IN THIS article I will analyse a very important topic, something that has moulded the course of history of our country. It has exerted an even more profound influence recently in reshaping the political landscape and leadership. And till very recently, it had a disastrous impact on the growth of India as a strong nation. Since it has such an influence, all Mauritians must know a minimum of basic facts about it. Castes have been around for thousands of years. They are an integral part of the electoral system of Mauritius and India. How did castes start and how did they evolve ? To understand the present, we must know the past. To understand the concept of caste profiles, we must look back into 5,000 years of the history of India. It requires that we look into the origin of the Aryan language and into the myth of the Aryan Invasion Theory. As we will see, the result is most disturbing? and baffling.

The caste system that has prevailed in India for thousands of years is the system of the Chaturvarnya, meaning the four castes. It is described in the ninetieth Hymn of the Tenth Mandala of the Rig Veda, the Purusha Sukta. This Hymn reads: ??the Brahmana was his mouth, the Rajanya was made his arms, Vaishya was his thighs, the Shudra sprang from his feet.? The Purusha Sukta is a theory of the origin of the Universe, according to the Vedas. These verses explain how the four classes or castes, namely, the Brahmins or priests, the Kshatriyas or soldiers, the Vaishyas or traders and the Shudras or menials arose from the body of the Creator. And these verses have been treated as containing the mandatory injunction from the Creator to the effect that Society must be constituted on the basis of four classes mentioned in the Sukta. As a divine injunction, the Chaturvarnya naturally became the mould that has shaped India.

Though the caste system no longer operates in its original form today, except in some places in India, a caste mentality still operates and it gives rise to caste profiles. It is subsiding, but very slowly. To understand this mentality and the resulting caste profiles, it is necessary to understand some aspects of the original caste system. Let us see what the different castes mean according to a number of ancient texts. For example, the Apastamba Dharma Sutra says ?There are four castes - Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas & Shudras. And each preceding (caste) is superior by birth to the one following.? The Manu Smriti says ?The Creator has ordained teaching, study, sacrifices and also giving and receiving gifts for the Brahmins. Defence of the people, sacrifice, also study, and absence of attachment to objects of sense for a Kshatriya. Tending of cattle, sacrifice, study, trade, usury and also agriculture for a Vaishaya. One duty the Lord assigned to a Shudra - service to those (before-mentioned) classes without grudging.?

The Concept of Untouchability

To explain the caste system diplomatically, it is generally said that it started on the basis of division of labour. However the truth is that different professions, barriers of provinces, varying ways of living and diet, different super-stition and customs led to the creation of over 3,000 castes that were watertight compartments during one?s lifetime.

The Shudras or part of them were also known as Untouchables. To really understand the original caste system, one must also know the concept of Untouchability because it is the ultimate refinement of casteeism. Untouchables were considered as sub-humans and were denied basic rights such as right to worship and education. The most ?degrading? work was reserved for them, like tanning of animals, disposing of dead human bodies and excrement (today these tasks have become professional activities, big projects and big businesses!). Untouchables were considered so impure that the superior castes feared even their shadows. For example, when India was reeling under full British domination, the Mahad Municipality (in Bombay) did not allow Untouchables to drink water from the municipal tank, the Chowdar Tank. They got access to it only after a long struggle under the leadership of Dr Ambedkhar in 1924! It must be noted that the social order prescribed by the Purusha Sukta had never been questioned and shaken by anyone except Buddha and then more recently by Dr Ambedkhar who was considered as Untouchable but is the father of India?s constitution. In Mauritius, there have been very few leaders in the past like the late Leckrajmanee Gungah who had the courage and conviction to question this mentality. He is by the way, the main source of inspiration for this article. In his very interesting book, ?Dans la peau d?un Intouchable?, Marc Boulet describes casteeism very succinctly. He says ?the discrimation based on an imaginary impurity is as permanent as the discrimination based on skin colour. A person cannot change his caste during his lifetime. Only his reincarnation after death can allow him to take birth in a higher or lower caste depending on his past actions. We all know that the world is an unfair place. While the class system is based on achievement-merit, in the caste system however, the person is trapped and there is no social mobility. Untouchability appears to be an as monstrous discrimination as racism?? Indeed, the caste system is a special kind of racism. It is a unique phenomenon because it is directed not against foreigners but against people that belong to the same religion, race and land! Since this principle of racism originates from Vedic texts, it may be called by the name of Vedic Racism. There have been much discriminations in the history of mankind (e.g Apartheid), based on the concept of race superiority-purity. However none has lasted as long as casteeism. Now why did Indian-origin people believed and practised this racism for so long? Is the psyche of Indian-origin people at fault or is there some other explanation buried even deeper into the past? Unfortunately, as we will see later, it would seem to be a combination of both. And the very foundation of a number of beliefs would be overturned!

There are no accurate estimations but 75%-90% of India?s population was once considered to be made up of Shudras and Untouchables, the latter representing 25% of the Indian population. If such a great proportion of a country?s population is deprived of dignity, education and scope for progress, it is normal that it would be weak, backward and would fall easy prey to all kinds of invasions and domination. Imagine what would have been India today without the caste system! Now is there a superior race? If the land of a country ruled by ?superior races? is invaded, this would mean that the invaders are even more superior! Hence, are Indian-origin people prepared to consider Greeks, Moguls, Portuguese, French, British and Chinese people as superior races? But of course they aren?t! Then, what explanation is there for such a behaviour and for the tenacity with which people cling to caste mentality, till today? Though slavery has been abolished in 1834, the mentality associated to it and its sequels are still felt. Slavery would not have been possible without Black African slave-traders who unscrupulously, sold their own people for some material and political advantage. Casteeism has been practised for much longer than slavery and there are still traders of caste profiles.

Caste Profiles in Matchmaking

The unfortunate fact is that most people accept their categorization according to caste profiles and they also believe in their relative grading based on these profiles. Some take their prestigious grades with pride, others accept their degrading with meek resignation. Too few persons are surprised by their hereditary grades. Such mentality is a result of centuries of brainwashing and parental education - which is transmitted like a tradition. These mentalities can be best observed when the question of marriage comes up. Matchmaking is the first instance when caste profiles become important. The second instance is in politics. In the third instance we get the ?socio-cultural organizations?. In fact there are several organizations for each caste. And so far no politician, active or retired and none of the socio-political pundits and intellectuals have thought it necessary to explore or to question this mentality. It is not a question of courage only, it is either a question of personal conviction and integrity or sheer ignorance, and hence and above all it is a question of, especially, moral education. And there are some that are self-declared guardians of this mentality! They do not know how wrong they are. Again it is a question of education. They still have a lot to learn, even in old age. Those in favour of maintaining the caste mentality find support in the widespread theory of the Aryan Invasion Theory (AIT). This theory is based on the book called ?Comparative Grammar? by Dr Bopp which appeared in 1835. In essence, he establishes that most European languages and Persian languages had a common origin and are linked to Sanskrit. Collectively, these languages have come to be known as Aryan languages. In 1853, Max Muller introduced the word ?Arya? into the English and European usage as applying to a racial and linguistic group when propounding the Aryan Racial Theory (ART). In 1870 Sir George W. Cox then developed the theory of Aryan Invasion Theory (AIT). According to this theory, northern India was invaded and conquered by nomadic, light-skinned (white?) race of a people called ?Aryans? who supposedly descended from central Asia (or some unknown land?) around 1500 BC, and destroyed an earlier more advanced civilization of the people inhabiting the Indus Valley, and then imposed upon them their culture and language. These Indus Valley people were supposed to be either Dravidian, or Austrics or nowdays? Shudra class etc. The invaders then imposed the Chaturvarnya.

This theory has found great support among intellectuals and laymen who believe in the caste mentality because it provides them with an Aryan descent and hence the necessary justification to feel effortlessly superior (just Hitler did for nazism). However the AIT may be just a myth! In fact even ancient texts like the Vedas themselves provide information that contradict the AIT. Indeed, the most weird aspect of the AIT is that it has its origin not in any Indian records but in European politics and German nationalism of 19th century. No where in any of the ancient Indian scriptures or epics or Puranas, etc. is there any mention of Aryan migration or invasion or Aryan race. And in 1888, Max Muller himself refuted his own theory and wrote: ??by Aryas, I mean simply those who speak an Aryan language...?. Furthermore, a recent landmark global study (The History and Geography of Human Genes, Princeton University Press) reveals that the people who inhabited the Indian subcontinent and nearby including Europe, all belong to one single race of Caucasion type. According to this study, there is essentially, and has been no difference racially between north Indians and the so-called Dravidian South Indians. The racial composition has remained almost the same for millennia. This study also confirms that there is no race called as an Aryan race. Finally even ancient texts like Vedas, Vishnu Puranas, & Mahabaratas provide proofs that the caste system did not arise out of any superior race invading India, but that it arose as a result of continuous conflicts between the only three clans or castes that existed even before the Purusha Sukta was written, namely, the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas. There is direct evidence of a violent conflict that opposed the Shudra king, Sudas (a Kshatriya) and his priest Vishvamitra against Vasishta, the Brahmin rishi. Later, the Purusha Sukta was modified to institutionalize and sanctify a principle of discrimination against the Shudra clan. In essence, this is Dr Ambedkhar?s (uncontested?) theory. Anyway, how much research is needed to prove that a mentality based on hereditary effortless superiority is just bullshit? Because Indian-origin people are so fond of blindly following traditions and religions, they become adepts of most shameful practices, stupid philosophies and meanest mentalities based on principles written probably by mad priests in total disregard of basic humanism and common sense in a bygone era. That this has been going on for so long a time is most baffling. But this mentality can be corrected. They should give up their dogmatic, narrow minded and backward thinking for scientific, critical, and progressive thinking. Casteeism is racism, hence any caste-based discrimination-insinuation-allusion can be legally treated on par with racism - a crime punishable by law.

Kailash Mani

Ref: 1.?Who were Shudras?? - B. Ambedkar; 2.?Dr Ambedkhar? - D. Keer; 3.?Demise of Aryan Invasion/Race Theory? - Prof. Dinesh Agrawal; 4.?Bharateeya Historiography?- Sriram Sathe.