I was born into a Hindu Brahmin family and lived outside of India. For most of my life, I was shielded from all conversations about caste.
“I don’t even know what my caste is.”
“It only exists in rural areas.”
Even the few conversations I had about caste were almost always about reservations. But was it really a thing of the past? Were we capable of existing outside our caste identity?
The caste system is the social stratification based on one’s varna or caste. There are four categories: Brahmin, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. A fifth category called ‘avarna’ also exists, now known as Scheduled Castes (previously known as ‘untouchables’).
With this 3-part series, I hope to address individuals belonging to the dominant castes (DC) on three key aspects: 1) the role of religion, 2) the relevance of caste in modern India. 3) The pertinent question that most DCs passionately debate about — Are reservations justified?
Where did the caste system originate?
Many believe that the caste system was introduced by the British. But if we look a little deeper, there are mentions of a Varna (Caste) System in Hindu scriptures. But is it as rigid as seen today?
The Role of Religion
There are four Vedas: the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda and the Atharva-Veda. The Sama-Veda doesn’t seem to provide any mentions of…
