The Caste System And Hinduism - 1483 Words

The caste system and Hinduism have been heavily intertwined since the beginning of Hinduism in 1500 BCE with the Vedic period (Molloy, 80). So much so, that even after hundreds of years the very same structure persisted into the Upanishadic period of Hinduism. The system was based on four castes (varna): The priest (brahmin), the warrior (kshatriya, rajanya), the merchant (vaishya), and the peasant (shudra). The untouchables (dalits) were ostracized from the caste system, as they are considered too impure to partake in the social hierarchy of the higher castes. Two prominent figures tried to help the Dalits at different points in history: Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar. They both had different solutions to help the Dalits escape the†¦show more content†¦Even further dividing the castes is the concept of varnasramadharma (Jones, 2329). With this system, the four varnas have ashrama tied to them, specific duties to complete across the four defined stages of life (Molloy, 89) . This model was developed specifically looking at the ancient ideal life of the highest social caste, the brahmin. This is a prime example of how structured Hindu society is around the caste system, and how dependant they are on the ancient teachings of the religion. The stages of life are linear, and begin at the age of 8 with the ‘Student’ stage. During this stage of life, the person focuses on building a spiritual basis for their life through studying religious texts. At age 20 they enter the householder stage. They typically get married through an arranged marriage from the parents, and fulfill their societal duty of having children. Once their children have grown up and have kids of their own, the person may enter the retiree stage. Here is where they return somewhat to the religious focus of their life much like when they were in the student stage. Finally is the optional stage of renunciate. During this stage the person becomes akin to a monk, they wear orange robes, participate once again in celibacy, and travel to gain further spiritual insight to hasten their achievement of moksha (Molloy, 89-90 and Jones, 2329-2330). However, there is one group that is exempt from the ashrama and varnaShow MoreRelatedHinduism Impact On Indian Society1029 Words   |  5 PagesIn Indian society Hinduism plays a vital role in shaping Indian society. Hinduism plays a vital role in Indian society whether it be through Dharma, the caste system or Hindu rituals. To further explain how Hinduism plays a role in Indian society we need to explain what is Hinduism. One could not give a definite definition to Hinduism. Hinduism is not an organized religion but a set of belief systems and traditions that is in turn a way of life in Indian Society. 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