The following is a description of the Indian caste system according to the Vedic Hindu tradition, as I understand it from my research and from conversations I have had in India. "Untouchability" was officially abolished with Indian Independence, largely due to Dr. Ambedkar's advocacy. As a result , people from this community now identify as "ex-untouchables" or "Dalits", meaning "the oppressed". 

Despite its abolition, however, casteism it is still practiced in ways that are, to this day, brutally violent, as well as more subtly discriminatory. The horrors of the caste system are particularly apparent in village areas, and so many Dalits have moved to urban areas for more opportunity, more safety, more freedom. It is noteable that Gandhi, a contemporary of Ambedkar, encouraged Indians to move back to the villages as a means of empowerment and self-sufficiency. But my Dalit friends have told me,"For us, the village is Hell." Furthermore, Gandhi referred to the Dalit community as "Children of God", a term many found patronizing and unhelpful. Despite Gandhi's commitment to "ahimsa" (non-harm) and his opposition to violence, Gandhi regarded the caste system as the backbone of Indian society.

It is challenging for westerners to understand the impact of centuries of the practice of caste. Many of my Dalit friends told me that "caste is in our DNA" and that in any informal or formal conversation people are trying to establish one another's caste status. Dr. Ambedkar tried to make changes within the caste structure of Indian society, but finally decided that true progress, true "liberty, equality, and fraternity" for India, could only happen  outside the oppressive practice of caste. For this reason he converted to Buddhism, which embraces true equality and equal opportunity. Many hundreds of thousands  of Dalits followed his example, and this mass conversion to Buddhism over the past 50-plus years, is an essential aspect of the Dalit community's social change movement.

There are at present 100,000,000 Dalits, formerly-called Untouchables, in India, a majority of whom are underprivileged in every sense of the term.

 Dalits  face Social, Economic and Religious discrimination as “well-deserved punishment for sins committed in a former existence.”   Traditionally, people born into the Hindu "Untouchable" caste

 MAY NOT: 

* come into physical contact with members of the higher castes

*receive education 

*acquire property  

ARE EXPECTED TO: *

wear only cast-off clothes 

*eat the leavings of their higher caste masters 

*be humble and obedient

*engage only in the most menial and degrading work 

ABUSE:    

Every  year, to this day, between 400-500 Dalits are murdered by their Caste Hindus. Thousands more are beaten, raped, tortured, their homes looted and burned, daily suffer personal harassment and humiliation.

 

The HINDU CASTE SYSTEM is based on The Vedas/Vedic Texts, recorded in Sanskrit, believed to be a sacred language. Major Caste Groupings: SAVARNAS- CASTE HINDUS and AVARNAS- NON-CASTE HINDUS 

SAVARNAS- CASTE HINDUS : 4 Varnas- “classes/colors”

BRAHMIN-  Priest

KSHATRIYA- Warrior

VAISHYA-Trader

SHUDRA-Menial

 

AVARNAS- NON-CASTE HINDUS , also referred to as “the scheduled castes” and “depressed classes”

 “Untouchables” are at the very bottom of the caste system

 One is “untouchable” in one’s very nature. Untouchability is inherited from parents and transmitted to children. One may not marry out of caste. “The Hindu society insists on segregation of the Untouchables” -Ambedkar

UNTOUCHABLE- This person cannot be touched. Contact automatically POLLUTES. POLLUTION is also transmitted indirectly through any medium of contact, like standing on the same carpet, through FOOD AND DRINK. "Pollution" is  transmitted by SHADOW and a GLANCE, and so low-caste Hindus are also considered UNSEEABE AND UNAPPROACHABLE, and may have to keep a certain distance from other castes. 

"UNTOUCHABLES are regarded as objects of HORROR. DISGUST, CONTEMPT, and LOATHING. "Untouchabiility” is inherited. Nothing can alter this position in the caste system. Seen as creatures of filthy personal habits and low morals, who engage in unclean occupations such as the removal of faeces and the disposal of the carcasses of cows and other animals. Even if their personal habits are immaculate and their morals irreproachable and they do not engage in unclean occupations they are still considered UNTOUCHABLE, and contact with them continues to POLLUTE.

 

BRAHMINS 

An extremely exalted position. Even if a Brahmin  is of filthy personal habits and low morals and forsakes his God-given dharma of studying the Vedas he is still a Brahmin and his touch continues to PURIFY. They are regarded as “Terrestrial Gods”,  enjoying numerous privileges, according to various Hindu texts. “The Brahmin is styled the Lord of the Universe, even equal to God himself. He is to be worshipped, served, and respected by all. A Brahmin can do no wrong… To save the life of a Brahmin any falsehood may be told. There is no sin in it…so holy is the water into which a Brahmin has dipped his right foot that the other castes can actually purify themselves by drinking it."

"The Hell of Caste" Disabilities Imposed on The Untouchables:

SOCIAL: Traditionally required to live in ghettos outside the village walls, near sewers, doing the lowest jobs, such as disposing of animal carcasses, removing garbage and corpses, scavenging, sweeping. Not allowed to use certain paths for fear of casting a SHADOW and "polluting" a higher caste Hindu. Not allowed to enter public facilities or attend community gatherings.

RELIGIOUS: No temple entry, may not hear the Vedas. "If he hears them his ears are to be filled with molten tin."

ECONOMIC: Traditionally not paid for their work; a religiously-enforced form of slavery.

POLITICAL: Traditionally no representation or protection.

EDUCATIONAL: Hindu schools were Brahmin schools. Those considered "Untouchable" were not allowed to learn Sanskrit, and thus were not allowed to study. This resulted in generations of ignorance and illiteracy.

The caste system, imposed by higher caste Indians on lower caste Indians, has claimed HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF VICTIMS, and for this reason has been referred to as a HOLOCAUST.

Dr. Ambedkar came to the conclusion that there was no salvation for the Untouchable/Dalit community within Hinduism, and that they would have to collectively change religion. 

Ambedkar declared,"I renounce Hinduism which is harmful for humanity and the advancement and benefit of humanity, because it is based on inequality, and I adopt Buddhism as my religion."