Indian castes were introduced in antiquity. There were four main ones: Brahmins (judges, teachers, priests), Kshatriyas (warriors and kings), Veishyas (merchants and farmers), Shundra (artisans and workers). There were people who did not belong to any caste. They were called "untouchables." These people did the so-called “dirty work”, any work related to the completion of life — cleaning, fishing, flushing carcasses, and so on.
Representatives of the highest caste in India, Brahmans, according to legend, came from the mouth of the god Brahma. For these people, the meaning of life consisted in comprehending philosophy, getting rid of the burden of life, material limitations, and suffering. This caste includes priests, scientists, teachers, priests, preachers. Often Brahmins work as officials. One of the most famous representatives of this caste in India was the Prime Minister (first in the country) Jawaharlal Nehru.
To kill Brahman was the greatest crime, the punishment for which was also death (death penalty).
Kshatriyas were considered to be natives of the hands of Brahma. Representatives of this caste in India included nobles, governors, military personnel, maharajas, rajas, kings, the most famous was Buddha Shakyamuni. This legendary founder of Buddhism was the spiritual teacher of a huge number of people.
A sufficiently long period of caste in India existed in parallel. Their representatives did not intersect, but each lived their own lives. At the same time, weddings between people belonging to different layers of Indian society were prohibited.
The "Untouchables" did not have absolutely any rights. They were forbidden to visit temples and schools. They were also not allowed to draw water from the wells in which the castes took it. The gaze or touch of the “untouchable” was considered “dirty, defiling a person.” After this, the representative of the caste needed to perform a ritual bath. In this regard, the “untouchables” in some areas of the country were supposed to work only at night, and sleep during the day. Many of these "dirty people" subsequently adopted a different faith, so as not to be subjected to more humiliation.
Castes in modern India are officially banned, and the strict division by profession and craft is gradually being eliminated. At the same time, the government is pursuing a policy aimed at rewarding those who have been oppressed for a long time. The “Untouchables” are allocated seats in parliament, various companies, and educational institutions.
Along with this, caste division actually continues to exist. So, a child entering school is asked about his religion. If the future student professes Hinduism, they are also interested in caste. So it turns out if there is a place for the child at school in accordance with accepted standards.
Caste is important when entering a university or college - the lower it is, the less you need to score points for admission.
The position of the person is also important when applying for a job. Thus, the enterprises maintain a balance.
Remember the caste division and the device of the future of children. Each week, the country's leading newspapers contain an app with marital announcements. The columns in them are divided by religion, the largest of the representatives of Hinduism is caste. However, often under the ad you can come across a phrase that affiliation is not important.
Marriages between representatives of different castes are not always approved. However, in some cases, welcome. For example, when the groom belongs to a higher caste than the bride. It should be noted that children belong to the “estate” of the father.
The desire to officially downplay the role of caste in the structure of the state led to the absence of a line on caste affiliation in the last censuses of the country's population. The latest publications of the division date back to 1931.