Varna, Jati and the Challenge to Caste

The caste system is one of the most debated features of South Asian society. Ancient texts describe four varnas: Brahmins (priests and scholars), Kshatriyas (rulers and warriors), Vaishyas (merchants and farmers) and Shudras (laborers and servants). In practice, social life was organized by thousands of jatis, birth-based groups often tied to occupation, marriage rules and local status. Groups placed outside the varna order, historically called 'untouchables' and now often self-identified as Dalits, faced severe discrimination.

Historians debate how rigid caste was before colonial rule, since British censuses classified and hardened categories. Many Hindu saints and reformers, from medieval bhakti poets to Gandhi, criticized caste prejudice, while B. R. Ambedkar argued that justice required rejecting the system entirely. India's 1950 constitution abolished untouchability and created reserved places in education and government for disadvantaged groups. Caste remains a significant social issue, discussed by Hindus and others alike.