Discrimination in India
A short essay outlining the origin and meaning of the caste system in India along with a critique on Stalin K.’s film – “India Untouched”.
Is it a Façade that we subconsciously put on or is it the lack of knowledge about the prevailing evils that drives inaccurate judgement of our absolute surrounding? What in fact is “Untouchability”? Where does it occur? Who are the major victims of discrimination, caste or otherwise, in India? Does Stalin K. successfully strike a chord in the eyes of not only the youth but of people in power as well? These, along with others, are questions I would like to attempt to answer in my essay.
To say the caste system is still prevalent in India is a downright understatement; no amount of words can describe how India is still very much a puppet to the strings of a 4000 year old religious system. What is the this so-called caste system? And how does it work?
The answer, as i said before, dates back to 4000 years ago. In short, it is the system of social stratification in which social classes are defined by thousands of endogamous hereditary groups, often called Jatis or castes. Broadly speaking, a caste system is a process of placing people in occupational groups. It has pervaded several aspects of Indian society for centuries. Rooted in religion and based on a division of labor, the caste system, among other things, dictates the type of occupations a person can pursue and the social interactions that she may have. Castes are an aspect of Hindu religion. Other religions in India do not follow this system.
Castes are ranked in hierarchical order (originally, the system wasn't to have a hierarchy based on occupation or birth but purely on personality; this has been skewed somehow over time), which determines the behaviour of one member of society over another. Even in a modern business setting, where caste isn't openly acknowledged, there may be subtle observances of village or family-style ranking. For example, a young official
Is it a Façade that we subconsciously put on or is it the lack of knowledge about the prevailing evils that drives inaccurate judgement of our absolute surrounding? What in fact is “Untouchability”? Where does it occur? Who are the major victims of discrimination, caste or otherwise, in India? Does Stalin K. successfully strike a chord in the eyes of not only the youth but of people in power as well? These, along with others, are questions I would like to attempt to answer in my essay.
To say the caste system is still prevalent in India is a downright understatement; no amount of words can describe how India is still very much a puppet to the strings of a 4000 year old religious system. What is the this so-called caste system? And how does it work?
The answer, as i said before, dates back to 4000 years ago. In short, it is the system of social stratification in which social classes are defined by thousands of endogamous hereditary groups, often called Jatis or castes. Broadly speaking, a caste system is a process of placing people in occupational groups. It has pervaded several aspects of Indian society for centuries. Rooted in religion and based on a division of labor, the caste system, among other things, dictates the type of occupations a person can pursue and the social interactions that she may have. Castes are an aspect of Hindu religion. Other religions in India do not follow this system.
Castes are ranked in hierarchical order (originally, the system wasn't to have a hierarchy based on occupation or birth but purely on personality; this has been skewed somehow over time), which determines the behaviour of one member of society over another. Even in a modern business setting, where caste isn't openly acknowledged, there may be subtle observances of village or family-style ranking. For example, a young official