Castes are hereditary systems of social occupation, endogamy, social culture, economic class, and political power. Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a social group. Cultures who practice endogamy require marriage between specified social groups classes or ethnicities Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions (or stratification) between individuals or groups in Societies or Cultures. Political power ( Imperium in Latin is a type of power held by a group in a Society which allows administration of some or all of Discrimination based on a person's caste is prevalent mainly in parts of Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Japan) and Africa. Today, it is commonly associated with the Indian caste system. Caste (Sanskrit Gyati ज्ञाति, Hindi Biradari बिरादरी samaj समाज jati जाति etc, Urdu Zat ज़ात) is an Endogamous group In a caste society, the assignment of individuals to places in the social hierarchy is decided by social group and cultural heritage. In Sociology, a group can be defined as two or more Humans that interact with one another accept expectations and obligations as members of the group and share a Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic At the same time, the social groups, while promoting their own exclusiveness and endogamy, are traditionally mindful of the general and peculiar roles of the other groups. UNICEF estimates that discrimination based on caste affects 250 million people worldwide. ^[1]

Contents 1 Definitions 2 Castes in Africa 3 Castes in China 4 Castes in Hawaii 5 Balinese caste system 6 Castes in India 6.1 Caste system among Hindus 6.2 Caste in Sikhism 7 Modern status of the caste system 7.1 Caste politics 8 Castes in Japan 9 Castes in Korea 10 Nepalese caste system 11 Caste system in Pakistan 12 Sri Lankan caste system 13 Castes in Yemen 13.1 Origins 13.2 Discrimination 14 See also 15 Notes 16 References 17 External links

Definitions

Caste can be defined as an ear system of social grouping distinguished by degrees of purity, social status,and exclusiveness. ^{[2] [3]} The term caste was first used by the Portuguese during their 16th century voyages to India. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The term caste comes from the Spanish and Portuguese word "casta" which is derived from the Latin word meaning "Chaste" or "Pure. " However, many have stated due to Portuguese ignorance of Indian culture and religious tradition they asserted their own 14th century prejudices when defining the social structures found in India. The culture of India has been shaped by the long History of India, its unique geography and the absorption of customs traditions and ideas from some of its neighbors India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The system is difficult to define through western structures because it incorporates ancient social traditions and Dharmic laws. The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious ^[4]

Castes in Africa

Main article: Caste system in Africa

Countries in Africa who have societies with caste systems within their borders include Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Niger, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Algeria, Nigeria, Chad, Ethiopia and Somalia. Countries in Africa who have societies with Caste systems within their borders include Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Mali, officially the Republic of Mali (République du Mali is a Landlocked nation in Western Africa. Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. Guinea, officially Republic of Guinea (pronounced /ˈgɪni/ République de Guinée is a country in West Africa, formerly known as French Guinea The Republic of Guinea-Bissau (ˈgɪni bɨˈsaʊ República da Guiné-Bissau ʁɛˈpublikɐ dɐ giˈnɛ biˈsau is a country in Western Africa, and one of the smallest Côte d'Ivoire (ˌkoʊt divˈwɑː(r ' in English, kot diˈvwaʀ in French) or Ivory Coast, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a Niger ( or /ˈnaɪdʒɚ/) officially the Republic of Niger, is a Landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. Burkina Faso (bɚˌkiːnəˈfɑːsoʊ burr-KEE-na FAH-soh) also known by its short-form name Burkina, is a Landlocked nation in West Africa The Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa. The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Chad (Tchad تشاد Tshād) officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a Landlocked country in Central Africa. NOTE This intro is the result of careful NPOV work Please do not make potentially controversial edits to it without first discussing on the talk page Somalia ( Soomaaliya; الصومال) officially the Somali Republic ( Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, جمهورية الصومال) and formerly known

The Osu caste system in Nigeria and southern Cameroon are derived from indigenous religious beliefs and discriminate against the "Osus" people as "owned by deities" and outcasts.

Similarly, the Mande societies in Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast and Ghana have caste systems that divide society by occupation and ethnic ties. The Mande caste system regards the "Jonow" slave castes as inferior. Similarly, the Wolof caste system in Senegal is divided into three main groups, the Geer (freeborn/nobles), jaam (slaves and slave descendents) and the outcasted neeno (people of caste). In various parts of West Africa, Fulani societies also have caste divisions. The Fula or Fulbe or Fulani (the latter being an Anglicisation of the word in their language Fulɓe) are an ethnic group of

Other caste systems in Africa include the Borana caste system of NE Kenya with the Watta as the lowest caste, the Tuareg caste system, the "Ubuhake" castes in Rwanda and Burundi, and the Hutu undercastes in Rwanda who committed genocide on the Tutsi overlords in the now infamous Rwandan Genocide. Borana is also an alternate Spanish name of the Boran sub-family of the larger Witotoan language family The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south The Tuareg (also Twareg or Touareg, Amazigh: Imuhagh / Itargiyen, besides regional ethnyms are a Nomadic The The Tutsi are one of three native Peoples of the nations of Rwanda and Burundi in central Africa, the other two being the Twa The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass killing of hundreds of thousands of Rwanda 's minority Tutsis and the moderates of its Hutu majority

Sahrawi-Moorish society in Northwest Africa was traditionally (and still is, to some extent) stratified into several tribal castes, with the Hassane warrior tribes ruling and extracting tribute - horma - from the subservient znaga tribes. Northwest Africa or Northwestern Africa is a variably defined Region of North Africa. The Hassane is a name for the traditionally dominant warrior Tribes of the Sahrawi - Moorish areas of present-day Mauritania and Western Sahara The horma was a tribute paid by subservient Tribes to their protectors in traditional Sahrawi - Moorish society in today's Mauritania and Western The Znaga or Zenaga tribes were at the bottom of Sahrawi - Moorish society in today's Mauritania and Western Sahara in North Although lines were blurred by intermarriage and tribal re-affiliation, the Hassane were considered descendants of the Arab Maqil tribe Beni Hassan, and held power over Sanhadja Berber-descended zawiya (religious) and znaga (servant) tribes. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Maqil or Maquil were a collection of Arab Bedouin tribes of Yemeni origin who migrated westwards via Egypt during the Beni Ḥassān ( Arabic: بني حسان "sons of Ḥassān" was a Bedouin group one of several Yemeni Maqil Arab The Sanhaja (also commonly spelled "Sanhadja" were one of the largest Berber tribal confederations of the Maghreb, along with the Zanata Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. Zaouia (Arabic زاوية "corner" also spelled zawiya, zawiyah, zaouiya, zaouïa zwaya, etc is a Maghrebi The Znaga or Zenaga tribes were at the bottom of Sahrawi - Moorish society in today's Mauritania and Western Sahara in North The so-called Haratin lower class, largely sedentary oasis-dwelling black people, have been considered natural slaves in Sahrawi-Moorish society. Haratin (also transliterated Haratins, Harratins or Haratine, etc singular Hartani) is a name for black oasis-dwellers in north western Africa In Geography, an oasis (plural oases) or Cienega ( Southwestern United States) is an isolated area of vegetation in a Desert, typically The term black people usually refers to a racial group of Humans with dark Skin color, but the term has also been used to categorise a number of diverse ^[5][6]

The Somali clans are divided into "noble clans", the Rahanweyn agro-pastoral clans and the lower castes such as Somali Bantus and Midgan, sometimes treated as outcasts. See also Somali clan The Rahanweyn ( Somali Maay: Reewing; traditional Raxanweyn, الراحانوين is a Somali clan, composed The Somali Bantu (also called Jareer or Gosha by ethnic Somalis are a minority ethnic group in Somalia, a country largely inhabited by ethnic See also Somali clan The Midgan or Midgaan ( Somali: Midgaan or Madhibaan) is a Somali clan. ^[7]

Castes in China

The Southern and Northern Dynasties showed such a high level of polarization between North and South that northerners and southerners referred to each other as barbarians; the Mongol Yuan Dynasty also made use of the concept: Yuan subjects were divided into four castes, with northern Han Chinese occupying the second-lowest caste and southern Han Chinese occupying the lowest one. Alternative meaning In Geology, North China (continent and South China (continent were two ancient landmasses that correspond to modern northern The Yuan Dynasty ( Pinyin: Yuáncháo Dai Ön Ulus (Дай Юан Улс was a ruling Dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. ^[8]

Traditional Yi society in Yunnan was caste based. The Yi people (own name in the Liangshan dialect ꆈꌠ official transcription Nuosu, nɔ̄sū; the older name " Lolo " or " Luoluo " People were split into the Black Yi (nobles, 5% of the population), White Yi (commoners), Ajia (33% of the Yi population) and the Xiaxi (10%). Ajia and Xiaxi were slave castes. The White Yi were not slaves but had no freedom of movement. Slavery is a social-economic system under which certain persons — known as slaves — are deprived of personal freedom and compelled to perform labour or services The Black Yi were famous for their slave-raids on Han Chinese communities. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. After the 1959 some 700,000 slaves were freed. ^[9][10][11]

Castes in Hawaii

Ancient Hawaii was a caste society. The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the People were born into specific social classes; social mobility was not unknown, but it was extremely rare. The main classes were:

• Aliʻi, the royal class. This class consisted of the high and lesser chiefs of the realms. They governed with divine power called mana.

• Kahuna, the priestly and professional class. Priests conducted religious ceremonies, at the heiau and elsewhere. Professionals included master carpenters and boatbuilders, chanters, dancers, genealogists, and physicians and healers.

• Makaʻāinana, the commoner class. Commoners farmed, fished, and exercised the simpler crafts. They labored not only for themselves and their families, but to support the chiefs and kahuna.

• Kauwa, the outcast or slave class. They are believed to have been war captives, or the descendents of war captives. Marriage between higher castes and the kauwa was strictly forbidden. The kauwa worked for the chiefs and were often used as human sacrifices at the luakini heiau. In ancient Hawai'i, a luakini temple or luakini Heiau, was a Native Hawaiian sacred place where human and animal blood Sacrifices (They were not the only sacrifices; law-breakers of all castes or defeated political opponents were also acceptable as victims. )^[12]

Balinese caste system

Main article: Balinese caste system

The caste system in Bali is similar to the Indian caste system; however, India's caste system is far more complicated than Bali's, and there are only four Balinese castes:

• Shudras - peasants making up more than 90% of Bali's population
• Vaishyas - the caste of merchants
• Kshatrias - the warrior caste, it also included some nobility and kings
• Brahmans - holy men and priests

Different dialects of the Balinese language are used to address members of a different caste. The Balinese caste system is a system of social organization similar to the Indian caste system. Bali is an Indonesian Island located at, the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος dialektos) is a variety of a Language that is characteristic of a particular group of Balinese or simply Bali is a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken by 3 The Balinese caste system does not have untouchables.

Castes in India

Main articles: Caste system in India, Reservation in India, Caste system among South Asian Muslims, and Caste system among Indian Christians

Caste system among Hindus

Main article: Caste system in India

Hindu society is divided into several thousands of clans and sub-castes called Jatis. Caste (Sanskrit Gyati ज्ञाति, Hindi Biradari बिरादरी samaj समाज jati जाति etc, Urdu Zat ज़ात) is an Endogamous group Reservation in Indian law is a form of Affirmative action whereby a percentage of seats are reserved in the public sector units union and state civil services Caste system among South Asian Muslims refers to units of social stratification that have developed among Muslims in South Asia despite Islam's The Caste system among Indian Christians is attributed to the assimilation of local Hindu practices which has caused caste distinctions to be retained after conversion Caste (Sanskrit Gyati ज्ञाति, Hindi Biradari बिरादरी samaj समाज jati जाति etc, Urdu Zat ज़ात) is an Endogamous group A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical To say "Hindu Caste System" subsumes two very different categories - the varna (class/group)^[13], the theoretical system of grouping found in Brahminical traditions and the sub-castes, more accurately, Jati - clan or (tribe) system actually prevalent in the society, where a person is born into a jati with ascribed social roles. Varna (sa वर्ण varṇa) is a Sanskrit term derived from the root meaning "to enclose" A clan is a group of People united by Kinship and descent, which is defined by perceived descent from a common ancestor A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use The jati provided identity and status and was arguably open to change based on economic and political influences, except for the Brahmins, a group whose culture was difficult to emulate and in all likelihood, not even attractive to others, because of its life of poverty, strict if not stifling personal discipline, piety, learning and teaching.

On the other hand, Varna as enunciated in the Brahminical texts eg Manusmriti, hypothetically categorised the people in the Indian society based on qualities and occupation into just 4 categories and is popularly referred to as the caste system. The Manu Smriti ( Sanskrit: मनुस्मृति is a work of Hindu law and ancient Indian society Broadly speaking, the varnas are Brahmins (priests, scholars and teachers), Kshatriya (warriors and rulers), Vaisya (traders and agriculturists), and Sudra ( workers and service providers). Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय kṣatriya from क्षत्र kṣatra) is one of the four varnas (social orders in Hinduism The Hindu varna (class System, a Vaishya ( Sanskrit वैश्य vaiśya) is a member of the third of the four classes of traditional Shudra ( IAST: Śūdra is the fourth Varna in the traditional four-section division in historic Hindu society Brahmins have usually been described by the western orientalists as the priestly class, but this is not entirely accurate. Indeed, a temple priest need not be a Brahmin, but a Yajna or fire sacrifice priest always was. In Hinduism, Yajna ( Devanagari यज्ञ IAST yajña; also anglicized as Yagna, Yagya or Yadnya In fact, there were categories even among the Brahmins and the priests are usually at the lower end of the Brahmin social scale. The Greeks and the Muslims, eg Alberuni showed a better understanding when they described Brahmins as the philosophers. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία

All others, including foreigners, tribals and nomads, who did not subscribe to the norms of the Indian society were untouchables and called 'Mlechhas'. The people who fell outside the four varnas included the group of outcastes now referred as Dalits or the 'downtrodden', by some. Dalit is a self designation for group of people of South Asian descent who were traditionally regarded as untouchables or low Caste. Thus, an untouchable, or an outcaste, is a person who does not have any "varnas. Varna (sa वर्ण varṇa) is a Sanskrit term derived from the root meaning "to enclose" "^[14][15][16]

Varna: Indian texts speak of 'varna,' which means category, type or order (of things), and groups the human society into four main types (varna) as follows. Varna (Варна is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv Varna (sa वर्ण varṇa) is a Sanskrit term derived from the root meaning "to enclose" Varna (sa वर्ण varṇa) is a Sanskrit term derived from the root meaning "to enclose"

1. Brahmins (intelligentsia)
2. Kshatriyas (kings)
3. Vaishyas (merchants and cultivators)
4. Shudras (artisans andworkers)

In "A New History of India," by Stanley Wolpert, ". Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. For the coffee shop company often called Intelligentsia for short see Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea. Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय kṣatriya from क्षत्र kṣatra) is one of the four varnas (social orders in Hinduism The Hindu varna (class System, a Vaishya ( Sanskrit वैश्य vaiśya) is a member of the third of the four classes of traditional Merchants function as professionals who deal with Trade, dealing in commodities that they do not produce themselves in order to produce Profit. A farmer is a person who raises living organisms for food or raw materials Shudra ( IAST: Śūdra is the fourth Varna in the traditional four-section division in historic Hindu society An artisan, also called a Craftsman, is a skilled manual worker who crafts items that may be functional or strictly decorative including furniture clothing . a process of expansion, settled agricultural production, and pluralistic integration of new people led to the development of India's uniquely complex system of social organization by occupation. . . "

There are countless Jatis or sub-castes (organized by occupations) in India throughout history. Job skills were retained and marriage took place within the same sub-caste. The Brahmins conceptualised a hypothetical system to describe this reality, by categorizing occupation or related job into one of the four broad occupations varnas. Varna (sa वर्ण varṇa) is a Sanskrit term derived from the root meaning "to enclose"

The Brahmins' primary responsibility was to learn the scriptures, teach others and pray for peace, harmony and well being of the people as well of the whole society. Peace, in the modern usage is a concept defined by the ideal state of relationship as absence of hostility at the international level that of a War. In Western music, harmony is the use of different pitches simultaneously and chords actual or implied in Music. They typically had few possessions and relied on others to maintain them. The Kshastriyas'(warriors') responsibility was to provide security and risk their lives on the battlefield to protect the society. The Vaishyas' and Shudras' responsibility was to build the economy and perform economic activity so the society could grow and prosper. Economics is the social science that studies the production distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

Name	Modern Names	Social Task
Brahmins	Teacher/Priests	Learning, teaching and praying for well-being of society
Kshastriyas	Soldiers	Maintain security & protect society from attack
Vaishyas	Skilled workers	Perform economic activity & build economy to maintain society
Shudras	Manual workers	Perform economic activity & build economy to maintain society

Jatis: Evidently, familial, tribal, economic, political and social factors led to the consolidation of the existing social ranks which became a traditional, hereditary system of social stratification. A skilled worker is any worker who has some special skill, Knowledge, or (usually acquired ability in his work. This article is about the skilled manual worker meaning of the term for other uses see Tradesperson (disambiguation A tradesman is a skilled manual worker Jātis (in Devanagari: जाति (the word literally means births) is the term used to denote communities and sub-communities in India In Sociology, social stratification is the hierarchical arrangement of Social classes Castes and strata within a Society. It operated through thousands of exclusive, endogamous groups, termed jāti. Jātis (in Devanagari: जाति (the word literally means births) is the term used to denote communities and sub-communities in India Though there were several kinds of variations across the breadth of India, the jati was the effective community within which one married and spent most of one's personal life. Often it was the community (jati) which one turned to for support, for resolution of disputes and it was also the community (jati) which one sought to promote. People of different jatis across the spectrum,from the upper castes to the lowest of catses, tended to avoid intermarriage or even close social interaction with each other. But now, with rapid urbanization and large scale migration, the ensuing crowded living arrangements and public transport, and the broad-based mix of workplace colleagues, has resulted in a significant churn in social attitudes and an unprecedented commingling. Associations of occupations to caste have been changing as new occupations are developing and people from different castes are venturing into the same new job categories.

The Indian society has traditionally followed different kinds of community (jati) stratification that has nothing to do with religion. With the 1901 population Census, the British colonial administration force-fitted the Hindu jatis throughout India into the Brahmins' 4 varna categories, ostensibly for administrative ease in understanding the ethnic distribution and classification of the population. With the sudden and unprecedented assertion of varna "caste" identities under the British empire, communities (jatis) anxiously sought to place themselves in higher levels within varna categories. Sanskritization is an example of this quest for upward mobility. Sanskritisation may also refer to introduction of Sanskrit vocabulary in another language or dialect (such as Khariboli)

While community (jati) endogamy and food restrictions remains quite strong throughout India, even in the lower caste groups, and though a diverse and rich range of communities is healthy and valuable, the British enforced linking of communities to a particular social Varna status, that has continued to be reinforced by post-independence India for purposes of reverse discrimination, is perhaps the biggest obstacle to the process of dissolution of inherited social status and caste system.

The Brahmins were enjoined by their scriptures and texts, including the Manusmriti, to live in poverty and to shun possessions and temporal power and to instead devote themselves to the study and teaching of scriptures and other knowledge, to pure conduct, and to spiritual growth. The Manu Smriti ( Sanskrit: मनुस्मृति is a work of Hindu law and ancient Indian society In fact, they usually subsisted on alms from the rest of the society, including from those in the Shudra varna. This is an important point in understanding the difference between caste and class, which are usually equated in the westernized mind, with concepts of economic hierarchies and dominating power structures deeply embedded in its world-view and belief systems^[17]

Some activists consider that the caste (tribes and jatis) is a form of racial discrimination. @@@ main@@@ - title Hierarchy@@@ keywords structure; sociology; information@@@ review@@@ - List of racism-related topics|Racism by country Racism, by its simplest definition is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that ^[18][19] This allegation has been disputed by many sociologists such as Andre Béteille, who writes that treating caste as a form of racism is "politically mischievous" and worse, "scientifically nonsense" since there is no discernible difference in the racial characteristics between Brahmins and Scheduled Castes such as the jatav. Andre Béteille is one of India 's leading Sociologists and writers Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. Scheduled Castes ("SC"s and Scheduled Tribes ("ST"s are Indian population groupings that are explicitly recognized by the Constitution of Jatav/Jatiya/Jatba is a sub-caste of the Scheduled Caste in India He writes that "Every social group cannot be regarded as a race simply because we want to protect it against prejudice and discrimination". ^[20]

The Indian government denies the claims of equivalence between Caste and Racial discrimination, pointing out that the issues of social status is essentially intra-racial and intra-cultural. The view of the caste system as "static and unchanging" has also been disputed. The Indian government has been working towards creating equality between castes with guaranteed seats in educational institutions, government jobs (and promotions) and even in the parliament for those of the Scheduled Untouchable castes and tribes. Dalit is a self designation for group of people of South Asian descent who were traditionally regarded as untouchables or low Caste. Scholarships have also been available to all of these groups, so that they can go on to further education more easily and this has raised their social status. Sociologists describe how the perception of the caste system as a static and textual stratification has given way to the perception of the caste system as a more processual, empirical and contextual stratification. Sociology (from Latin: socius "companion" and the suffix -ology "the study of" from Greek λόγος lógos "knowledge" Others have applied theoretical models to explain mobility and flexibility in the caste system in India. ^[21] According to these scholars, groups of lower-caste individuals could seek to elevate the status of their caste by attempting to emulate the practices of higher castes.

Sociologist M. N. Srinivas has also debated the question of rigidity in Caste. Mysore Narasimhachar Srinivas (1916–1999 was a world-renowned Indian Sociologist. ^[22][23] For details see sanskritization. Sanskritisation may also refer to introduction of Sanskrit vocabulary in another language or dialect (such as Khariboli)

Caste in Sikhism

There are no castes in Sikhism although some Sikhs practise using surnames after their names, denoting the ethnic tribe they belong to. This is not casteism. Sikhism has always been opposed to caste system, but not identification with ethnic origins.

There are many ethnic groups and sects in Sikhism such as Ravidasia, Ramgaria, Khatri, Jat, Rajput, Bhatra. Ravidasi ( Panjabi: ਰਬਿਦਾਸੀ or ਆਦ ਧਰਮ) is a sect based on the teachings of Ravidas, who is considered the Satguru. Khatri ( Punjabi: ਖੱਤਰੀ Hindi: खत्री is the Punjabi language adaptation or pronunciation of Sanskrit word Kshatriya Rajput constitute one of the major Hindu Kshatriya groups from India The Bhat community also known as the Sangat community descent comprised majorly of Sikhs The word Bhat is a diminutive of the Sanskrit word meaning ‘bard’

Modern status of the caste system

In rural areas and small towns, the caste system is part of the rural cultural values. Many argue rural cultural values and history should be respected, just like rural society respects city culture. The caste system is part of the multicultural heritage of South Asia, and everyone should show respect to each and every caste. Much like multiculturalism is practiced in the rest of the world. The term multiculturalism generally refers to a state of racial, cultural and ethnic diversity within the Demographics of a specified Caste system mutual respect seems distant, if ever possible, due to caste politics. Caste is one of the major factors in Politics of India. Independent India has seen intense debates over Reverse discrimination, caste-based quotas and

The Government of India has officially documented castes and subcastes, primarily to determine those deserving reservation (positive discrimination in education and jobs) through the census. Reservation in Indian law is a form of Affirmative action whereby a percentage of seats are reserved in the public sector units union and state civil services Reverse Discrimination, is in its simplest form the practice of favouring a historically disadvantaged group at the expense of members of a historically advantaged group A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population The Indian reservation system, though limited in scope, relies entirely on quotas. The Government lists consist of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes:

Scheduled castes (SC)

Scheduled castes generally consist of former "untouchables" (the term "Dalit" is now preferred). Scheduled Castes ("SC"s and Scheduled Tribes ("ST"s are Indian population groupings that are explicitly recognized by the Constitution of Dalit is a self designation for group of people of South Asian descent who were traditionally regarded as untouchables or low Caste. Present population is 16% of total population of India i. e. around 160 million. For example, the Delhi state has 49 castes listed as SC. ^[24]

Scheduled tribes (ST)

Scheduled tribes generally consist of tribal groups. Ādivāsīs (in Devanagari script: आदिवासी literally "original inhabitants" comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population Present population is 7% of total population of India i. e. around 70 million.

Other Backward Classes (OBC)

The Mandal Commission covered more than 3000 castes under Other Backward Classes Category and stated that OBCs form around 52% of the Indian population. The Mandal Commission in India was established in 1979 by the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai with a mandate The Central Government of India classifies some of its citizens based on their social and economic condition as Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Class However, the National Sample Survey puts the figure at 32%. ^[25]. There is substantial debate over the exact number of OBCs in India. It is generally estimated to be sizable, but many believe that it is lower than the figures quoted by either the Mandal Commission or the National Sample Survey^[26]

The Supreme Court of India on Apr 10 , 2008 upheld the law for 27% OBC quota the law enacted by the Centre in 2006 providing a quota of 27 per cent for candidates belonging to the Other Backward Classes in Central higher educational institutions . The Supreme Court of India is the highest court of the land as established by Part V Chapter IV of the Constitution of India. ^{[27] [28][29][30][31][32][33][34]}

Caste politics

Main article: Caste politics in India

Mahatma Gandhi, B. R. Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru had radically different approaches to caste especially over constitutional politics and the status of "untouchables. Caste is one of the major factors in Politics of India. Independent India has seen intense debates over Reverse discrimination, caste-based quotas and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( Gujarati: મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી moɦən̪d̪äs kəɾəmʧən̪d̪ gän̪d̪ʱi (2 October 1869 – 30 January Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar ( Marathi:डॊभीमराव रामजी आंबेडकर ( April 14, 1891 — December 6, 1956 Jawaharlal Nehru (जवाहरलाल नेहरू ʤəʋäɦəɾläl nɛɦɾu (14 November 1889 27 May 1964 was a major political leader of the Congress Party "^[35] Till the mid-1970s, the politics of independent India was largely dominated by economic issues and questions of corruption. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. But since the 1980s, caste has emerged as a major issue in the Politics of India. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. Politics of India takes place in a framework of a federal parliamentary multi-party representative democratic Republic modelled ^[35]

The Mandal Commission was established in 1979 to "identify the socially or educationally backward,"^[36] and to consider the question of seat reservations and quotas for people to redress caste discrimination. The Mandal Commission in India was established in 1979 by the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai with a mandate In 1980, the commission's report affirmed the affirmative action practice under Indian law whereby members of lower castes were given exclusive access to a certain portion of government jobs and slots in public universities. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Affirmative action in the United States|Employment equity (Canada|Reservation in India|Numerus clausus The term affirmative action describes many policies aimed at a historically When V. P. Singh Government tried to implement the recommendations of the Mandal Commission in 1989, massive protests were held throughout the country. Vishwanath Pratap Singh (विश्वनाथ प्रताप सिंह born 25 June 1931) was the 10th Prime Minister of the Many alleged that the politicians were trying to benefit personally from caste-based reservations for purely pragmatic electoral purposes.

Many political parties in India have openly indulged in caste-based votebank politics. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A Votebank (also spelled vote-bank or vote bank) is a loyal bloc of Voters from a single Community, who consistently back a certain Parties such as Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal claim that they are representing the backward castes, and rely primarily on OBC support, often in alliance with Dalit and Muslim support to win the elections. The Bahujan Samaj Party (बहुजन समाज पार्टी is a national Political party in India with Socialist leanings Samajwadi Party (literally Socialist Party) is a Political party in India. Janata Dal is an Indian political party which was formed through the merger of one of the major Janata Party factions the Lok Dal and a group of Congressmen ^[37]

Castes in Japan

Main article: Burakumin

Japan historically subscribed to a feudal caste system. Burakumin (ja {{linktext 部 落 民}} buraku, tribe + min, people is a term often used to describe a Japanese social Minority group. While modern law has officially abolished the caste hierarchy, there are reports of discrimination against the Buraku or Burakumin undercastes, historically referred to by the insulting term "Eta. Burakumin (ja {{linktext 部 落 民}} buraku, tribe + min, people is a term often used to describe a Japanese social Minority group. Burakumin (ja {{linktext 部 落 民}} buraku, tribe + min, people is a term often used to describe a Japanese social Minority group. "^[38] Studies comparing the caste systems in India and Japan have been performed, with similar discriminations against the Burakumin as the Dalits. Dalit is a self designation for group of people of South Asian descent who were traditionally regarded as untouchables or low Caste. The Burakumin are regarded as "ostracized. "^[39] The burakumin are one of the main minority groups in Japan, along with the Ainu of Hokkaidō and residents of Korean and Chinese descent. As of June 2008 Japan 's Population is around 1277 million making it the world's tenth most populated country ʔáinu (also called Ezo in historical texts are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaidō, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin. WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan 's Statistics According to the statistics at Immigration Bureau of Japan there were 593489 Koreans in Japan in 2007 Chinese people in Japan, also referred to as Kakyō (華僑 literally Chinese sojourners) or Zai-Nichi Chūgokujin (在日中国人 literally

Castes in Korea

See also: Baekjeong

The baekjeong were an "untouchable" outcaste group of Korea, often compared with the burakumin of Japan and the dalits of India and Nepal. The baekjeong were an “ Untouchable ” outcaste group of Korea, often compared with the Burakumin of Japan and the Dalits Untouchability is a social system in which people belonging to a particular group restrict people in other groups from interacting with them socially Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Burakumin (ja {{linktext 部 落 民}} buraku, tribe + min, people is a term often used to describe a Japanese social Minority group. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Dalit is a self designation for group of people of South Asian descent who were traditionally regarded as untouchables or low Caste. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. The term baekjeong itself means "a butcher," but later changed into "common citizens" to change the caste system so that the system would be without untouchables. In the early part of the Goryeo period (918 - 1392), the outcaste groups were largely settled in fixed communities. The Goryeo Dynasty ( 918 - 1392) (also spelled Koryŏ was a Sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo Wang Kon. However, the Mongol invasion left Korea in disarray and anomie, and these groups began to become nomadic. Anomie, in contemporary English language is a sociological term that signifies in individuals an erosion diminution or absence of personal norms standards or values Nomadic people, (from the νομάδες nomádes, "those who let pasture herds" also known as nomads, are communities of people that Other subgroups of the baekjeong are the chaein and the hwachae. During the Joseon dynasty, they were specific professions like basket weaving and performing executions. They were also considered in moral violation of Buddhist principles, which lead Koreans to see work involving meat as polluting and sinful, even if they saw the consumption as acceptable.

The opening of Korea to foreign Christian missionary activity in the late 19th century saw some improvement in the status of the baekjeong; However, everyone was not equal under the Christian congregation, and protests erupted when missionaries attempted to integrate them into worship services, with non-baekjeong finding such an attempt insensitive to traditional notions of hierarchical advantage. Also around the same time, the baekjeong began to resist the open social discrimination that existed against them. ^[40] hey focused on social and economic injustices affecting the baekjeong, hoping to create an egalitarian Korean society. Egalitarianism (derived from the French word égal, meaning equal) is a political doctrine that holds that all people should be treated as equals and have Their efforts included attacking social discrimination by the upper class, authorities, and "commoners" and the use of degrading language against children in public schools. ^[41]

See also: Yangban

With the unification of the three kingdoms in the seventh century and the foundation of the Goryeo dynasty in the Middle Ages, Koreans systemized its own native caste system. The yangban were a well educated scholarly class of male Confucian intellectuals who were part of the ruling elite within Korea prior to 1910 and the republics period The Three Kingdoms of Korea ( refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula The Goryeo Dynasty ( 918 - 1392) (also spelled Koryŏ was a Sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo Wang Kon. At the top was the two official classes, the Yangban. The yangban were a well educated scholarly class of male Confucian intellectuals who were part of the ruling elite within Korea prior to 1910 and the republics period Yangban means "two classes. " It was composed of scholars (Munban) and warriors (Muban). Within the Yangban class, the Scholars (Munban) enjoyed a significant social advantage over the warrior (Muban) class, until the Muban Rebellion in 1170. Muban ruled Korea under successive Warrior Leaders until the Mongol Conquest in 1253. Sambyeolcho, the private Army of the ruling Choe dynasty, carried on the struggle against the Mongols until 1273, when they were finally wiped out to the last man in Chejudo. Sambyeolcho was a military unit of the Goryeo Dynasty during the era when the Choe family (최씨崔氏 held the reins of power as military dictators behind puppet kings With the destruction of the warrior class, the Munban gained ascendancy. In 1392, with the foundation of Joseon dynasty, the full ascendancy of munban over muban was final. With the establishment of Confucianism as the state philosophy of Joseon, the Muban would never again gain its former social standing in Korean society.

Beneath the Yangban class were the Jung-in. They were the technicians. They served in lower level government bureaucracy. They were literate, yet were unable to rise into full bureaucratic positions despite passing the gwageo (central government entrance) exam. This class was small and specialized.

Beneath the Jung-in were the Chun min. They were the landless peasants. These people composed the majority of Korean society until the 1600s. They were illiterate, and forbidden from marrying into the Yangban class. During the Japanese invasion of 1592, as many government genealogical record was burnt, many of them fabricated their social origin and moved into the Yangban class. Two Japanese invasions of Korea and subsequent battles on the Korean peninsula took place during the years 1592-1598 With the Manchu invasion of Korea in the 1627 and 1637 and numerous peasant rebellions that followed, the ranks of Yangban families swelled up to more than 60% of the whole country by the late 1800s.

Beneath the Cheonmin were the Sangmin, also called Ssangnom in the vernacular. These were the servant class.

Underneath them all were the Baekjeong. The meaning today is that of butcher. They originate from the Khitan invasion of Korea in the 1000s. As they were defeated, instead of sending them back to Manchuria, The Goryeo government retianed them as warriors, spread out throughout Korea. Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast As they were nomads skilled in hunting and tanning of leather, their skill was initially valued by Koreans. Over the centuries, their foreign origins were forgotten, and were only remembered as butchers and tanners.

Korea had a very large slave population, nobi, ranging from a third to half of the entire population for most of the millennium between the Silla period and the Joseon Dynasty. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another Silla (57 BC – 935 AD was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Slavery was legally abolished in Korea in 1894 but remained extant in reality until 1930. ^[42][43][44]

With Gabo reform of 1896, the caste system of Korea was officially abolished. The Gabo Reform describes a series of sweeping reforms introduced in Korea (at that time called Joseon) beginning in 1894 and ending in 1896, However, the Yangban families carried on traditional education and formal mannerisms into the 20th century. With the democratization of 1990s in South Korea, remnant of such mannerisms and classism is now heavily frowned upon in the South Korean society, replaced by the myth of egalitarianism. However, with rampant capitalism, a new aristocracy is slowly developing, caused by a major gap in income among the people of Korea, with the resulting differences in education and mannerism.

Nepalese caste system

Main article: Nepalese caste system

The Nepalese caste system resembles that of the Indian Jāti system with numerous Jāti divisions with a Varna system superimposed. The Nepalese caste system, like the Indian caste system, is highly complex and continues the traditional system of social stratification of Nepal. Jātis (in Devanagari: जाति (the word literally means births) is the term used to denote communities and sub-communities in India

Caste system in Pakistan

Main article: Caste system among South Asian Muslims

A caste system similar to that in India is practiced in Pakistan. Caste system among South Asian Muslims refers to units of social stratification that have developed among Muslims in South Asia despite Islam's Caste (Sanskrit Gyati ज्ञाति, Hindi Biradari बिरादरी samaj समाज jati जाति etc, Urdu Zat ज़ात) is an Endogamous group Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and In the absence of "classical" castes, typically the proxies used are ethnic background (Sindhi, Punjabi, Pusthun, Balochi, Mohajir etc. Sindhis ( Sindhi: سنڌي) are a Sindhi speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating in Sindh in Pakistan. Punjabi may refer to The Punjabi language of Pakistan and India Punjabi grammar List of Punjabi ), tribal affiliations and religious denominations or sects (Sunni, Shia, Ahmadiyya, Ismaili, Christian, Hindu etc. ).

The caste system which is practiced in Pakistan is extremely similar to the caste system of India. Those particular people in Pakistan who follow the caste system apparently inherited it from the Hindus and Sikhs before the Partition of India. The Partition of India was the partition of the British Indian Empire which led to the creation on August 14, 1947 and August 15, It is ironic that these people follow the Hindu caste system but at the same time, they have dislike for Indians, which was one of the reasons why Pakistan was created. Pakistan is still practicing Hindu customs and are still influenced by Hindu traditions.

The caste system is completely against Islam but the people of Pakistan put their traditions and customs first, then they put Islam second. It is obvious that you're supposed to put Islam first, then you can put your Hindu caste-system second.

In Pakistan, most people don't allow their family members to marry someone of a different province. This is again completely against Islam as discrimination between Muslims is prohibited. The practice still continues to this day and the Pakistani Government has not done anything to encourage the people to intermarry between the provinces.

While caste/social stratification information can be found relating to specific areas in Pakistan, it is not known if any studies have compared how relatively prevalent such attitudes are amongst the various ethnic groups, religious sects and geographies. Also, it is not known if any tracking studies have documented changes in these social attitudes.

Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that there are quite significant differences in how social stratification is practiced within, and between, the various ethnic/religious groups in Pakistan.

The social stratification among Muslims in the "Swat" area of North Pakistan has been meaningfully compared to the Caste system in India. The society is rigidly divided into subgroups where each Quom (meaning tribe or nation) is assigned a profession. Different Quoms are not permitted to intermarry or live in the same community. ^[45] These tribes practice a ritual-based system of social stratification. The Quoms who deal with human emissions are ranked the lowest. ^[46].

The Caste system in Pakistan creates sectarian divide and strong issues. Lower castes (or classes) are often severely persecuted by the upper castes (or classes). Lower castes are denied privileges in many communities and violence is committed against them. A particularly infamous example of such incidents is that of Mukhtaran Mai in Pakistan, a low caste woman who was gang raped by upper caste men. Mukhtaran Bibi ( born c 1972 now known as Mukhtār Mā'ī, مختار مائی) is a Pakistani woman from the village of Meerwala, in the rural ^[47] In addition, educated Pakistani women from the lower castes maybe at risk to be persecuted by the higher castes for attempting to break the shackles of the local, restrictive system (that traditionally denied education to the lower castes, particularly the women).

A recent example of this is the case of Ghazala Shaheen, a low caste Muslim woman in Pakistan who, in addition to getting a higher education, had an uncle who eloped with a woman of a high caste family. She was accosted and gang-raped by the upper-caste family. The chances of any legal action are low due to the Pakistani Government's inability to repeal the Hudood ordinance against women in Pakistan,^[48] though, in 2006, Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf proposed laws against Hudood making rape a punishable offense,^[49] which were ratified by the Pakistani senate. The Hudood Ordinance (حدود مسودہ (also spelled Hudud) was a law in Pakistan that was enacted in 1979 as part of then military ruler Zia-ul-Haq's Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. General (ret Pervez Musharraf ( (born 11 August 1943 NI(M, HI(M, TBt, is the former Military dictator and President of The law is meeting considerable opposition from the Islamist parties in Pakistan, who insist that amending the laws to make them more civilized towards women is against the mandate of Islamic religious law. Islamism ( Islam + ism; Arabic: al-'islāmiyya) a set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only ^[50]. Despite these difficulties, the law passed and is now expected to help the situation in regards to women.

The late Nawab Akbar Bugti, the leader of his tribe and fighting for the Balochistan Liberation Army , criticised Punjabi attitudes to women when he said, "What respect we give to a woman, irrespective of her caste, religion or ethnicity, no Punjabi can understand. Nawab Akbar Shahbaz Khan Bugti (نواب اکبر شہاز خان بگٹی ( July 12, 1927 – August 26, 2006) was the Tumandar (head The Baloch Liberation Army ( BLA) is a Militant Separatist organization "^[51]

Recently, the surge in Pakistani media industry has made the public more aware of such crimes against those economically disadvantaged, living under caste system in rural areas and for abused women. Almost everyday, channels such as GEO air accounts of individuals who have been abused. This has led to increased pressure on the Government of Pakistan to deal with these issues. The biggest beneficiery of this have been women who now have greater access to NGOs working for women.

Sri Lankan caste system

Main article: Caste in Sri Lanka

Castes in Yemen

In Yemen there exists a caste like system that keeps Al-Akhdam social group as the perennial manual workers for the society through practices that mirror untouchability. The Caste system in Sri Lanka is a division of society into strata differing somewhat from the classic Varnas of North India but is similar in nature to Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya The al-Akhdam or Akhdam (singular Khadem, meaning "servant" in Arabic; also called Al-Muhamasheen, "the marginalized ones" In Sociology, a group can be defined as two or more Humans that interact with one another accept expectations and obligations as members of the group and share a ^[52] Al-Akhdam (literally "servants" with Khadem as plural) is the lowest rung in the Yemeni caste system and by far the poorest. According to official estimates in Yemen, the total number of Khadem countywide is in the neighbourhood of 500,000, some 100,000 of which live in the outskirts of the capital Sana'a. While according to the New York Times article (By ROBERT F. WORTH Published: February 27, 2008) there are more than a million. ^[53] The remainder are dispersed mainly in and around the cities of Aden, Taiz, Lahj, Abyan, Hodeidah and Mukalla. ^[54]

Origins

The Khadem are not members of the three castes--Bedouin (nomads), fellahin (villagers), and hadarrin (townspeople)--that comprise mainstream Arab society. ^[54]They are believed to be of Ethiopian ancestry. Some sociologists theorize that the Khadem are descendants of Ethiopian soldiers who had occupied Yemen in the 5th century but were driven out in the 6th century. According to this theory the al-Akhdham are descended from the soldiers who stayed behind and were forced into menial labor as a punitive measure. ^[54]

Discrimination

The Khadem live in small shanty towns and are marginalized and shunned by mainstream society in Yemen. Shanty towns (also called Squatter camps or Favelas are settlements (sometimes illegal or unauthorized of impoverished people who live in improvised The Khadem slums exist mostly in big cities, including the capital, Sana'a. Their segregated communities have poor housing conditions. As a result of their low position in society, very few children in the Khadem community are enrolled in school^[54] and often have little choice but to beg for money and intoxicate themselves with crushed glass. ^[55] A traditional Arabic saying in the region goes: "Clean your plate if it is touched by a dog, but break it if it's touched by a Khadem". Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language ^[54] Though conditions have improved somewhat over the past few years, the Khadem are still stereotyped by mainstream Yemenese society, considering them lowly, dirty, ill-mannered and immoral. ^[55]

Many NGO's and charitable organizations from other countries such as CARE International are working towards their emancipation. The Yemenese government denies that there is any discrimination against the Khadem. ^[52][56]

See also

• Class society
• Elitism
• Feudal society
• Multiculturalism
• Noble lie
• Segregation
• Social stratification

Notes

References

• Spectres of Agrarian Territory by David Ludden December 11, 2001
• "Early Evidence for Caste in South India," p. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. 467-492 in Dimensions of Social Life: Essays in honor of David G. Mandelbaum, Edited by Paul Hockings and Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin, New York, Amsterdam, 1987.

External links

• Caste system in India.
• Caste & the Tamil Nation - Brahmins, Non Brahmins & Dalits
• Caste system in Bali
• Caste In Yemen by Marguerite Abadjian (Archive of the Baltimore Sun)
• India Together on Caste
• Varna Ashram and Hindu Scriptures (pdf)
• The Caste System in India
• Jati system in India
• Articles on Caste by Koenraad Elst: Caste in India, Buddhism and Caste, Indian tribals and Caste,
• Physical anthropology and Caste, Etymology of Varna
• Is Caste System Intrinsic to Hinduism?
• Caste & the Tamil Nation - Brahmins, Non Brahmins & Dalits
• Hindu Caste System & Hinduism: Vedic vocations (Hindu castes) were not related to heredity (birth)
• ISKCON view of caste and behavior
• Information about Velama Caste
• These documented Results of 4-Varn system can make you Proud of your Hindu heritage
• Historic Leaders of Velama Caste

Koenraad Elst (born 7 August 1959) is a Belgian Writer and Orientalist (without institutional affiliation

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