No one knows for sure how the caste system has evolved in India. But it can be estimated as to how it has originated.
Caste in India perhaps had its
origins in the occupation people pursued. In ancient times mechanization was
very low and it was required that the craft had to be learnt very carefully
under a guru for acquisition of a particular skill. This is passed down generation
after generation. As mobility was very restricted in the ancient times, people
initially tended to take up that particular skill which had an expert in their
neighborhood. Slowly that entire neighborhood acquired that skill and handed it
down generation to generation.
After some time perhaps due to
competition arising out of learning the same skill in another neighborhood
marriages were preferably arranged in the same neighborhood so that knowledge
of that particular skill did not leak out. Slowly with time, the process became
more rigid and the neighborhood which practiced a particular skill got
formulated into a caste. As they lived together and practiced the same skill
and also intermarried, relations within that caste improved and they felt themselves
a part of that whole and caste affiliation became stronger.
Similar communities have evolved in
other neighborhoods as well. As these other neighborhoods already had an
expertise in that particular trade, inter marrying between these neighborhoods
appeared alright because it did not pass on the tricks of the trade to others
who are new to the trade. Slowly all the neighborhoods practicing that trade
evolved into one caste with rigid rules for marriage.
Of course, the same thing could have
happened and caste should have evolved in many other countries too, but
surprisingly there is no parallel to this in the world.
Sociologists are not able to
understand why caste as it is practiced in India, has not evolved anywhere else
in the world.
Perhaps at the time it evolved caste
system did have relevance and despite having its setbacks, has helped the
society to function in a smooth manner. But, in the present day when everyone
is free to learn whatever they please, and choose whatever they please, it
becomes an anachronism and also irrational.
Even today inter marriages between
castes is taboo and we read about the many suicides committed by lovers due to
their parents refusal to the marriage. Of course, there are a few cases of
marriages between different castes but they are the exceptions.
Some people argue that people from
the same caste would have similar habits and therefore it is correct to marry
within the caste. But is that really true? At present it is the economic class
that influences behavior of the people, and families from the same economic
class tend to have a stronger chance of having similar habits rather than
families from the same caste.
Why then do people hang on to a
system that is outdated? Unfortunately, in our society tradition is never
questioned even by the educated classes. When Raja Ram Mohan Roy set up a
college for women at Calcutta, he was furiously attacked by the scholars at
that time because they felt that girls should not get educated. We know now
what a foolish concept that was, but at that point of time it was perfectly
accepted by society unquestioningly.
Similarly, he also fought a bitter
war against Sati, widow remarriage and also property inheritance rights to
women. In this he is way ahead of his times. One would be horrified now to know
that there were some13,000 recorded cases of sati in Bengal province alone in a
period of some 10 years during Roy’s time.
It is the will of that great man that
made him hang on to his beliefs despite all the persecution meted out to him.
Can one man change the society? Well, Rama Mohan Roy’s life is an example
although even he would have been helpless had the British not supported his
actions. Such is the power of tradition.
It is high time now that the caste
should be cast aside by our society. Youngsters should be allowed to marry of
their own liking and caste should not be a barrier.
The biggest barrier to breaking caste
is the concept of caste based reservation. This has ensured that people
organize themselves on the basis of caste and exert pressure of the governments
to get more and more concessions. This strengthens caste groups and the benefit
of their caste is seen as greater than that of the society as a whole. The
reservation system has now ensured that caste differences only deepen day by
day as each caste tries to grab more and more. Such a scenario is never good
for the country as a whole but which political party has the guts to bell this
cat? But, of course which political party is bothered about the country?
What India needs now is a strong
reformer like Rama Mohan Roy. One can only hope that such a person would come
forward and lead our youngsters to a tomorrow, where the word caste gets
confined to the history books. Perhaps this is wishful thinking and a sweet
dream but what else can one do?
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