RAJKUMAR POREL, M.SC GEOGRAPHY. (WBSU) KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL.

1. CONCEPT OF CASTE, CLASS,GENDER AND RACE IN
INDIA

2. CONCEPT OF CASTE, CLASS,GENDER
AND RACE IN INDIA

3. Caste is a form of social stratification characterized by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a
style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social
interaction and exclusion based on cultural notions of purity and pollution. Its paradigmatic
ethnographic example is the division of India's Hindu society into rigid social groups, with roots
in India's ancient history and persisting to the present time. However, the economic significance
of the caste system in India has been declining as a result of urbanization and affirmative action
programs. A subject of much scholarship by sociologists and anthropologists, the Hindu caste
system is sometimes used as an analogical basis for the study of caste-like social divisions
existing outside Hinduism and India. The term "caste" is also applied to morphological groupings
in female populations of ants and bees.
CONCEPT OF CASTE:-

7. The four classes includes:
The Brahmins – the priestly class. They were mainly engaged in religious and priestly
activities. They were also appointed as advisors to the Kings.
The Kshatriyas – the warrior and ruler class. The were mainly engaged in warfare
activities.
The Vaishyas – the trader class. They were mainly engaged in business, agriculture, and
trading activities.
The Sudras – the lowest of the four traditional class engaged as domestic servants and
laborers, etc.

8. Where does this system come from?
The most widely accepted theory is that the four basic divisions of the Hindu
caste system—the varna—developed in the period 1500-1000 B.C. as a result of
the Aryan conquest of India.
The earliest known mention of caste is
found in the Aryan’s Vedic hymns,
perhaps dating from about 1000 B.C.E. In
a famous passage, the metaphor of the
human body was used to describe Indian
society. The brahman, or priestly, caste
represents society's head; the kshatriya,
or warrior, caste are its arms; the vaishya
caste—traders and landowners—are the
legs; and the sudra caste—the servants of
the other three—are the feet.
This metaphor stresses the idea of
hierarchy as well as that of
interdependence.

9. Caste system has many disadvantages such as:
 Encourages untouchability.
 Promotes Inequality.
 Undemocratic in nature.
 Fake differentiation in superiority and inferiority.
 Increases gap between upper and lower caste people.
 Danger towards the National integration .
 Child marriage.
 Sati system.
 Prostitution.
SOLUTION:-
Education .
Social change in favor of equality of human-beings
Social education in rural areas.
Special classes for moral education to the children.
Shed away superstition.
Many of people become friends while working together on a project.

10. Caste and Dharma
In Hindu religious texts, the dharma—the law, or duty—of each varna is described. It was thought that
this dharma was an inherited, or inborn, quality. Consequently, people
thought that if intermarriages took place, there would be much confusion as to the dharma of the
next generation of children. As a result of such concerns, marriage between different castes was
strictly prohibited. The practice of marrying only a person of "one's own kind" is called endogamy and
is still a central rule in many Hindu communities.
Inevitably, there were certain people who failed to
live up to their caste dharma. Such people and their
children were considered outcasts from Hindu society.
They had to live apart from other castes and were
given the jobs that no one else wanted to perform.
Because of their contact with things considered
unclean or polluted, the outcasts were believed to be
deeply tainted. They came to be thought of as
"untouchable" because people believed that their
touch—or even the sight of them—would
compromise a brahman's purity. The untouchables
were not admitted into Hindu temples and instead
formed religious sects of their own.
Untouchables

11. What is Religion?
There is no scholarly consensus about what religion is. Some have just plainly classified it as the
“belief in the supernatural.” This is both incorrect and correct. Religion deals with supernatural in the
sense that most religions have thoughts on the afterlife, a spiritual realm, a divine deity beyond
understanding, and miracles. All these things deal with concepts that are beyond natural and
therefore supernatural. Most religions do, however, not believe in ghosts, werewolves, vampires, and
other fantastical and supernatural creatures or ideas.
The word “religion” is derived from the Latin religio, the meaning and origin of which is obscured by
history. The word is most commonly understood along the lines of “worship for the Gods” or “Respect
for that which is holy.”
Similarities between Caste and Religion:-
Just as there are different religions, there are different caste systems. In the same way as certain
religions (however not always) are linked to a culture or region, so are the different caste systems
linked to a culture and region.
Both can be seen as a certain set of rules to maintain order. They are similar in the sense that they
both enforce a certain lifestyle and expectancy of individuals and groups.
Within Hinduism, the caste system is closely related to religion and is often confused as being the
same concept. As with many other caste systems, religion is often used to confirm the credibility of
the system and enforce the use of it. Therefore, in many cases, caste systems have been intertwined
with religion to such an extent that it is seen as part of religious duty, and therefore creating
similarities.
Examples, where religion was used to enforce caste systems, are the Dutch Reformed Christian church
during the Apartheid regime of South Africa, and Hinduism enforcing the Varnashrama Dharma caste
system still today.

12. Difference between Caste and Religion:-
Religion and caste are different in the main form of systems and purpose. While caste has
a social purpose for the present structures and lifestyles of cultures, religion’s purpose is
more often related to the future and aimed at a lifestyle in coherence with a deity’s
example.
1. Religion most often precedes a caste system, since most caste systems are derived
from religious philosophy.
2. While caste systems deal with social structures within the physical world, religion is
focussed more on the metaphysical.
3. Caste systems are based on systems dealing with hierarchical issues, while religion is
focused on divine worship, morals, and ethical issues.
4. Caste systems are mostly justified within the higher ranks of the system. Religion is
justified within scriptures that are regarded as holy or divine.
5. Caste systems are most often culture-specific, and while there are many variants of
caste systems they are all identifiable within a certain region and culture group. The
same religion can be found in different cultures, taking on different identities relating
to the cultures, while maintaining the basic values and characteristics.
6. Within religions, the judgement is most likely to lie with the deity worshiped and is
enforced through a form of church and self-reflection. A caste system is enforced
through a social collective, most often from the higher ranks.

14. Social Class in India:-
“Any portion of a community marked off from the rest by social status. Where a society is composed of
social classes, the social structure looks like a truncated pyramid. At the basis of the structure lies the
lowest social class and above it other social classes, arranged in a hierarchy of rank and distinction”-
Maclver and Page.
A Social class may be interpreted in a couple of ways. First it may be defined in terms of some
objectives, normally economic. According to Karl Marx, classes are large groups of people who differ
from another by their relation to the means of production, by their role in the social organisation and
labour and consequently by the mode and dimension of acquiring the share of social wealth of which
they dispose.
Thus accepting such explanations social scientists and political thinkers have tried to analyze the
presence of classes in the industrial setting and the agrarian social structure in India. Some social
scientists, being inclined towards Marxists’ understanding of class, have gone to the extent where
they suggest the existence of classes in India even during the ancient period. Yet, the Marxian
explanation of class often lacks in conceptualizing the, social reality as such in rural India.
Max Weber defined class as group of persons having the same ‘life chances’ or social opportunities.
He, thus, added the ‘status’ dimension to determine one’s class. By status, Weber meant social
honour or social esteem and this, he said “normally stands in sharp opposition to the pretensions.”
Thus a class for Weber is composed of all persons, in the same economic situation, who have about
the same probability of procuring goods, gaining a position in life, and gratifying their wants, in so
far as this probability rests on the control of goods and services and the access to opportunities
within the given economic system.

15. Modern sociologists like Maclver and Marshall regard status as the basic criterion of social class.
Maclver and Page define social class as “any portion of a community marked off from the rest by social
status. Where a society is composed of social classes, the social structure looks like a truncated
pyramid. At the basis of the structure lies the lowest social class and above it other social classes,
arranged in a hierarchy of rank and distinction.” Thus, secondly, a class is interpreted on the basis of
status.
The member of each social class constitute many attributes of an in-group they recognize one another
as their social counterparts and draw a line of demarcation between themselves and the members of
other classes. Usually they live with the members of their own class.
Class Typology:-
There is no unanimity among sociologists regarding the classification of social classes into various
types. Sorokin has given a three-fold classification of classes, such as social division based on economic,
political and occupational criteria.
Warner and Lunt have given a six-fold classification comprising:
(I) The upper-upper class
(II) The lower-upper class,
(III) The upper-middle class
(IV) The lower-middle class
(V) The upper-lower class and
(VI) The lower-lower class.

16. This classification of Warner and Lunt is supposed to be a further sub-division of the three traditional
class divisions of society such as upper, middle and lower classes. Most of the sociologists conceive of
the above three-fold class division of the society. Giant German sociologist Karl Marx speaks of a
couple of major social classes in the modern capitalistic society, the capitalists and the workers or the
bourgeois and the proletariat. T.B. Bottomore has advanced a four-fold division of social classes, such
as the upper class, the middle class, the working class and the peasantry.
The Nature of Social Class:
1. Class is an economic group:
Although a social class is mostly determined on the basis of the location of the production and
distribution of social wealth, they are not mere economic groups or divisions. It also includes both the
subjective and objective criteria such as, class consciousness, class solidarity and wealth, property,
income, education and occupation. Marx considered class on the economic basis.
2. Class is also a status group:
Class is also related to status dimension. The consideration of the class as a status group is applied to a
society which has many strata. Status groups are composed of persons having the same life style and
receiving about the same social honour from others. Therefore, the status consciousness separates the
individuals both physically and psychologically.
3. An achieved pattern:
Status is achieved in a class system and not ascribed. As such, birth is not the basis of acquisition of
one’s status and one’s status is not fixed throughout his life. One may improve his status if he acquires
capability and talent necessary for that. On the other hand, one may also lose his status, if he fails to
maintain his ability and talent.

17. 4. The class system is ubiquitous:
As a universal phenomenon class system is prevalent in all the modern and complex social systems.
However, small, simple and primitive societies are mostly free from such a pattern of stratification.
5. Feeling of class-consciousness:
Feeling of class consciousness is experienced among the members of a particular class at three levels.
First, the members feel a sense of equality within their own class. Secondly, the feeling of inferiority
inheres in the minds of those who occupy the lower status in the socio-economic hierarchy. Thirdly,
the members of a class experience the feeling of superiority in relation to those who are placed in
the lower range in the hierarchy. Such feelings cause class consciousness and finally result in
strengthen the basis of class.
6. Prestige dimension:
Wealth, income, education and occupation are some of the basic determinants of class. As it is an
open system, anyone who satisfies the basic criteria can become its member. Therefore persons
belonging to a particular class develop status consciousness and this is reflected through the status
symbols of different class groups. The status symbols of the upper classes are considered prestigious,
whereas the status symbols of the middle classes are considered less prestigious.
7. Relatively stable group:
A class is characterised by an element of stability, unlike a crowd or mob of course, social mobility is
possible due to the openness of the system, nevertheless it cannot be interpreted as transitory.
Under certain extraordinary situations the class is subject to rapid transformation. Such
circumstances include crises in the social, economic and political spheres, revolutions, movements,
wars etc.

18. 8. Open to social mobility:
An open system of stratification is characterised by vertical mobility pattern in which upward and
downward movements of individuals in the social hierarchy are possible. This is not to say that there
is no resistance at all, but the resistance is mild and not so severe as found in the caste system.
9. Varieties of life styles:
A particular social class is marked off from the other classes by its ‘life styles’ which comprises the
mode of living such as, the dress pattern, the type of house and the social environment, where the
members live, the leisure time activities, the mode of consumption, the pattern of relationship
between the spouses and their off-springs, the exposure to media, the circle of friendship, the mode
of conveyance and communication, ways of behaving etc. All these make differences between
different classes and exhibit the class- values and caste preferences.

19. The term race refers to groups of people who have differences and similarities in biological traits
deemed by society to be socially significant, meaning that people treat other people differently
because of them. For instance, while differences and similarities in eye color have not been treated as
socially significant, differences and similarities in skin color have.
Although some scholars have attempted to establish dozens of racial groupings for the peoples of the
world, others have suggested four or five.
An example of a racial category is Asian (or Mongoloid), with its associated facial, hair color, and body
type features. Yet too many exceptions to this sort of racial grouping have been found to make any
racial categorizations truly viable. This fact has led many sociologists to indicate that no clear‐cut races
exist—only assorted physical and genetic variations across human individuals and groups.
Race and Ethnicity Defined:-
Ethnicity refers to shared cultural practices, perspectives, and distinctions that set apart one group of
people from another. That is, ethnicity is a shared cultural heritage. The most common characteristics
distinguishing various ethnic groups are ancestry, a sense of history, language, religion, and forms of
dress. Ethnic differences are not inherited; they are learned.
Most countries today consist of different ethnic groups. Ideally, countries strive for pluralism, where
people of all ethnicities and races remain distinct but have social equality. As an example, the United
States is exceptionally diverse, with people representing groups from all over the globe, but lacking in
true pluralism. The same can be said of the ethic diversity of the former Soviet Union with its more
than 100 ethnic groups, some having more than a million members.

20. Classification of Indian Races
India is a melting pot of races. It is an ethnological museum. The ancestors of the
majority of present population have migrated to India from surrounding territories
across the Himalayas. Indian population is constituted of major races of the world. We
find people of different races in India.
Herbert Risley’s Racial Classification:
According to Herbert Risley, there are seven racial types in Indian population.
1. The Turk-Iranian:
These types of people are found in the Frontier Province and Beluchistan. These parts
now belong to Pakistan. Turks-Iranian people are very tall and have a fair complexion.
They possess dark eyes, narrow nose.
2. Indo-Aryan:
This racial type is found among the Eastern Part of Punjab, Rajasthan and Kashmir. Most
of the people have long heads and prominent noses. They are tall, their complexion is
fair and eyes are of dark color.
3. Scytho-Dravidian:
Scytho-Dravidian is a mixed racial type of Scythians and Dravidians. People, having this
racial ancestry are said to be found in Saurashtra, Coorg and hilly tracts of Madhya
Pradesh. It is also said that while the upper strata people are predominantly Scythian,
the lower strata people are fairly dominated by Dravidian elements. They are broad
headed, have a fine nose, are of medium height and their complexion is fair.

21. 4. Aryo-Dravidian:
This racial type is found in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar. They are the product of
inter-marriages between the Indo-Aryans and the Dravidians. They have long head and
the complexion varies from lights brown to black.
5. The Mongol-Dravidians:
In the population of Bengal and Orissa this racial type is most prominent. Bengali
Brahmins and Kayasthas form the largest percentage. This racial type has come into
existence as a result of intermixture of Mongolians and Dravidians while some element
of Indo-Aryan race is also found. These people are generally black and round headed
having medium nose and medium height.
6. The Mongoloid:
This racial type stretches from Nepal and Assam to Burma.
7. The Dravidian:
This racial type is found in Southern India, particularly south of M.P, Chotnagpur, Madras
and Hyderabad. The Santhals of Chotnagpur represent this type. They have dark
complexion, dark eyes, short stature, long head and broad nose.
The Dravidian race, as mentioned by Risley, like the Aryan, is a linguistic group and pots a
racial group, says Majumdar. Most of the Indian anthropologists are not inclined to accept
the racial classification of the Indian population presented by Risley.

22. Classification of A. C. Haddon:
Haddon did not agree with the classification of races advanced by Herbert Risley. Therefore,
he put forward his own classification of races in India. According to Haddon, the oldest
existing stratum is represented by Pre-Dravidian jungle tribes. The population of India, as
says Haddon, consists of (1) the Pre-Dravidian jungle tribes, (2) the Dravidians who are long
headed and brunette, (3) the Indo-Aryans who are fair complexioned and long-headed, (4)
the Indo-Alpines who are broad headed and (5) the Mongolians.
Classification of B. S. Guha:
Dr. Guha has divided the population of India into the following races:
1. The Negrito:
According to him the presence of Negrito race in India is a controversial issue. However, it
is claimed that there is an element of Negrito race in Indian population and Negrito element
is found in the blood of Andaman Islanders. Further, it is also pointed out that Negrito
element is found in the blood of some South Indian tribal people like the Kadar and blood
of Nagas.
There are some who maintain that there are is no weighty evidence to prove conclusively the
existence of Negrito element in Indian population. Whatever evidence is available,
according to them, is inadequate to establish the presence of Negrito element in Indian
population.
Although there is controversy, it may be stated that the Negrito race existed in the past and
has left little trace in India.

23. 2. The Proto-Austroloid:
The Proto-Austroloid is also known as the Pre-Dravidian race. Dr. Guha says that the tribal
population of central India is fairly dominated by this racial element. The Santhals, the
Mundas, the Juangas, the Soaras, the Kondhs are some of the many tribes belonging to this
racial type.
3. Mongoloid:
People of this racial ancestry are mainly found in North-Eastern India. Dr. Guha divides this
race into two types, namely (a) The Palaeo-Mongoloid and (b) The Tibeto-Mangoloid.
(a) The Palaeo-Mongoloid: This racial type is further divided into two types, one the long
headed type and the other Broad headed type.
The Angami Nagas are of the long headed type of the Palaeo-Mongoloid race. The people
inhabiting in the Himalayan foot hills from Kashmir to Assam are said to be the brood headed
type of the Palaeo-Mongoloid race.
(b) The Tibeto-Mongoloid: The people of Sikkim and Bhutan are said to belong to the
Tibeto-Mongoloid branch of Mongoloid race.
4. The Mediterranean:
This race is one of the dominated race in India. Mediterranean is divided into three types.
They are (a) Palaeo-Mediterranean (b) Mediterranean, (c) Oriental.
(a) The Palaeo-Mediterranean: This racial type is represented by the Tamil and Telugu
Brahmins of the South.
(b) The Mediterranean: People of this racial type are believed to be the builders of the
Indus valley civilization.
(c) Oriental: Oriental type is very much similar to the Mediterranean type.

24. 5. Western Brachycephals:
This race is of three types, namely (a) the Alpenoid, (b) the Dinaric, (c) the Armenoid.
(a) The Alpendoid: People belonging to this race are found in Sourashtra, Gujarat and also
Bengal.
(b) The Dinaric: This strain is found among the people of Bengal, Orissa and Coorg.
(c) The Armenia: The Parsees of Bombay are the representatives of this racial type.
6. Nordic Race:
People of this racial origin came to India from the North and South-East Asia spread all over
Northern India during the 2nd millennium B.C. This race is mainly found in North India in a mixed
form with the Mediterranean race. The people of this stock are believed to have greatly enriched
Indian culture.
The first three races such as the Negrito, the Proto-Austroloid and the Mongoloid constitute the tribal
population. The other three, namely the Mediterranean, the Western Brachycephals and the Nordic
races constitute the general population of India.
It can be stated that the Indian population is composed of important races of the world. All the races
in India, over the past centuries, have got mixed up with one another due to intermarriages. As such,
now there is no race in India which is completely pure. Therefore, in true sense no rigid separation of
these races is possible.
In this manner, we can say that India has been the melting pot of races and therefore, it is called a
museum of races. From time immemorial, India has been the melting place of conflicting races and
civilization marked by a process of assimilation and synthesis.