Question

explaim types of indian rural society in term of caste and class​

Answer 1

Some of these features are as follows:

a. Rules of Endogamy and Exogamy:

There exist a number of rules with regard to marital relations. One cannot marry a person, who belongs to the same gotra. A man also cannot marry a girl, who is related by blood. In certain tribal communities, there also exists the practice of village exogamy, as tribals consider that marrying within their own village is a loss of status.

b. Interdependence of Occupations:

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Division of labour on the basis of caste is an essential feature of caste system in rural societies. The economy of the vil­lage was earlier based on the jajmani system. In this system, the occupational castes render services to their jajmans on an exchange basis, either in cash or in kind.

Generally, most of their payments are made in kind. Thus, the village economy is interdependent on caste occupations. Though jajmani system in the present days is losing its significance, there are still some villages in which occupational services are rendered on payment of cash.

c. Importance of Caste in Various Stages of Life:

The life of an individual pass­es from various phases, such as birth ceremonies, marriage and death. Each of these phases is associated with a set of rituals. All such rituals are officiated by a Brahmin.

d. Caste Associations:

Though the power of caste is losing its prominence, caste associations are becoming much stronger, especially in political matters. The caste war, which is found in Bihar today, is due to the power gained by these caste associations. The caste associations make most of the political decisions in rural society.

e. Dominant Caste:

The caste that has greater numerical strength than the other castes, which holds the majority of the land and makes important decisions pertaining to the village, is the ‘dominant caste’. This concept explains clearly that a single caste exercises authority over the whole village. M. N. Srinivas gave this concept of ‘dominant caste’.

f. Village Economy and Caste:

In rural society, caste determines the economic life of people. Though the village economy is diversified, the traditional village occupations determine the status and wealth of rural people. The habitation pattern is also determined by the clusters of the caste.