Castes in Kerala

ToC

• Events

• Castes

• Who are Dalits (Quora)

• Dalits in Hinduism (Quora)
• How did Castes come? (Quora)
• Dvijas (Quora)
• Debunk Caste (Quora)
• Evil effects of caste (Quora)
• State of ST without reservation (Quora)

Events

• Kayal Sammelanam (Lake Meeting)
  • Fight for Dalit rights
  • By Kochi Pulaya Maha Sabha
  • Organized by Pandit K P Karuppan
  • On Feb 14, 1913 in Kochi Backwaters
  • The King of Kochi did not allow the Pulayas to hold a meeting in land
  • Karuppan suggested they hold a plank on a flotilla on the lake

Castes

Fishermen Caste

The word Dheevara is of Sanskrit origin, and has been used to describe fishermen in Gautama Dharmasutra and Mahabharata.

The Dheevara community was formed by Arayan, Valan and other castes to lobby for the fishers' rights, and to seek caste-based reservations in government jobs.

The members of the community formed "Akhila Kerala Dheevara Sabha"(AKDS) and Dheevara Mahasabha ("Dheevara Great Assembly"), which are politically powerful organizations.

The Hindu fisherfolk worship Bhagavati and Kali. Converts to Christianity and Muslim from the fisher castes are grouped under Dheevara.

Who are dalits

Dalits = Outcastes = Scheduled Castes (SCs) = Avarnas (Outside the caste-system)

Scheduled Tribes (STs) = Adivasis (No link to the caste-system)

Other Backward Castes (OBCs) = Shudras (Placed at the 4th or the bottom tier of the caste-system)

Dalits in Hinduism

Here are just a few examples of prominent personages in Indian culture and history who in today's context would be termed 'Shudra' or 'Dalit.' or ‘Backward’

1. Valli - the consort of God Karthikeya, son of Shiva - belonged to a mountain (forest) tribe
2. Sage Valmiki - the Adi Kavi and author of Ramayana - was a forest tribal and a dacoit.
3. Veda Vyasa - author of the Mahabharatha. the cataloger of the Vedas , the progenitor of the Kauravas and the Pandavas - was the son of a fisherwoman Satyawati, and Sage Parasara
4. Chandragupta Maurya - founder of the Mauryan Empire and grandfather of Ashoka - believed to have belonged to the fringe tribe of the Mayuras / or the illegitimate son of a Nanda prince and a maid
5. Thiruvalluvar - arguably the greatest Tamil saint belonged to the weaver community.
6. Several saints - Namadeva (weaver), Tukaram (Kunbi) Kanakadasa (kuruba) Nammalvar (cultivator) Nandanar (Pulaya) Ravidas (chamar and guru of Mirabai) several Shaiva and Vaishnava saints inc. from the Alwars and Nayanmars...to mention just a miniscule few.

Need I say more?? One cannot have more illustrious ancestors than the above surely?

In fact there are 100s and 1000s of them. It was more the norm than the exception. The earlier we go into Indian history and pre-history, the more there are! What does this tell us? The inference is obvious.

How did Caste come

Socio-cultural-linguistic changes brought about by the Aryans to Indian subcontinent

1. Introduction of Chariot and Domestication of the horse are (not present in Indus Valley Civilization) - Ashvamedha- referred to in epics - Ramayana and Mahabharata points to conquest of land using the ‘horse’ as the symbol of power. The origins can be traced back to Central Asia.
2. Depictions of war between races in Hindu literature - Hindu puranas are full of depictions of war between - Deva (Hinduism), Asura, Rakshasa- and other ‘demon’ kings. If these were just wars between similar looking people, then these would have described differently (like Ashoka went to war with Kalinga). This is clearly evidence of ‘racial’ conflict in Indian subcontinent.
3. Introduction of Indo-European languages - Sanskrit being the language of the victors and most caste literature originates from this language points to the fact that caste system was introduced by this event. Sanskrit being one of first written languages to refer to the caste system.
4. Vedic literature - The original Vedic literature does not have references to caste or varna. It was believed to have been added by later to justify the caste system. Refer to the discussion of Varna (Hinduism)and Purusha.
5. Puranic- literature of later origin liberally supports the ideas of birth based caste system. Marking the formalization of the caste system.
6. Manu Smritiand Arthashastra also refer to the caste system showing that the caste system was accorded legal and religious sanction.

There is no evidence for the following claims:

1. Caste system was ‘originally’ based on professions. There would have been uniform intermixing of castes - unlike the asymmetric gene-flow like between populations between ANI/ASI. The Sanskrit term for caste, Chaturvarna literally means four-color. Long list of Gotra (clans) shows that it was based on birth right from its origins.
2. Caste is different from varna mentioned in literature. The fracturing of varna system to finer divisions owing to the development of different professions over a period of time is rational explanation of various castes as the varna’s differentiation continued in the ‘Jati’ system as well.
3. Caste was created by British to divide India. This is laughable because the reference to caste is much older than the British rule of India. It has been referred to in Greek and Chinese traveler accounts of India. No one in academic circles takes this seriously. The British meticulously documented various castes and tribes of India. The caste system itself was a local creation.
4. Everybody was equal in ancient India. The DNA evidence clearly suggests the asymmetric relationship between castes. Literally every Purana suggests the existence of a hierarchical caste system.
5. Horse was present in Indus Valley Civilization. While there were bones detected they are suspected to be of that of donkeys, rather than horses. There is no evidence of its domestication in IVC - Bit (horse), Stirrup, Saddle or Chariot. The wearing of the premolar teeth is considered as the evidence of domestication of horse. There is no evidence of this. (Read more: Domestication of the horse).
6. Trading contacts resulted in the asymmetric mixing of European genes. This is unlikely unless the trade was some form of slavery. Few silk traders leaving their marks on people of entire subcontinent is not backed by evidence. If this was true, the Chinese would have the same genes as well. The silk trade was with them as well.

When dealing with topic, one has to look at scientific evidence instead of the deliberate misinterpretations and selective reading of vedic literature. This comes from those who see these evidence as a threat to their legitimacy. This has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Dvijas

Dvijas (twice-born) i.e. Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas.

Non-Dvijas — Commoners i.e. Sudras.

The Dvijas have privilege, but that privilege is contingent upon them fulfilling three conditional duties which are:–

1. Undergoing Upanayana (Sacred thread) ceremony at the right time. Brahmins at age 8, Kshatriyas at 11 and Vaishyas at age 12 (Manu 2:36)
2. Performing Sandhya Vandana twice a day - morning and evening for the rest of their lives.
3. Veda-adhyayana – Studying and memorising a portion of the Vedas during a period of studentship under a guru.

If these three conditions are not fulfilled they LOSE ALL PRIVILEGE of being a dvija and are demoted to Vrātya status - which is technically an expulsion from caste.

The proof texts are;–

ata ūrdhvaṁ trayo 'py ete yathākālam asaṁskṛtāḥ | sāvitrīpatitā vrātyā bhavanty ārya-vigarhitāḥ ||

After those (periods - age 8 for Brahmins, 11 for kshatriyas and 12 for vaishyas, men of) these three (castes) who have not received the sacrament of Upanayana at the proper time, become Vrātyas (outcasts), excluded from the Savitri (initiation and access to education) and are despised by the Aryans (loss of all privilege). (Manu 2:39.)

na-etair apūtair vidhivad āpady api hi karhi cit | brāhmān yaunāṁś ca sambandhān na-ācared brāhmaṇaḥ saha || 40 ||

With such men, who have not been purified according to the rule, let no Brahmana ever, even in times of distress, form a connection either through the Veda (education) or by marriage. (Manu 2:40.)

na tiṣṭhati tu yaḥ pūrvāṁ na-upāste yaś ca paścimām | sa śūdravad bahiṣkāryaḥ sarvasmād dvija-karmaṇaḥ ||

But he who does not (perform Sandhya Vandana) standing in the morning, nor sitting in the evening, shall be excluded, like a Sudra, from all the duties and privileges of a Dvija. (Manu 2:103.)

Debunk Caste

First of all there are no Hindu gods, only deities. Brahma never created low or high caste only differentiated people based on their work.

Read Bhagavad Gita chapter 18 verse 4.

There is also this misconception that Brahmin were born from head Sudra from feet. No Veda ever mentioned it. It meta-morphed that a Brahmin is head(one who makes decisions). Kshatriya as someone who protects. Vaishya as someone who provide livelyhood. Sudra as person who helps all three(foundation). It shows society in krishna. It doesn't mean we are born from parts. :-! Just as we need every part in our body. A society needs every working class.

We were corrupted by people in long run making a son of Brahmin, a Brahmin and Sudra, a Sudra.

British revived the Manu Smriti?

Shudra only really appears in the Purusha Pustaka of Vedas?

Evil effects of caste

I'm 22 year old and I recently went through a mutual break up because she thinks her parents aren't going to accept the marriagecoz of my caste, it feels sad because all these days I never knew how important caste of a person played in this society and now only because of my caste I lost someone I loved, I never knew about all of this until I was 17, and when I turned 17, I knew that there were castes and stuff, I'm proud of my parents that they din't teach me what it means to be an upper caste or a lower caste, they always told me that everyone is equal, I'm happy I got a cleaner and clear picture of what life is unlike many others who hail from a higher caste but still discriminate people.

Yes. Dalits are unsafe in India.

I belong to the OBC category and I am from Tamil Nadu. Every time, I see the news regarding the mistreatment of Dalits, I get extremely furious. I will narrate some incidents that happened in TN, that would bring to light the atrocities of the so-called "OBC"(Other Backward classes) category people against Dalits in TN. I am not telling that every body from the community discriminates on the basis of caste but it is a trend that is deep-rooted in the society and is very difficult to eradicate.

Did you fall in love with a guy/girl from a higher caste? Get ready to die.

In TN, you frequently hear of news wherein a guy from a lower cast would have fallen in love with a girl or married a girl from a higher caste and after some days that guy would have left a suicide note or would have been killed. This predominantly happens in the southern part of TN wherein these "higher caste" guys form a huge vote bank. So, the police/government does not take a strong stand against these guys thinking that they would lose votes. The political parties don't even issue a condemnation against these groups for the attacks. Ironically, these so called "higher castes" are classified as OBC.

. . . . . .

I still do not know why the North Indian Media does not focus on these incidents with the same interest of Dadri/Rohit cases. Caste discrimination does not exist in the metros but it still is present in rural areas and Tier-II cities. You can easily see "educated" people from the higher caste communities supporting these incidents/killings. India has a long way to go ahead when it comes to equality. Till then, in my view reservation based on caste has to go on but it must be restricted to lower income people. If the situation is so bad in the "developed state of TN", I cannot imagine how worse it would be in the not so developed states.

State of ST without reservation

• https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-worst-thing-about-the-reservation-system-in-India/answer/Swati-Mehta-211 (Film scene)