Cast System in Hindu Society

The term caste was first used by Portuguese to describe inherited class status in their own European society. In English the term caste derived from Latin word “castus” which means “pure, cut off, segregated”. In Hindu social group Caste originated in the 17th century, via Portuguese casta which means “breed, race” The origin of the caste system is in Hinduism but it affected the whole Indian society later it has transmitted to Nepal. The caste system in the religious form is basically a simple division of society in which there is four castes arranged in a hierarchy and below them the outcast. But socially the caste system was more complicated, with much more castes and sub-castes and other divisions. Legally the government disallows the practice of caste system but has a policy of affirmative discrimination of the backward classes.

The origin of this caste system in Nepalese and Indian society relates with the ‘Chaturvarna’ system of Hindu philosophy. Chaturvarna doctrine explains the Hindu society was divided into four main varnas, namely, Brahmins, the kashtriyas, the Vaishyas and the Shudras. The Varna system which was prevalent during Vedic period was mainly based on the division of occupation and labor. The caste system, therefore, has its origin to the Varna system. The present caste system is the modified form of the original.Caste orders the lives of Hindus. Within each varna there exist myriad jati, which are small endogamous groups, tied to a defining occupation, based in a village or group of villages, and which provide for the element of mobility within a system where otherwise birth determines social rank.

Maciver and Page argues that when status is wholly predetermined, so that men are born to their lot in life without any hope of changing it, then class takes the extreme form of caste. Quoting the Report of Indian Statutory Commission, they mention, “Every Hindu necessarily belongs to the caste of his parents and in that caste he inevitably remains. No accumulation of wealth and no exercise of talents can alter his caste status; and marriage outside his caste is prohibited or severely discouraged.”

So we can say that cast is one of the main form of social stratification which is ascribed or gained by birth but not achieved by owns effort.