6. However, in the course of time, because of many social factors, the four-fold division took the form of an evil caste system which was largely followed on the basis of birth and discriminatory inhuman practices - contrary to what it was originally intended. (KP) -One of the more confusing mysteries of India is the caste system. Dalits, also known as "Untouchables," are members of the lowest social group in the Hindu caste system.The word "Dalit" means "oppressed" or "broken" and is the name members of this group gave themselves in the 1930s. In 1932, he resorted to fasting ‘to block an affirmative action’ planned by Britain in favour of the outcastes, the so-called ‘untouchables’. Hinduism - Hinduism - Castes: The origin of the caste system is not known with certainty. The four-fold division of society which is prevalent in the Indian sub-continent as the infamous caste system is originally intended to serve the human society more efficiently where each strata of human lives performed their duty in peace and in dignity. A Dalit is actually born below the caste system, which includes four primary castes: Brahmins (priests), Kshatriya (warriors and princes), Vaishya (farmers and artisans), … Caste stands for inequalities based on birth and maintained irrationally on the basis of certain evil … Eventually, the caste system became formalised into four distinct classes or 'varnas.' four groups on the basis of action performed or occupation, and attributes or qualities. Essay # Meaning of Untouchability: Untouchability is a practice in which some lower caste people are kept at a distance, denied of social equality and made to suffer from some disabilities for their touch, is considered to be contaminating or polluting the higher caste people. It is a shame that it arose within Indian culture and shameful that most people associate it with Hindu religion. The caste system, which has existed already for more than 3000 years, has been developed by the Brahmins (aryan priests) in order to maintain their superiority. The new legal system: The new legal system, introduced by the British Government, has given a severe blow to the caste system in India. Hindus maintain that the proliferation of the castes (jatis, literally “births”) was the result of intermarriage (which is prohibited in Hindu works on dharma), which led to the subdivision of the four classes, or varnas. Passage from the Rig Veda: (The world was formed from Purusa whose body is described as follows.) B. Society is divided into four main groups (with a fifth, "the untouchables," outside of the caste system). Since 'evil' is selfish behaviour arising from a sense of false-ego, therefore caste system = evil. The Indian law, however, has banned any prejudice or discrimination based on caste. The evil of caste system Ladakh is mostly written about as a famous holiday destination and is considered to be a traveler’s delight. Democracy and casteism are opposed to each other. Gandhi tried his best to undermine the centuries-old caste system and to remove the blot of untouchability from Hinduism. The caste system, as per Hindu Vedas, has four primary castes and several hundred sub-castes. The segregation of people based on their Varna was intended to decongest the responsibilities of one’s life, preserve the purity of a caste, and establish eternal order. A. Though the caste system was developed with a good motive, later, the social evils turned it into an opportunity for oppression and injustice. Caste and Casteism has been a big challenge before Indian Democracy. Caste Structure Essay on Untouchability: Meaning, Evil Effects and Suggestions for Its Removal! 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