The Untouchables: India's Lowest Caste June 10th, 2017

The history of the 20th and 21st centuries is full of equality “to the brim”. Modern society successfully fought for the rights of women, children and even pets. We proudly accept the achievements of civilization, believing that it has reached the extreme limits of the Earth. In reality, everything is completely different...

Ancient cultures They still cultivate the traditions inherited from their ancestors, dividing people not by their qualities - but only by birthright. This is the case, for example, in India, where the untouchable caste makes up as much as 20% of the entire society and has almost no rights. We will talk about the history and life of the untouchables.

1. Varna system

India still has a caste system. The whole society is divided into four varnas: brahmin scholars, kshatriya warriors, vaishya farmers and sudras, servants.

Apparently, this division was born as a result of the contact of an already existing tribal structure with the cultural customs of assimilated communities, the members of which were distinguished by a different skin color.

Representatives of these four varnas can interact with each other, but contacts with Shudras are considered undesirable.

2. Shudras

People from this caste work in socially acceptable jobs. Such a person could be a blacksmith, carpenter, distiller, mason, or even a musician.

3. The Untouchables

The untouchable caste is outside the social divisions of India. They work in the dirtiest places, removing dead animals, cleaning toilets and tanning leather.

Temple doors are closed to untouchables. People cannot do anything about their position, which is determined only by birthright.

Untouchables are strictly prohibited from entering the courtyards of any member of the upper castes, and anyone who dares to desecrate a public well with his bucket will face quick and brutal punishment right on the street.

4. Desecration

The untouchables are despised and, at the same time, feared by all other castes. The fact is that a person from the lower class of society can defile anyone else with his presence.

Brahmins are especially strict about their surroundings: if an untouchable even touches the hem of a brahman’s robe, the latter will have to long years in an attempt to cleanse tainted karma.

5. Where did the untouchables come from?

The existence of a whole class of pariahs was determined by history itself.

In ancient times, India was conquered by civilized Aryans, who did not integrate representatives of the conquered tribes into their society. Arias preferred to use indigenous people as service personnel. They immediately began to build separate villages located outside the walls of the main settlements.

This practice gradually widened the gap between the conquerors and the oppressed, preventing the latter from one chance be integrated into society.

6. Occupation

The worst thing is that the untouchables themselves completely accepted existing tradition Aryans into caste divisions. These people themselves were divided into several sub-castes, according to their type of activity.

IN currently, the most common representatives are chamar tanners, dhobi washerwomen and pariahs, who are engaged in very dirty work - removing garbage and cleaning toilets.

Society modern India 20% consists of untouchables, although the struggle for integration into ordinary society has been going on for decades.

7. The fight for equality

Gandhi's work was continued by a representative of the Brahmin caste, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. The untouchables in his interpretation became Dalits, the oppressed. Ambedkar ensured that Dalits were given certain quotas in each field of activity. That is, representatives of the untouchables now have, theoretically, the opportunity to join Indian society.

But a practical solution to the problem is still very far away. It was only in 2008 that one of the Dalit caste decided to marry a Kshatriya girl. The arrogant groom was guarded by a detachment of 500 carabinieri - and yet, new family They were simply kicked out of the city.

Crime Culture Anecdotes Life Stories The Untouchables: 10 Facts About India's Lowest Caste

The Untouchables: 10 Facts About India's Lowest Caste

In reality, things are completely different. The most ancient cultures still cultivate the traditions inherited from their ancestors, dividing people not by their qualities - but only by birthright. This is the case, for example, in India, where the untouchable caste makes up as much as 20% of the entire society and has almost no rights.

Faktrum talks about the history and life of the untouchables.

1. Varna system

India still has a caste system. The whole society is divided into four varnas: brahmin scholars, kshatriya warriors, vaishya farmers and sudras, servants. Apparently, this division was born as a result of the contact of an already existing tribal structure with the cultural customs of assimilated communities, the members of which were distinguished by a different skin color. Representatives of these four varnas can interact with each other - but contacts with Shudras are considered undesirable.

Photos: Dnpmag.com

2. Shudras

Closest to the untouchables is the Shudra caste. From time immemorial, these people have been forced to do hard and dirty work. Actually, the Shudras can be called certain peasants of India who own large tracts of land. People from this caste work in socially acceptable jobs. Such a person could be a blacksmith, carpenter, distiller, mason, or even a musician.

3. The Untouchables

The untouchable caste is outside the social divisions of India. They work in the dirtiest places, removing dead animals, cleaning toilets and tanning leather. Temple doors are closed to untouchables. People cannot do anything about their position, which is determined only by birthright. Untouchables are strictly prohibited from entering the courtyards of any member of the upper castes, and anyone who dares to desecrate a public well with his bucket will face quick and brutal punishment right on the street.

4. Desecration

The untouchables are despised and, at the same time, feared by all other castes. The fact is that a person from the lower class of society can defile anyone else with his presence. Brahmins are especially strict about their surroundings: if an untouchable even touches the hem of a brahman's robe, the latter will have to spend many years trying to cleanse his stained karma.

5. Where did the untouchables come from?

The existence of a whole class of pariahs was determined by history itself. In ancient times, India was conquered by civilized Aryans, who did not integrate representatives of the conquered tribes into their society. The Aryans preferred to use the indigenous population as service personnel. They immediately began to build separate villages located outside the walls of the main settlements. This practice gradually widened the gap between the conquerors and the oppressed, not giving the latter a single chance to be integrated into society.

6. Occupation

The worst thing is that the untouchables themselves completely accepted the existing Aryan tradition of caste division. These people themselves were divided into several sub-castes, according to their type of activity. At the moment, the most common representatives are chamar tanners, dhobi washerwomen and pariahs, who are engaged in very dirty work - removing garbage and cleaning toilets. The society of modern India consists of 20% untouchables, although the struggle for integration into ordinary society has been going on for decades.

7. The fight for equality

The first shoots of resistance appeared already in the twentieth century. The main activist was Gandhi, who tried to destroy the stereotype cultivated in society by renaming the caste Harijans, people of God. Gandhi's work was continued by a representative of the Brahmin caste, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. The untouchables in his interpretation became Dalits, the oppressed. Ambedkar ensured that Dalits were given certain quotas in each field of activity. That is, representatives of the untouchables now have, theoretically, the opportunity to join Indian society.

Alexander Taranov16.12.2015

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Do you know that there are untouchable castes? In modern India, most inter-caste differences are subtle. IN major cities and settlements, people cease to adhere to the age-old rules of behavior that their ancestors treated with trepidation. However, despite the erasure of caste boundaries, in this amazing country Traditions are still strong and adhered to even by members of the elite.

For example, marriages between representatives of different castes (classes) are strictly prohibited. The situation is even worse for those born in lower castes. Everyone who was destined to be born in India as a Shudra, even today experiences all the injustice of the universe.

Briefly about castes

The entire inflorescence of castes in the Indian community is united into four main varnas.

Kshtarii.
Vaishya.
Shudras.
Untouchables.

Among the people, untouchables are taken outside not only caste system, but also beyond the entire Indian society. But we, adhering to the letter of the law, classify the untouchables as sudras.

All representatives of the Shudras are people whose rights are violated. They get the most difficult and dirty work. Thus, lower shudras work in a narrow specialization (potters, peasants, carpenters, joiners, masons).

Peasants are considered representatives of pure sudras. Most of the kicks of fate fall on the backs of the untouchables. They were the ones who got the most unsightly professions in society. You know about the world famous.

Subcaste categories of untouchables

Since 1930, when the struggle for the rights of the untouchables began, the representatives of this caste have been given the name “Delites,” which means “oppressed.”

Representatives of this caste are still prohibited from touching “pure” people. They do not have the right to own land, and are forced to settle in special quarters, which are usually located on the outskirts of cities and settlements. Most of the untouchables (unclean) are homeless and on the verge of starvation.

The shocking truth is that during the official census conducted in India in 1992, it was recorded that 52% of its inhabitants belong to the lower varna. More than half of them are untouchables.

Chamars

Dhobi

They are also called vannars. People who belong to this caste specialize in hand washing for higher class people . Men are engaged in this craft, since the washing process is quite complex and difficult. After soaking and washing, the linen of “clean” citizens is ironed. The untouchables of this caste live on the outskirts of settlements in large family units (up to 600 people) and do noisy laundry every day.

Hand washing services are very cheap and at the same time high quality. Even famous hotels bring laundry to the untouchables for washing. For their hard work, dhobis earn less than seven dollars a day.

Pariah

These are the real renegades of society who are employed in the dirtiest professions. They got to clean public toilets and streets, burn corpses, and collect dead animals in fields and streets.

Pariahs are prohibited from walking on the sidewalks because they might accidentally touch ordinary “clean” people.

At the end of July, a 14-year-old untouchable, held in sexual slavery by a neighbor for a month, died in a hospital ward in New Delhi. The dying woman told the police that the kidnapper threatened her with a knife, forced her to drink juice mixed with acid, did not feed her, and, together with his friends, raped her several times a day. As law enforcement officers found out, this was the second kidnapping - the previous one was committed by the same person in December last year, but he was released on bail. According to local media, the court showed such leniency towards the criminal because his victim was a Dalit (untouchable), which means her life and freedom were worth nothing. Although discrimination based on caste is prohibited in India, Dalits are still the poorest, most disadvantaged and most uneducated section of society. Why this is so and how far up the social ladder the untouchables can rise - Lenta.ru explains.

How did the untouchables appear?

According to the most common version, these are descendants of representatives of tribes who lived in India before the Aryan invasion. In the traditional Aryan system of society, consisting of four varnas - Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (traders and artisans) and Shudras (wage earners) - Dalits were at the very bottom, below the Shudras, who were also descendants of the pre-Aryan inhabitants of India . At the same time, in India itself there is a widespread version that arose back in the 19th century, according to which the untouchables are the descendants of children expelled to the forests, born from the relationship of a Shudra man and a Brahmin woman.

In ancient Indian literary monument The Rigveda (compiled in 1700-1100 BC) says that the Brahmins originated from the mouth of the proto-man Purusha, the Kshatriyas from the hands, the Vaishyas from the thighs, and the Shudras from the feet. There is no place for untouchables in this picture of the world. The varna system finally took shape between the 7th century BC. and 2nd century AD

It is believed that an untouchable person can defile people from higher varnas, so their houses and villages were built on the outskirts. The system of ritual restrictions among the untouchables is no less strict than among the brahmanas, although the restrictions themselves are completely different. Untouchables were forbidden to enter restaurants and temples, carry umbrellas and shoes, walk around in shirts and sunglasses, but they were allowed to eat meat - which strict vegetarian Brahmins could not afford.

Is that what they call them in India - “untouchables”?

Now this word has almost fallen into disuse and is considered offensive. The most common name for untouchables is Dalits, “oppressed”, or “oppressed”. Previously, there was also the word “harijans” - “children of God”, which Mahatma Gandhi tried to introduce into use. But it didn’t catch on: Dalits found it as offensive as “untouchables.”

How many Dalits are there in India and how many castes do they have?

Approximately 170 million people - 16.6 percent of the total population. The question of the number of castes is very complex, since Indians themselves almost never use the word “caste”, preferring the more vague concept of “jati”, which includes not only castes in the usual sense, but also clans and communities, which are often difficult to classify as one or another. another varna. Moreover, the boundary between caste and sub-caste is often very blurred. We can only say with certainty that we're talking about about hundreds of jatis.

Do Dalits still live in poverty? How is it connected social status with economic?

In general, the lower castes are indeed significantly poorer. The bulk of India's poor are Dalits. Average level literacy rate in the country is 75 percent, among Dalits - just over 30. Almost half of Dalit children, according to statistics, drop out of school because of the humiliation to which they are subjected there. It is Dalits who make up the bulk of the unemployed; and those who are employed tend to be paid less than members of the upper castes.

Although there are exceptions: there are approximately 30 Dalit millionaires in India. Of course, against the backdrop of 170 million poor people and beggars, this is a drop in the bucket, but with their lives they prove that you can achieve success even as a Dalit. As a rule, this is true outstanding people: Ashok Khade from the Chamar (tanner) caste, the son of an illiterate poor shoemaker, worked as a dock worker during the day, and at night he read textbooks to get an engineering degree, and slept under the stairs on the street, since he did not have enough money to rent room. Now his company is doing deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars. This is a typical Dalit success story, a kind of blue dream for millions of underprivileged people.

Have the untouchables ever tried to rebel?

As far as we know, no. Before the colonization of India, this thought could hardly have arisen in anyone’s mind: at that time, expulsion from the caste was equivalent to physical death. After colonization, social boundaries began to gradually blur, and after India gained independence, rebellion became meaningless for Dalits - they were provided with all the conditions to achieve their goals through political means.

How deeply submissiveness has become ingrained in the Dalit consciousness can be illustrated by an example given by Russian researchers Felix and Evgenia Yurlov. The Bahujan Samaj Party, which represents the interests of lower castes, organized special training camps for Dalits, in which they learned to “overcome the age-old fear and fear of high-caste Hindus.” Among the exercises was, for example, the following: a stuffed figure of a high-caste Hindu with a mustache and a tilak (dot) on his forehead was installed. The Dalit had to overcome his shyness, approach the scarecrow, cut off his mustache with scissors and erase the tilak.

Is it possible to break out of the untouchables?

It is possible, although not easy. The easiest way is to change religion. A person who converts to Buddhism, Islam or Christianity technically falls out of the caste system. For the first time, Dalits began to convert to Buddhism in noticeable numbers in late XIX century. Mass conversions are associated with the name of the famous Dalit rights activist Dr. Ambedkar, who converted to Buddhism along with half a million untouchables. The last such mass ceremony took place in Mumbai in 2007 - then 50 thousand people simultaneously became Buddhists.

Dalits prefer to convert to Buddhism. Firstly, Indian nationalists treat this religion better than Islam and Christianity, since it is one of the traditional Indian religions. Secondly, over time, Muslims and Christians developed their own caste divisions, albeit not as clearly expressed as among Hindus.

Is it possible to change caste while remaining Hindu?

There are two options: the first is all kinds of semi-legal or illegal methods. For example, many surnames indicating membership in a particular caste differ by one or two letters. It is enough to be slightly corrupt or charming a clerk in a government office - and, voila, you are already a member of another caste, and sometimes even a varna. It is better, of course, to perform such tricks either in the city, or in combination with moving to another area, where there are not thousands of fellow villagers around who knew your grandfather.

The second option is the “ghar vapasi” procedure, literally “welcome home”. This program is implemented by radical Hindu organizations and aims to convert Indians of other religions to Hinduism. In this case, a person becomes, for example, a Christian, then sprinkles ashes on his head, declaring his desire to perform “ghar vapasi” - and that’s it, he is a Hindu again. If this trick is done outside native village, then you can always claim that you belong to a different caste.

Another question is why do all this. You will not be asked for a caste certificate when applying for a job or when entering a restaurant. In India, over the last century, the caste system has been demolished under the influence of the processes of modernization and globalization. Attitude to to a stranger is based on his behavior. The only thing that can let you down is the surname, which is most often associated with caste (Gandhi - traders, Deshpande - Brahmins, Acharis - carpenters, Guptas - Vaishyas, Singhs - Kshatriyas). But now that anyone can change their last name, everything has become much easier.

How about changing varna without changing caste?

There is a chance that your caste will undergo the process of Sanskritization. In Russian this is called “vertical mobility of castes”: if one caste adopts the traditions and customs of another caste of higher status, there is a chance that sooner or later it will be recognized as a member of a higher varna. For example, a lower caste begins to practice vegetarianism, characteristic of brahmins, dress like brahmins, wear a sacred thread on the wrist and generally position themselves as brahmins, it is possible that sooner or later they will begin to be treated as brahmins.

However, vertical mobility is characteristic mainly of the higher varna castes. Not a single Dalit caste has yet managed to cross the invisible line separating them from the four varnas and become even Shudras. But times are changing.

In general, being a Hindu, you are not required to declare membership in any caste. You can be a casteless Hindu - your right.

Why change the caste in principle?

It all depends on which direction to change - up or down. Raising your caste status means that others who value caste will treat you with more respect. Downgrading your status, especially to the level of the Dalit caste, will give you a number of real advantages, which is why many representatives of higher castes try to enroll as Dalits.

The fact is that in modern India the authorities are waging a merciless fight against caste discrimination. According to the constitution, any discrimination on the basis of caste is prohibited, and you will even have to pay a fine for asking about caste when hiring.

But the country has a mechanism of positive discrimination. A number of castes and tribes are included in the Scheduled Tribes and Castes (SC/ST) list. Representatives of these castes have certain privileges, which are confirmed by caste certificates. Seats are reserved for Dalits in the civil service and in parliament, their children are admitted free of charge (or for half the fee) to schools, and places are allocated for them in institutes. In short, there is a quota system for Dalits.

It's hard to say whether this is good or bad. The author of these lines has met Dalits who can give odds to any Brahmin in terms of intelligence and general development, - quotas helped them rise from the bottom and get an education. On the other hand, we had to see Dalits going with the flow (first according to quotas for college, then according to the same quotas for civil service), not interested in anything and not wanting to work. They cannot be fired, so their future is secured until old age and a good pension. Many in India criticize the quota system, many defend it.

So Dalits can be politicians?

How can they? For example, Kocheril Raman Narayanan, who was the President of India from 1997 to 2002, was a Dalit. Another example is Mayawati Prabhu Das, also known as the Iron Lady Mayawati, who served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for a total of eight years.

Are the number of Dalits the same in all states of India?

No, it varies, and quite significantly. The largest number of Dalits live in the state of Uttar Pradesh (20.5 percent of all Dalits in India), followed by West Bengal (10.7 percent). However, as a percentage of the total population, Punjab leads with 31.9 percent, followed by Himachal Pradesh with 25.2 percent.

How can Dalits work?

Theoretically, anyone - from the president to the toilet cleaner. Many Dalits act in films and work as fashion models. In cities where caste lines are blurred, there are no restrictions at all; In villages where ancient traditions are strong, Dalits are still engaged in “unclean” work: skinning dead animals, digging graves, prostitution, and so on.

If a child is born as a result of an inter-caste marriage, which caste will he be assigned to?

Traditionally in India, a child was registered as a lower caste. It is now believed that a child inherits his father's caste, except in the state of Kerala, where according to local law, the mother's caste is inherited. This is theoretically possible in other states, but in each special case decided through the court.

A typical story happened in 2012: then a Kshatriya man married a woman from the Nayak tribe. The boy was registered as a kshatriya, but then his mother, through the court, ensured that the child was registered as a nayak so that he could take advantage of the bonuses provided to disadvantaged tribes.

If I, as a tourist in India, touch a Dalit, will I then be able to shake hands with a Brahmin?

Foreigners in Hinduism are already considered unclean because they are outside the caste system, so they can touch anyone and for whatever reason without desecrating themselves in any way. If a practicing Brahman decides to communicate with you, he will still have to perform purification rituals, so whether you shook the Dalit’s hand before or not is essentially indifferent.

Do they make inter-caste porn with Dalits in India?

Of course they do. Moreover, judging by the number of views on specialized sites, it is very popular.

As law enforcement officers found out, this was the second kidnapping - the previous one was committed by the same person in December last year. but he was released on bail.

According to local media, this condescension the court showed towards the criminal, since his victim was from Dalits(untouchables), which means her life and freedom were worth nothing.

Although discrimination based on caste is prohibited in India, Dalits are still the poorest, most disadvantaged and most uneducated section of society.
,
How did the untouchables appear?

The oldest Indian literary monument, the Rigveda (compiled in 1700-1100 BC), says that the Brahmins originated from the mouth of the proto-man Purusha, the Kshatriyas from the hands, the Vaishyas from the thighs, and the Shudras from the feet. There is no place for untouchables in this picture of the world. The varna system finally took shape between the 7th century BC. and 2nd century AD

It is believed that an untouchable person can defile people from higher varnas, so their houses and villages were built on the outskirts. The system of ritual restrictions among the untouchables is no less strict than among the brahmanas, although the restrictions themselves are completely different. Untouchables were prohibited from entering restaurants and temples, wearing umbrellas and shoes, walking around in shirts and sunglasses, but they were allowed to eat meat - which strict vegetarian Brahmans could not afford.

Is that what they call them in India - “untouchables”?

Now this word has almost fallen into disuse and is considered offensive. The most common name for untouchables is Dalits, “oppressed,” or “oppressed.” Previously, there was also the word “harijans” - “children of God”, which Mahatma Gandhi tried to introduce into use. But it didn’t catch on: Dalits found it as offensive as “untouchables.”

How many Dalits are there in India and how many castes do they have?

Approximately 170 million people—16.6 percent of the total population. The question of the number of castes is very complex, since Indians themselves almost never use the word “caste”, preferring the more vague concept of “jati”, which includes not only castes in the usual sense, but also clans and communities, which are often difficult to classify as one or another. another varna. Moreover, the boundary between caste and sub-caste is often very blurred. We can only say with certainty that we are talking about hundreds of jatis.

Do Dalits still live in poverty? How is social status related to economic status?

In general, the lower castes are indeed significantly poorer. The bulk of India's poor are Dalits. The average literacy rate in the country is 75 percent, among Dalits it is just over 30. Almost half of Dalit children, according to statistics, drop out of school because of the humiliation they are subjected to there. It is Dalits who make up the bulk of the unemployed; and those who are employed tend to be paid less than members of the upper castes.

Dhavari is a slum in Mumbai where Dalits have lived since the late 19th century.

Although there are exceptions: there are approximately 30 Dalit millionaires in India. Of course, against the backdrop of 170 million poor people and beggars, this is a drop in the bucket, but with their lives they prove that you can achieve success even as a Dalit. As a rule, these are truly outstanding people: Ashok Khade from the Chamar (tanner) caste, the son of an illiterate poor shoemaker, worked as a docker during the day, and at night he read textbooks to get an engineering degree, and slept under the stairs on the street, since he did not enough money to rent a room. Now his company is doing deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars. This is a typical Dalit success story, a kind of blue dream for millions of underprivileged people.

Have the untouchables ever tried to rebel?

Is it possible to break out of the untouchables?

It is possible, although not easy. The easiest way is to change religion. A person who converts to Buddhism, Islam or Christianity technically falls out of the caste system. Dalits first began converting to Buddhism in noticeable numbers at the end of the 19th century. Mass conversions are associated with the name of the famous Dalit rights activist Dr. Ambedkar, who converted to Buddhism along with half a million untouchables. The last such mass ceremony took place in Mumbai in 2007 - then 50 thousand people simultaneously became Buddhists.

Many Dalits live in slums on the outskirts of big cities

Is it possible to change caste while remaining Hindu?

The second option is the “ghar vapasi” procedure, literally “welcome home”. This program is implemented by radical Hindu organizations and aims to convert Indians of other religions to Hinduism. In this case, a person becomes, for example, a Christian, then sprinkles ashes on his head, declaring his desire to perform “ghar vapasi” - and that’s it, he is a Hindu again. If this trick is done outside your home village, you can always claim that you belong to a different caste.

Another question is why do all this. You will not be asked for a caste certificate when applying for a job or when entering a restaurant. In India, over the last century, the caste system has been demolished under the influence of the processes of modernization and globalization. The attitude towards a stranger is built on the basis of his behavior. The only thing that can let you down is the surname, which is most often associated with caste (Gandhi - traders, Deshpande - Brahmins, Acharis - carpenters, Guptas - Vaishyas, Singhs - Kshatriyas). But now that anyone can change their last name, everything has become much easier.

How about changing varna without changing caste?

Untouchable Woman, 1968

In general, being a Hindu, you are not required to declare membership in any caste. You can be a casteless Hindu - your right.

Why change the caste in principle?

It's hard to say whether this is good or bad. The author of these lines met Dalits who were capable of giving a head start to any Brahmin in terms of intelligence and general development - quotas helped them rise from the bottom and get an education. On the other hand, we had to see Dalits going with the flow (first according to quotas for college, then according to the same quotas for civil service), not interested in anything and not wanting to work. They cannot be fired, so their future is secured until old age and a good pension. Many in India criticize the quota system, many defend it.

So Dalits can be politicians?

Kocheril Raman Narayanan with his wife

Are the number of Dalits the same in all states of India?

How can Dalits work?

How will it change social status a person who marries an untouchable?

If this person himself is one of the untouchables, then no way. If he belongs to a higher caste, then this means a violation of custom. Then everything depends on how much his family adheres to unwritten traditions. Things can go as far as expulsion from home, separation from family, and even “honor killing.” If family and friends look at things more progressively, then social status will remain the same.

Suva Lal, a Dalit shoemaker in New Delhi

If a child is born as a result of an inter-caste marriage, which caste will he be assigned to?

If I, as a tourist in India, touch a Dalit, will I then be able to shake hands with a Brahmin?

Foreigners in Hinduism are already considered unclean because they are outside the caste system, so they can touch anyone and for whatever reason without desecrating themselves in any way. If a practicing Brahmin decides to communicate with you, he will still have to perform purification rituals, so whether you shook the Dalit’s hand before or not is essentially indifferent.