Essay on the Untouchability
Essay on the Untouchability – The practice of ‘untouchability’ is a stigma attached to the Hindu society. It is an age-old one. It has its roots deep down in our social and religious system. Gandhiji regarded this practice as “a leper wound in the whole body of Hindu politic”. He even considered it as “the hate fullest expression of caste.”
It is very difficult to give a clear definition of untouchability. The word ‘untouchable’ applies to the despised and degraded section of the Hindu population. Untouchability is a mass phenomenon of group prejudices and discrimination affecting more than 80 million people of India. Untouchability refers to the solid inhibition of touch emerging from the characteristics of the Indian caste system.
Ideas of occupational purity in the genesis of the caste system led to the practice of untouchability. Untouchability is a practice in which some lower caste people are kept at a distance and denied of social equality for their touch is considered to be polluting or contaminating the higher caste people.
Origin of Untouchability:
There are different opinions regarding the origin of untouchability. According to Manu, the Hindu law giver, practice of pratiloma marriage was the cause for the origin of untouchability. Children born of such marriages were called ‘chandalas’. The chandalas were the progeny of the union of Brahmin female with a shudra male.
Hutton states, ‘the origin of the position of the exterior castes’ (untouchable) is partly racial, partly religious and partly matter of social customs. Dr. Majumdar, Sir Herbert Risley and Dr. Ghurye are in favour of the racial explanation of untouchability.
According to Prof. Ghurye, “Ideas of purity, whether occupational or ceremonial, which are found to have been a factor in the genesis of caste are the very soul of the idea and practice of untouchability”.
According to Dr. Majumdar, the disabilities of the so called “depressed castes” are not ceremonial, but are founded on racial
It is very difficult to give a clear definition of untouchability. The word ‘untouchable’ applies to the despised and degraded section of the Hindu population. Untouchability is a mass phenomenon of group prejudices and discrimination affecting more than 80 million people of India. Untouchability refers to the solid inhibition of touch emerging from the characteristics of the Indian caste system.
Ideas of occupational purity in the genesis of the caste system led to the practice of untouchability. Untouchability is a practice in which some lower caste people are kept at a distance and denied of social equality for their touch is considered to be polluting or contaminating the higher caste people.
Origin of Untouchability:
There are different opinions regarding the origin of untouchability. According to Manu, the Hindu law giver, practice of pratiloma marriage was the cause for the origin of untouchability. Children born of such marriages were called ‘chandalas’. The chandalas were the progeny of the union of Brahmin female with a shudra male.
Hutton states, ‘the origin of the position of the exterior castes’ (untouchable) is partly racial, partly religious and partly matter of social customs. Dr. Majumdar, Sir Herbert Risley and Dr. Ghurye are in favour of the racial explanation of untouchability.
According to Prof. Ghurye, “Ideas of purity, whether occupational or ceremonial, which are found to have been a factor in the genesis of caste are the very soul of the idea and practice of untouchability”.
According to Dr. Majumdar, the disabilities of the so called “depressed castes” are not ceremonial, but are founded on racial