India has a wide variety of cultures, races, religions, and languages. With nearly 1 billion citizens, India is the second most populous nation in the world. One can experience nearly anything in India from trekking the jagged terrain of the Himalayas, to venturing into the shifting sands of the Thar Desert on camelback, to experiencing the majesty of the Taj Mahal. India is a place rich with history, religion, and culture. Due to the religious undertones that influence nearly every aspect of Indian life, many of the sociocultural attributes of India are heavily influenced by its most prominent religion: Hinduism.
As a result of the prominent Hindu influence, people who profess religions that differ from Hinduism, particularly people with
…show more content…
The purposes of this system are to maintain descent and purity of blood, and to segregate the occupations in differing classes. This occupational segregation works to perpetuate hereditary occupation. The four-tiered caste system in India stretches back to over 2,000 years ago. Ancient Hindu texts tell of a primal man named Purush who sacrificed himself in order to make a human society. The different castes were created from different parts of his body. The Brahmin caste was said to have come from Purush’s head. It currently consists of priests whose role is to preserve the sacred learning of the people. The next caste is known as the Kshatriya, which are the rulers and prominent warriors. The Kshatriya are said to have come from Purush’s hands. Following the Kshatriya is the Vaishya caste, which consists of artisans and prominent agriculturalists. Vaishya are said to have come from Purush’s thighs. The final caste is the Shudras or laborers which are said to have come from Purush’s …show more content…
It would seem that the Dalit due to their “untouchable” status would fall in the lowest tier of the caste system. However, the word Dalit literally means “Divided.” The Dalit are literally divided from the Hindu caste system. The primary reason for this division is due to the aforementioned “unclean” nature of Dalit occupations. Most Dalit make their living working as sewer workers, janitors, garbage collectors, and leather workers. Even Hindu texts such as the Manusmriti brand them as “polluted” and “unclean” from birth. According to the Purush legend, Dalits were considered “waste;” something separate from the body of Purush. It is not surprising that so many Dalit embrace Christianity, what with the systemic persecution they experience due to Hindu
Culture consists of the beliefs, behaviors, objects, and other characteristics common to the members of a group or society. Through culture, people and groups define themselves, conform to society 's shared values, and contribute to society. Thus, culture includes many elements of language, customs, values, norms, mores, rules, tools, technologies, products, organizations, and institutions. As elements, values and beliefs determine what is true and just in the society. Example, the American dream is to have a family, be wealthy and work hard. Then come the written rules called the norms. These define how to behave in accordance with the society. Example: The road stops signs, swimming pool “no running” signs and the no smoking area boards which are to be followed. Symbols and language are another indication that help people understand the world. Example: Sports uniforms,
There are four main castes and one in which they consider to be the outcastes. The four main castes are the Brahmin, the next is the Kshatriya, the third is the Vaishya, and the fourth is the Shudra. The outcastes are in the group called Dalits. Each caste has a purpose in life, the Brahmin are considered to be the priestly caste in which they are teach the Veda, and are to “sacrifice for others and receive alms” (Institutes of Vishnu 5-10, pg. 44). The Kshatriya is considered the warriors or the ruler caste, they have constant practice in battles, and they are to protect the world from harm. The Vaishya are to be the merchants and the farmers, they tend to the cattle, they, “engage in farming, keeps cows, trades, lends money at interest, and grows seeds” (Institutes of Vishnu 5-10, pg. 44). The Shudra are the manual laborers who according to the Institutes of Vishnu under the Four Castes, are to serve the twice born men who are to sacrifice and to study the Veda, the Shudra also engage in all the different duties of craftsmanship (5-10, pg.44). In case of a crisis, each caste is allowed to follow the occupation of the caste that is below them in rank. The duties in which all four of these castes, whatever gender or stage of life, are to follow and hav...
The Indian concept of social stratification is peculiar. It is based on what is called Vanna (Varna). Before and during the Buddha?s time, the people were classified according to Vanna. In the Vedic period, the stratification was based on the religious faith. The Rg-veda, the earliest source of the Br?hmnical theory, described the origin of human beings: ?the Br?hman was his (purusha?s) mouth; the R?jahya was made arms; the being (called) Vaisya, he was his thighs; the Sudra sprang from his feet?.[footnoteRef:2] [2: Purusa Sukta, Rgveda, X, p. 618.]
This is based on the different levels of class in society. The system was made from the Aryans, who believed and practiced four main categories of class. The highest were the Brahmin, who served mainly as priests and leaders of religious and spiritual education. The second class was the Kshatriyas, who worked in government and politics, and whose primary aim was to help protect society. Following the second class is the Vaisyas. Vaisyas are considered hard workers and producers. Lastly, the fourth class was the Shudras, and they were considered the unskilled workers. As of today, people are classified into the cast system and it exists and is practiced. Many Indians and Hindus observe and acknowledge this system of society as well. It is easy to apply this categorization system to a broader global scale as well. For example, there are prominent global figures and leaders such as the Pope, who would fall under the category of Brahmin. In addition, President Obama would fit under Kshatriyas since he is a politician. Farmers and artisans could be considered Vaisyas, while Shudras would be comprised of workers in low-paying
In India, the religion of Hinduism in particular, provides two sources of support in regards to the social structure of the era. These sources are the Vedas and the Upanishads. According to The Rig Veda when Purusha’s body was divided “his mouth became the brāhman; his two arms were made into the rajanya; his two thighs the vaishyas; from his two feet the shūdra was born (Reilly, 92).” By splitting up the body in this way, there was a justification for the creation of the varna or caste system. The highest class or Brahmin’s were the priest class, who were also known as the most pure. In this role, they were the connecting figures between Purusha and his people, which is reflective of them being his mouth. The next upper division class was the Ksatriya or warrior/leader class. In the class, the role was to do the fighting which was reflective of them being Purusha’s arms. The artisan/farmer or middle class was known as the vaisyas. In this class, members represented the role of the thighs of Purusha, who were responsible for doing the brunt or tougher jobs in society. The nethermost social class was the sudra, who were serfs and servants. They represented the feet of Pursha, which is reflective of their status as the lowest class. Along with the Vedas, the Upanishads served as a written guideline for the varna. These works urged the concept of doin...
n President Andrew Jackson “ He’s made his decision, now let’s see him enforce it”
Culture can be defined as customary beliefs or ways of an origin. Characteristics that can define culture are that culture is learned, shared, based on symbols, integrated and is dynamic (EarthLink). Culture is something that can be passed down from generation to generation, it is not inherited or in our genes. We are taught culture from everyone around us and being taught culture means we will share it as well. Starting from young ages, elders of family and friends share their experiences and knowledge of the culture. Symbols can be different from all other cultures. All symbols have meaning behind them such as their language, artistic pieces and in some cases, currency. Integration of culture is known as holism, or the various parts of culture being interconnected (EarthLink). Every aspect of culture must all be learned to understand the complete meaning within the culture. Not everything within a culture can stay the same, it can adapt to the new times and changes within the society.
In Hinduism, people are born into their respective caste, determined by parentage. The four main castes are: Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (common people), or Shudras(servants). Each caste has its own duties to attend to, and each is expected to do so without regard to personal thought or choice. If duties are not attended to in the way befitting one’s caste, it is thought that the individual would suffer from bad karma. If an individual responds to situations in a way befitting of their caste, they are likewise rewarded with good karma. This insinuates an easy way to manipulate people into behaving in ways that they might not otherwise behave.
Many foreigners cannot know what makes Hinduism so strange. Hinduism lacks an uniting belief system and many people do not know faithfully what makes up the Hindu religious belief. After one goes in-depth concerning Hinduism, one must be familiar with the fundamental details about this difficult religion. Do you realize that almost 80 percent of the India people find themselves being Hindus? Hinduism is in addition known as the Sanatana-Dharma, which means everlasting religion. Hinduism is the third leading religion following Christianity and Islam and has no one initiator, teacher, or spiritualist and it is not an unconvinced religion. All through this article, I will look further in-depth on what makes up the Hindu religion what the traditional and group influences that have prepared Hinduism fundamental to Hinduism, and I will provide details the yearning for freedom from early existence.
Hinduism is currently followed by one fifth of humankind. (A Michaels, 2004: 12) It is a religious tradition of Indian origin, embracing the beliefs and practices of Hindus. Hinduism is a religion of diverse gods and goddesses. It comprises elaborate ritual and a striking tolerance for diversity, or the possibility of different spiritual paths for many different people and at different times in their lives. (P.F Lurquin & L Stone, 2007: 25) Our Hindu festivals tend to be vibrant and lively, and are celebrated with much devotion and purity.
In each society, there are different types of rules and ideologies that are used in order to help govern its people. Within these communities, these rules create a social hierarchy developed through a ranked system based on either economic value or religious beliefs. A type of ranked system that most people are familiar with is the Caste System in India, which is a system of classification in a society based on birth. This complex social structure is most prevalent in India, where social hierarchy is in affiliation with Hinduism. It recognizes two concepts known as Varna and Jati. Varna is a word in Sanskrit meaning color and includes four main groups: the Brahmans, Kshtriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. The fifth group, the most segregated caste in the system, is the Untouchables. Within each Varna contains an array of sub-caste called Jatis, which are also based on birth. The rules of the cases are governed through religious ideas of purity and pollution. These two socially constructed ideologies determine whether or not you were respected in the community. Caste assignments in India are predestined at birth rather than a personal choice. Individuals act and dress like those of their own caste in public, due to strict caste laws. Pressures of these rules tend to brainwash people into conforming into what society considers pure, as we’ll see in Kakar & Kakar’s reading. As human nature takes precedent, caste rules become less relevant. Indulging in one’s own desires or needs, especially during times of hardship, outweighs any types of rules that we’ll see in Freeman’s reading and the movie Distant Thunder. Though the caste system is such an intrinsic part of life, when faced with needs to survive, it becomes nothing more than just a...
1. Natural and cultural diversity : India has a rich cultural heritage. The "unity in diversity" tag attracts most tourists. The coastlines, sunny beaches, backwaters of Kerala, snow capped Himalayas and the quiescent lakes are incredible.
Divided into four major social categories, the caste system categorizes Hindus, who act accordingly to their caste, into Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Sudra. Another class, the “untouchables,” is considered outside of the system. These five different classes of society define each person greatly. Castes are unchangeable and rarely intermarry. This social division is yet another example of how religion disbands organizations of people.
Huge population, pollution, peace, snakes, saris, dance, curry, and religion are probably the most popular words that come up when we think about India. India is a well-known country. Although it is a relatively poor country, it has a rich and diverse culture. India is populated by approximately 953 million people. It has been a home for many religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Islam and Christianity. The first four mentioned above originated in India (Finegan 151). Seventy percent of the populations are Hindus. In fact, Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion in the world. Hinduism has deeply influenced Indian society, for several reasons: it has a long history in this place, it is related to the social status of Indians, and it is integrated with the cultural aspects in India.
Today, Hinduism stands as India’s primary religion. In fact, India houses 90% of the world’s Hindi population and 79.8% of India’s population follows the Hindu religion, according to the 2011 census. It is thought by some to be the oldest religion in the world and the “eternal law” (Fowler). This culture is truly one as defined by Edward Taylor: “A complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, customs, and any other capability and habit acquired by man as a member of society.” In order to have somewhat of an understanding about what the Hindu religion entails, one must study the Hindu conception of God, its basic concepts and key beliefs, as well as symbolism.