INDIAN CASTE SYSTEM

India has in recent weeks seen some of its most concerted protests because of caste. At least 18 people were
killed and hundreds injured in violent protests by members of the Jat community who are unhappy about the
caste quota system, as they say it puts them at a disadvantage in government jobs and at state-run educational
institutes. The BBC explains the complexities of India's caste system.

India's caste system is among the world's oldest forms of surviving social stratification.
The system which divides Hindus into rigid hierarchical groups based on their karma (work) and dharma (the Hindi word
for religion, but here it means duty) is generally accepted to be more than 3,000 years old.

How did caste come about?

The caste system divides Hindus into four main categories - Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Shudras. Many
believe that the groups originated from Brahma, the Hindu God of creation.

At the top of the hierarchy were the Brahmins who were mainly teachers and intellectuals and are believed to have come
from Brahma's head. Then came the Kshatriyas, or the warriors and rulers, supposedly from his arms. The third slot went
to the Vaishyas, or the traders, who were created from his thighs. At the bottom of the heap were the Shudras, who came
from Brahma's feet and did all the menial jobs.

The main castes were further divided into about 3,000 castes and 25,000 sub-castes, each based on their specific
occupation.

Outside of this Hindu caste system were the achhoots - the Dalits or the untouchables.

How does caste work?

For centuries, caste dictated almost every aspect of Hindu religious and social life, with each group occupying a specific
place in this complex hierarchy.

Rural communities were long arranged on the basis of castes - the upper and lower castes almost always lived in
segregated colonies, the water wells were not shared, Brahmins would not accept food or drink from the Shudras, and
one could marry only within one's caste.

Traditionally, the system bestowed many privileges on the upper castes while sanctioning repression of the lower castes
by privileged groups.

Often criticised for being unjust and regressive, it remained virtually unchanged for centuries, trapping people into fixed
social orders from which it was impossible to escape. Despite the obstacles, however, some Dalits and other low-caste
Indians, such as BR Ambedkar who authored the Indian constitution, and KR Narayanan who became the nation's
president, have risen to hold prestigious positions in the country.

Is the system legal?

Independent India's constitution banned discrimination on the basis of caste, and, in an attempt to correct historical
injustices and provide a level playing field to the traditionally disadvantaged, the authorities announced quotas in
government jobs and educational institutions for scheduled castes and tribes, the lowest in the caste hierarchy, in 1950.

In 1989, quotas were extended to include a grouping called the OBCs (Other Backward Classes) which fall between the
traditional upper castes and the lowest.

In recent decades, with the spread of secular education and growing urbanisation, the influence of caste has somewhat
declined, especially in cities where different castes live side-by-side and inter-caste marriages are becoming more
common.

In certain southern states and in the northern state of Bihar, many people began using just one name after social reform
movements. Despite the changes though, caste identities remain strong, and last names are almost always indications of
what caste a person belongs to.
What about job quotas?
In recent years, there have been demands from several communities to be recognised as OBCs - over the past few days,
at least 18 people have been killed in violent protests by the Jat community in Haryana and last year, the Patel
community led huge protests in Gujarat demanding access to caste quotas.

Both are prosperous and politically dominant communities, but they support their demand for caste quotas by saying large
numbers in their communities are poor and suffering.

Some say the caste system would have disappeared by now if the fires were not regularly fanned by politicians.

At elections, many caste groups still vote as a block and are wooed by politicians looking for electoral gains.

As a result, what was originally meant to be a temporary affirmative action plan to improve the lot of the unprivileged
groups has now become a vote-grabbing exercise for many politicians.

JOINT FAMILIES

The joint family is also common in cities, where kinship ties are often crucial to obtaining employment or financial
assistance. Many prominent families, such as the Tatas, Birlas, and Sarabhais, retain joint family arrangements as they
cooperate in controlling major financial empires.
The ancient ideal of the joint family retains its power, but today actual living arrangements vary widely. Many Indians live
in nuclear families-a couple with their unmarried children-but belong to strong networks of beneficial kinship ties.
Often, clusters of relatives live as neighbors, responding readily to their kinship obligations.
As they expand, joint families typically divide into smaller units, which gradually grow into new joint families, continuing a
perpetual cycle. Today, some family members may move about to take advantage of job opportunities, typically sending
money home to the larger family.
Family Authority and Harmony
In the Indian household, lines of hierarchy and authority are clearly drawn, and ideals of conduct help maintain family
harmony. [i] All family members are socialized to accept the authority of those above them in the hierarchy. The eldest
male acts as family head, and his wife supervises her daughters-in-law, among whom the youngest has the least
authority. Reciprocally, those in authority accept responsibility for meeting the needs of other family members.
VEILING AND SECLUSION OF WOMEN

Hindu women of conservative families veil their faces and remain silent in the presence of older male in-laws, both at
home and in the community. A young daughter-in-law even veils from her mother-inlaw. These practices emphasize
respect relationships, limit unapproved encounters, and enhance family lines of authority.

In south India, purdah has been little practiced, except in certain minority groups. In northern and central India today,
purdah practices are diminishing, and among urbanites and even the rural elite, they are rapidly vanishing. Chastity and
female modesty are still highly valued, but as education and employment opportunities for women increase, veiling has all
but disappeared in progressive circles.

WEDDING CEREMONY

If one thinks this is a lot of rituals, wait till the big wedding day. The actual wedding ceremony itself is around 3 hours long,
not including many other smaller rituals before and after the muhurat (auspicious time). The wedding is usually held at the
brides home or a wedding hall. The arrival of the groom is an important and fun-filled event. The groom, dressed in his
wedding attire, leaves his home to the wedding venue on a decorated ghodi (horse) or for the more extravagant, on a
decorated elephant! Along with the groom sits his 'best man' usually a younger brother, cousin or nephew who acts as his
caregiver. However, these days, these customs are not seen any more as most grooms like to travel by luxury cars. The
groom is usually accompanied by his family members, relatives and friends in a big procession (Baarat) with a lot of pomp
and show including music, orchestra, dance and fireworks. At the wedding venue, the bride waits for the groom, with a
Jaimala/Varamala, which is a decorated garland. Soon after the groom arrives, the bride and groom exchange garlands.
On a lighter note, it is considered that, whoever puts the garland first on their partner, will have an upper hand in the
marriage. Following this, the bride's parents and elder members of the family welcome the groom and the guests. The
mother of the bride performs the Aarti when the groom enters the house.
DANCE

In terms of the classical tradition formulated in the Natyashastra, dance and music are an inextricable part of drama. The
art of natyacarries in it all these constituents and the actor is himself the dancer and the singer, the performer combined
all the three functions. With the passage of time the status of an independent and specialised art, marked the beginning of
the 'art' dance in India.

The major human units of the body (anga) are identified as the head, torso, the upper and lower limbs and the minor
human parts (upangas), as all parts of the face ranging from the eyebrow to the chin and the minor joints.

Bharatnatyam dance is known to be ekaharya, where one dancer takes on many roles in a single performance. The
style was kept alive by the devadasis, who were young girls 'gifted' by their parents to the temples and who were married
to the gods. The devadasisperformed music and dance as offerings to the deities, in the temple courtyards.

Kathakali: Kerala is the home of several traditional dance and dance - drama forms, the most notable being Kathakali.
Kathakali, as a dance form popular today, is considered to be of comparatively recent origin. However, it is an art which
has evolved from many social and religious theatrical forms which existed in the southern region in ancient times.

The word Kathak has been derived from the word Katha which means a story.Kathakars or story-tellers, are people who
narrate stories largely based on episodes from the epics, myths and legends. It probably started as an oral tradition. Mime
and gestures were perhaps added later on to make the recitation more effective.

Manipuri, one of the main styles of Indian Art or Classical Dancesoriginated in the picturesque and secluded state of
Manipur in the north-eastern corner of India. Because of its geographical location, the people of Manipur have been
protected from outside influences, and this region has been able to retain its unique traditional culture.

PUPPETS

Almost all types of puppets are found in India. Puppetry throughout the ages has held an important place in traditional
entertainment. Like traditional theatre, themes for puppet theatre are mostly based on epics and legends. Puppets from
different parts of the country have their own identity. Regional styles of painting and sculpture are reflected in them.

Puppetry has been successfully used to motivate emotionally and physically handicapped students to develop their
mental and physical faculties