Religion and the importance of the caste system in India

This system existed for 3000 years and controlled the religious and social lifes. The people lived in segregated colonies and weddings were only allowed inside one caste. It was impossible to escape this order even if it was unjust and regressive.

Until the 18th century, the system was not that inflexible but the British colonial rulers made hard boundaries to have an easy dominion. Even if it got better by the time, for example by Gandhi's protests against the british colonial power, because he thought a caste syThe caste system can be divided into four main castes; Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. All in all there are over 3000 castes. The system is often shown in the embodiment of Brahma, one of the main gods in Hinduism. Next to Vishnu, who stands for preservation, and Shiva (destruction), Brahma symbolizes the creation and the hierarchical order the caste system includes within. The Brahmins are at the top of Brahma, they came from his head and are intellectuals or teachers for example. Kshatriyas came from the arms and are warriors and rulers. Vaishyas work as traders and come from the thighs, and last but not least, the Shudras which do menial jobs and come from the feet. These castes are named Varhas. Outside there are the Dalits, also known as “untouchables”. They were less worthy than other indian people and are therefore treated really badly. stem would not fit in his ideology about a self-governed life and his believe in something equal to the human rights, even if they were decided in the year of his death, but it is not really over today.

Poverty and bad living conditions exist everywhere. So the Shudras, which are relying on menial work to make a debatable “living” are not uncommon classifications to the world.

But India’s Caste System is alive and kicking, quite literally, it is enabling impious crimes against the untouchables. Murder, rape, robbery of the anyhow little possessions of the poor, and every other crime imaginable will not be charged and the culprit will get away with deeds which would have caused them a maximum penalty if done against the higher ups of the Caste System. So the perpetrators with hands itching like Cain’s before Abel’s murder and teeth aching with injustice like Eve’s right after she ate the apple the Indian government reigns over the nation.

The lowest classes are the Dalits and Chamars, who therefore face the most gruesomeness. They are part of the leather skinning castes and are forced by their heritage to accept tasks that are compelled by societal norms like skinning dead cows, which are regarded as sacred. Hypothetically speaking, because an untouchable would never get such an opportunity, even if they were to obtain a PhD it is impossible to escape the caste you were born into and your social status will follow you like a stain of original sin until death offers you redemption. Of course this does not apply if you had the blessing of being born into an admirable cast.

This partly shows the flaws of India’s feudal system, as well. Eventhough the nation celebrates 70 years of independence, the caste and the skin color are still the most important criterions of a person. Therefore only marriages in the same caste exist because no one is ready to condescent to a lower cast or risk social repudiation. All these aspects oppose the independence, which India’s people fought for, for many tears.

 Many people fled violence in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. But it is very difficult to get passports and valid papers. For example the Saigon family arrived in India 2011, after months of trying to get papers they had a visum about two weeks. Finally they got a visum for about eight months. Another example is Mrs. Mala who lives with her daughters and other family members in a small apartment after her siblings were shot back in Afghanistan. After she arrived Indian her husband died. Now the children can not go to school because none of them have valid papers. Only the children who were born in India can go to school. 

Another big problem is the exclusion of Muslims, because this religion has no origin in India. People from the six non-muslim religion could be seen as Indian origin. That's why the Saigon family wants to move to Europe or the USA, because India does not feel like home either. 

There is one more problem with Muslims in India. The Rohingya-Muslims fled violence in Myanmar, because they could not get valid papers, a job or education in Myanmar, because of the law of the government. In India they get deported back to Myanmar, because they are seen as a radical group. 

  

All in all you can say the caste system is a try of the british government to divide the inhabitants which is founded in Sanskrit. Even if the colonial power is over since many years, the hierarchical order stayed. Murder and rapists are a sign of the bad side of this order which exist today. Especially the untouchables suffer still under this and so it seems clear, that only when the medieval practice of the caste system is over there is truly freedom for the people.