Question

Discuss the changing facets of caste system in Indian society.250 words

Answer 1

(i) Decline in the supremacy of the Brahmins:
There has been a sharp decline in the supremacy of the Brahmins in society. In the past, the Brahmin occupied the topmost position in the caste hierarchy. But today consequent upon the process of modernization the dominance of the Brahmins has been relegated to the background. He does not enjoy the same social status, which he once used to.
(ii) Changes in the Caste hierarchy:
The caste system is no longer a clearly demarcated system of hierarchically-ordered caste groups. As a result of certain factors such as occupational diversification, migration to urban areas, mechanisation of agriculture, boundaries between caste groups are tending to blur or break down. There is an increasing degree of interpenetration between different groups, classes and categories. A gradual lessening of the congruence between caste, class and power is visible.
(iii) Protection of the Harijans:
The governmental policy of protective discrimination has gone a long way in improving the socio -economic conditions of the Harijans. Consequently, their social status has improved to a considerable extent.

Answer 2

It is indisputable that the caste system has been changing. Change has always been present, though its rate in the different aspects of the system has not been uniform.

Changes in the caste system entail three types of changes such as structural and attitudinal change.

Structural Changes:

(i) Decline in the supremacy of the Brahmins:

There has been a sharp decline in the supremacy of the Brahmins in society. In the past, the Brahmin occupied the topmost position in the caste hierarchy. But today consequent upon the process of modernization the dominance of the Brahmins has been relegated to the background. He does not enjoy the same social status, which he once used to.

(ii) Changes in the Caste hierarchy:

The caste system is no longer a clearly demarcated system of hierarchically-ordered caste groups. As a result of certain factors such as occupational diversification, migration to urban areas, mechanisation of agriculture, boundaries between caste groups are tending to blur or break down. There is an increasing degree of interpenetration between different groups, classes and categories. A gradual lessening of the congruence between caste, class and power is visible.

(iii) Protection of the Harijans:

The governmental policy of protective discrimination has gone a long way in improving the socio -economic conditions of the Harijans. Consequently, their social status has improved to a considerable extent.

Functional Changes:

(i) Change in the fixation of status:

In a caste society, birth was taken as the exclusive basis of social status. But in the changing social scenario, birth no longer constitutes the basis of social prestige. Criteria such as wealth, ability, education, efficiency etc. have become the determinants of social status. The significance of caste as an ascriber of status has been relegated to the background.

(ii) Change with regard to occupation:

So far as caste system is concerned, the individual had no choice but to follow the occupation ascribed to him by his caste. But today occupation is not the hereditary monopoly of any caste any more. One is free to take up any occupation he likes according to his ability and interest. Mahatma Gandhi’s movement preaching dignity of labour has drawn higher castes to dirty-hand callings while education has opened white- collar occupations for members of lower castes.

(iii) Changes in marriage restrictions:

Under the caste system endogamy was the basis of mate-selection. The members of a caste or sub-caste were forbidden by an inexorable social law to marry outside the group. But at present the Special Marriage Act, 1954 and the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 have removed endogamic restrictions and declared inter-caste marriages as legally valid.

Of late, several factors such as impact of western philosophy, co­education, working together of males and females of different castes in the same factory or office have contributed to an increase in the cases of inter-caste marriage, love-marriage and late-marriage.

(iv) Change in commensality:

In the traditional system, the unit of commensality was defined fairly rigidly in terms of caste affiliation. In recent times, there has been a gradual expansion of this unit. Today, Brahmins are inter dining with ‘clean’ Shudras. They do not hesitate to take kachha food from other clean castes. Furthermore, they do not hesitate to accept food and water from the members of the lower castes for fulfillment of their political ends.

(v) Change in the concept of purity and pollution:

Kapadia stated that the Hindu concept of purity and pollution was very extensive in its scope and mandatory in its observance till the twenties of this century. Under the caste system occupations were ranked in accordance with their ritual purity. For example, a person coming into contact with a barber was supposed to become impure. Meat, fish, wine etc. were regarded as ritually impure.

A menstruating lady was considered impure and as such the food cooked by her was considered impure. In the twenty first century the importance of these ideas of purity and pollution in Hindu social life has considerably decreased.

Religious sanction no more constitutes the basis of pure and impure. The rules of hygiene have formed the criterion of pure and impure at present.