What Is Caste?
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THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY ANNUAL January, 1959 What Is Caste? (IV) Caste-Society and Vedantic Thought Iravati Karve This is the fourth and last in a series of articles, the first of which, '"Caste as Extended Kin* appeared in the last Annual Number; the second, "Caste and Occupation", in the issue of March 22, 1958; and the thirds "Caste as a Status Group", in the Special Number of July 1958. /// this article the author measures the social isolation of castes from one another against, their eco nomic interdependence and discusses the relation between cultural differences andf social isolation. finally, the social hierarchy is analysed with reference to the religious and philosophical ideas of Hinduism, in particular to ideas which concern inequality. CASTE-SOCIETY is made up in tation, area, and house sites were outside the caste. The attitudes A such a way that a very large mapped. The questions asked showed that only one or two peo proportion of the activity of the were: Who had married whom? ple among the higher castes ex- individuals is confined to their own Who had given presents to whom? pressed the opinion that they did group. This is especially true of Whom did you invite for a meal? not mind mixed marriages. As the social and cultural aspects of For a less informal party? For a many as 25-50 per cent of the their lives. cup of tea? Where were you in Mahars (one untouchable caste) In the economic sphere the in vited for such hospitality? Whom expressed willingness to give their dividuals and the group as a whole did one visit for a few days? A daughters to touchables or receive come in contact with other groups. day and night? Or for a few brides from touchables but were 0 not willing to exchange brides with Buying and selling, serving in hours Who were own friends? Who the Mangs. another untouchable particular capacities and being were children's friends? If casual caste In my definition of caste as paid or served in return, are the help was given what was its nature an extended kinship group this fact ways in which castes come in con and to whom was it given? Who of endogamy has been brought tact, with other groups. In cultural was tenant to whom? Who em out. and social behaviour castes are ployed whom? Who borrowed money from whom? In addition never completely self-sufficient or As regards inviting people to a there were questions about atti isolated. Nor is economic depen meal, going to others for meals and tudes to intergroup intercourse. dence complete in all cases. The visiting for a few days, the activi economic activities which involve The picture that emerged when ties were confined in nearly 90 interaction with other groups arc all the data were tabulated was per cent of cases to the kinship of two types. One type involves that the habitation area in each group. The remaining 10 per cent rendering of certain traditional village was divided into areas con was within the caste group. The services at traditional and general taining houses of one caste. With same was the case with friendships. ly inadequate compensation and in each such area contiguous Dr Mckim Marriot in a personal the other type can be described as houses belonging to one patri- communication told the author economic interdependence where lineage could be discovered as that in his observation in north mutual services and compensations clusters. Besides the caste clus Indian villages also, friendships are more on terms of equality. ters the whole area was generally outside the caste-group were not Whether the economic activity is divided into two main habitation only rare but were generally ac on equitable terms or whether it is areas, one belonging to the higher companied by much shame and a traditional form of exploitation, castes, the touchables and the feelings of guilt. Gift-giving, where it brings individuals from one other belonging to the lowest the pattern is not disturbed by caste in contact with individuals castes, the untouchables. Different modern business relations, is con from other castes. This quality of castes among touchables and un fined almost purely to the kin. being comparatively self-contained touchables within these larger group. areas lived a little separated from in social and cultural activities and Giving and receiving of help in the others. The village habitation at the same time being linked with clude activities ranging from giv other groups in economic activities area was thus divided roughly into ing food-grains to a man in need, is a fundamental characteristic of as many units as there were castes to giving shelter in own house to groups called castes. in the village. (A few exceptions somebody whose house had been were those who did not own a An Interaction Survey burnt down, or nursing in illness. house but Jived in rented quarters.) It was found that outright giving A few examples will elucidate In the three villages surveyed of foodgrains or clothing to peo this. A survey was made two not a single marriage had occurred ple of a caste other than one's own years ago to find out the nature was not uncommon but not a sin and degree of intercommunal ac This survey was undertaken at gle case of sheltering in one's tivity in rural areas*. For this the Deccan College, Poona on own house or nursing an ill person work three villages were chosen behalf of the Planning Com of a caste other than one's own and the head of each family was mission. The report is not yet was recorded. A few people who asked certain questions. The habi ready. had occasion to receive such help 149 100 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY ANNUAL January, 1959 always aid so from the kin or, on ships are formed. These friend- practised not only in central and a few rare occasions, from people ships may remain outside of the south India but also by many com of their caste. family circle and may lead to ten munities in the whole of the south As regards the other activities sions and frustrations. Among east Asia with its continental and people were tenants to people of people working in the same place island world. other castes, they borrowed money similar situations arise. As long There are other cultural peculia from any caste, and accepted em as these friendships are kept away rities which are shared by castes ployment from anybody. from the family and the home over one or more linguistic regions. there is no open conflict but the In parts of the Punjab and U P Links across Caste minute they impinge on that sphere there is a taboo against marriage Thus purely social activities were tensions arise. This is especially within a village. In the south peo confined within the caste while the case among people belonging ple prefer such marriages. In the economic activities cut across the to castes which are educationally whole of the north when people caste-frontiers. On certain occa and economically backward. If a cut vegetables and other things in sions in a village meals are served man of such a caste tries to have a kitchen with a knife, the thing to people of all castes. This does friendship with men of higher to be cut remains on a board while not form an exception to the above castes he is looked down upon as the hand with the cutting imple rule because the meals are not a climber by the advanced set, and ment moves up and down. In the given on terms of equality. Such earns hatred and jealousy from south the cutting implement is a meals are given only by the richer his own caste, who dub him a de blade (curved or straight) which and more influential people of the serter. is fixed in a wooden board on which the cutter sits. The thing to be cut 'higher' castes. The near kin, the Cultural Traits important people from one's own is held in the hand and moved up caste and other people of higher The characteristic of being socially and down while the implement re castes sit for meals together. Such self-contained and its consequences mains stationary. are easy to demonstrate. It is people as the barber, the carpenter, As regards use of different types not however so obvious that cul etc, may come into the house and of utensils it was found in one part tural differences occur among may be served meals in an open of Maharashtra* that Brahmins do groups who hold themselves so shed which is part of the house, not use earthen ware for cooking cially apart because certain im while people belonging to the un while other castes did. Here we portant cultural traits are shared touchable castes may line the road have a cultural trait which dis by people of different castes living outside and get their share of food tinguishes one caste from another over a very wide area. after everybody else has eaten. In in a small area. this context a meal does not entail One caste differentiates itself social give and take on terms of from the other sharply in respect Social Isolation and equality. of the circle of social intercourse Cultural Traits The social self-containedness of especially as it is endogamous, but Social isolation need not neces the caste is broken on certain occa each caste does not differ from an sarily accompany cultural differen sions when all castes in a village other culturally as sharply or as ces.