The Think Today

The most basic division of the Indian society is of Aryans and Dravidians. According to this division, nearly 72% of Indians are Aryans and 28% are Dravidians. The north Indians are the descendants of Aryans and the south Indians are Dravidians. The languages spoken in five states of south India are considered Dravidian languages and most of the languages spoken in the north are considered Aryan languages. The general script of the Aryan languages is different from the general script of Dravidian languages. The Indians also distinguish themselves by the general north Indian accent and general south Indian accent. According to general Indian legend, the Aryans arrived in north India somewhere from Iran and southern Russia at around 1500 BC. Before the Aryans, the Dravidian people resided in India. The Aryans disregarded the local cultures. They began conquering and taking control over regions in north India and at the same time pushed the local people southwards or towar...

In Hinduism there exists four castes arranged in a hierarchy. Anyone who does not belong to one of these castes is an outcast. The religious word for caste is 'Varna'. Each Varna has certain duties and rights. Each Varna members have to work in certain occupation which only that Varna members are allowed. Each Varna has certain type of diet. The highest Varna is of the Brahman. Members of this class are priests and the educated people of the society. The Varna after them in hierarchy is Kshatria. The members of this class are the rulers and aristocrats of the society. After them are the Vaisia. Members of this class are the landlords and businessmen of the society. After them in hierarchy are the Sudra. Members of this class are the peasants and working class of the society who work in non-polluting jobs. The caste hierarchy ends here. Below these castes are the outcasts who are untouchable to the four castes. These untouchables worked in degrading jobs like cleani...

The origins of India’s caste system have been explained through different lenses — religious-mystical theories, biological theories, and socio-historical theories. 1. Religious Theories Religious explanations often describe how the four Varnas (broad caste categories) were created but rarely address the origins of sub-castes ( Jatis ) or the “untouchables.” According to the Rig Veda , the ancient Hindu scripture, the cosmic being ( Purusha ) sacrificed himself to create human society. From different parts of his body emerged the four Varnas : Brahmins (priests and scholars) from his head Kshatriyas (warriors) from his arms Vaishyas (farmers and merchants) from his thighs Shudras (laborers) from his feet The hierarchy was based on the perceived purity of the body part from which each Varna originated. Another religious account states that the Varnas came from the body of Brahma, the creator god. 2. Biological Theory The biological theory suggests that all being...

What am I talking about? Casteism. Thousands of years ago, when the Aryans came to India from the Middle East, they brought with them the concept of caste. They divided society into rigid categories to ensure they could rule indefinitely. Those just below them in the hierarchy—yet still higher than the rest—took pride in being associated with the top tier, even accepting the humiliation of their wives bearing children from the so-called “higher” class, the Brahmins (refer to the Mahabharata ). Brahmins positioned themselves at the top of society. They were exempt from any work considered “low level,” such as cleaning or making shoes. They composed the Vedas, ensuring only they could interpret and control them, cementing their dominance. They reshaped India’s social order—yet these were people not even originally from this land. When Muslims came to India, they ruled and looted—but did they leave behind a deep, lasting social disease? When the British came, they exploited and plunder...