subject, so I drop it. My closest friend is from Punjab (correct spelling?), and her children, who were born and raised here are not restricted to marrying someone of Indian descent, but they know to stay within the same educational level. Any info will be appreciated.

Also, is still as strong as it once was?

Answer 1

The Caste System (or Varna System) was developed in the Later Vedic Period of India (after the Harappans or Indus Valley civilization). Under this, people in today's Indian sub-continent were divided into two groups:
1) The fair-skinned Indo-Europeans or Aryans
2) The dark-skinned Dravidians

This was purely for administrative purposes and was not rigid.

The Varna System developed more during the rise and fall of the first all-India empire, The Mauryan Kingdom. At this point, more classifications or varnas were made:
1) Brahmins: priests, religious teachers(gurus), legal advisors
2) Kshatriyas: kings, princes, warriors, soldiers
3) Vaishyas: traders, merchants, shopkeepers, moneylenders
4) Shudras: those performing social service

Initially, this system was only to facilitate administation. The system was flexible. People could marry out of their caste and could even change castes by changing their jobs.

But over the next 1000 years, the Varna system came to be based on birth and not employment due to changes in ruling powers like the Guptas, the Sultanates and the Mughals, along with a considerable amount of encouragement from colonial powers who continuously exploited the Indians while creating a Divide-and-Rule Policy to keep the Indians under their control. This led to a disgusting classification of the Shudras, called Achhuth or Untouchables, who were made to do horrible work like cleaning streets, stables and toilets and were treated as "low-class". Shudras could not mingle with other castes. They were continuously looked down upon due to the work they did. People of higher classes also could not mingle with each other. A Brahmin was to marry within his caste and could not get married to anyone from the Kshatriya, Vaishya or Shudra Caste.

Many reforms have been introduced, both before and after Independence, to curb this social evil but none have been extremely effective as yet.

Some Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes have been given concessions by the Indian Government after Independence. This includes reservations in government jobs, educational institutions, legislatures and concessions in education and land ownership.

But this social evil still exists in India which curbs development and economic prosperity as rural folk still thrive on castes.

Answer 2

if you go to any western country today and take a note on peoples behevour you will find some are hard workers(shudras) some are good in doing business (vaishays) some are good fighter (kashtrya)and some always talk about religions ,love and peace(bharamans).

nobody made a caste system in the west but it is just natrual.a person is not born as worker or fighter but this their own choise

one person i know use to work as a waiter (shudra) in his fathers restaurent 2 yrs later he started his own small restarunt buisness(vaishya) then he got sellected for army(kshtrya) which he has applied for and now he is retired and spends most of his time in temples and doing meditation(bharaman) .

so its not the birth but our action which decides our caste.

Answer 3

The caste system originated centuries back, based on the job one did. (skilled unskilled, intelectual warrior etc.) In the begining people inter-married and even interchanged castes, depending on their aptitudes and capabilities. later it became fixed, and a lot of prejudices and stigma came to be attached to it.
Warriors and rulers -----kshatrias
intelectuals ,priests, --------brahmins
bussiness farmers --------vyshyas
unskilled workers ---------shudras
Later it cameto be so rigid , that your birth determined your status and not your capabilities. Also some sects were kept apart like scavengers, tribals etc. and deemed unfit to mix in siciety and the evil of untouchability was born
The caste system does prevail even now. After all it has been here for over a millineum! Intercaste marraiges do occur in the metros, but still is uncommon enough to raise eyebrows and be the topic of gossips. Before each community used to live in separate colonies or groups. Now most of them mingle together though it is said untouchability still exists in remote places even if it is punishable by law.
Each community have their own practices and customs it would take along long time for caste to go.

Answer 4

Cast system arised basically from the profession. When families started continuing their profession, they got the name of that related to profession. "Brahminism" to make themselves the highest class, established the upper, middle and lower senses to profession. Those who doesn't do anything productively but kept doing many things inside the temple become highest class and people associated to temple become second, also rulers. Rest all who worked in field and made pick-axe etc become untouchably low class. Castism is a shameful story of India. It still continues in many parts is even more shameful.

Brahmins kept some education with them for keeping their power intact and also made rules not to study certain language by others like (sanskrit). But, before Shankaracharya again established Hinduism in India, Buddhism spread and Brahmins got very less importance. But, if you look at the history all over the world, some class or creed did the same to others to make sure they rule for generations.....

Answer 5

Regarding your interest in Castes, at some stage the Danish etc became rulers of India. Their descendents are Brahmin Caste.
They were pale and the other Castes, are just arranged so all India's races aim to be more like those early rulers. Whom were not originally from India's races but became the ideal, in the 'mind' of India and the rule.

Answer 6

all i know of it is the lighter the skin the better.the darker it gets , the more you are an "untouchable"
this is also true in africa to some degree.
other parts of asia as well.
goes back to the old... if you got darker or tanned... you were an outside worker..... inside digniitaries..... laid around all day on couches and their skin stayed whiter from not being in the sun...... same with the fat thing..... skinny means you are poor and dont eat...while being plump and fair means you stay inside AND eat!!!! how FUNNY!!!! that is AMERICA the RICH dont eat , get skinny and even tan!!!!! LOL POLAR OPPOSITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

caste system is nothing but a barrier in the way of success and humanity it divide people students which should get seats on there merit didnt get dueto reserve seats which is not good i hate caste system