Det indiske kastesystem

The Indian caste system has been in use for many years. Still today the caste systems are strongly represented in the Indian society.

The caste system in India is an important part of ancient Hindu tradition. Caste comes from the Spanish and Portuguese word casta, which means race.

There are 3,000 castes and 25,000 sub castes in India, these different castes fall under four basic levels which are called Varna in India. The four different levels of the system are first the Brahmins, who are the priests, teachers, academics and students. The second is Kshatryas, who are warriors and rulers. The third is Vaishyas, who are traders and merchants. And the last is Sudras, who are the workers and peasants. There is also one more which are called daliter once known as the untouchables. It does mean that the higher castes may stay away from them. Because they think that the untouchables are impurity. These people had no caste at all. The Indian constitution has abolished the system of untouchables, but you will constantly find the system in use.

In India, people must marry into their own caste. It is not acceptable for people from different classes to marry someone from a different religion, also some upper class people would not marry into a lower class and a different religion. The untouchables get a bad jobs, such as garbage men.