nswer the following in about 500 words each.
Critically examine the interactional approach to the study of Caste
Answers
Various explanatioils of the origin ofllthe caste have been forwarded, and early
explanations often veer around the ndtion of .attributes1 or 'inalienable characteristics' of
caste. Since we will be examining some of the explanations it would be better if we provide
some idea of these characteristics. These are provided by relfgious theories and by secular
sociological explanations. Let us now turn to the religious theories at first.
Religious explanations of caste origins in Hinduism refer to first of all the theory of 'divine
f origin. of caste. The idea in this theory is developed from verses in the Rig Veda right up to
the Bhagavad Gita in contemporary times. It must be added that this is a Brahmanical
b version and not shared by many other communities.