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.

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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 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 it's already underway more than a dozen years.

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.

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.

In India, fate is determined by the caste system. From birth, every Indian knows what he has the right to, in other words, whether he is a brahmana, a kshatriya, a vaishya, a sudra or an achhuta, he is untouchable. Brahmins belong to the highest castes, untouchables to the lowest. They do all the hardest and dirtiest work. But do they feel “humiliated and insulted”?

More than two thousand years ago in India, a well-known system was formed that divided society into closed professional groups. Since then, every Indian is born a member of one of them, spends his entire life doing the same work as his ancestors, and has neither the right nor the opportunity to change his destiny. The laws of life of each caste are written down in religious and legal texts (dharmashastras) and are observed to one degree or another to this day.

The untouchables (achhut in Hindi) include those who are tasked with heavy physical labor, such as cleaners and tanners. And also fishermen, butchers, prostitutes, traveling artists, street artisans. The most difficult thing in their situation in all centuries was not so much poverty as social isolation. The law prohibited them from eating in ordinary canteens, wearing smart clothes, drawing water from public wells, cultivating the land and receiving education. It is believed that untouchables carry the “dirt” of their profession, and therefore can “defile” a person or food with their touch, and a home or temple with their presence.

Of course, like almost any tradition - whether good or bad - there is a rational explanation for such an attitude. In India, as we know, hygiene issues are matters of life and death. Those who do dirty work are potential carriers of infection. However, over time, things have gone much further than just a reasonable limitation of contacts. Thus, in some southern regions, not only the touch, but even the shadow and the very sight of an untouchable person were declared unclean, and they were forbidden to leave the house during the day on pain of death.

Why have these people for centuries obediently obeyed these cruel laws of life? The answer lies in the sincere religiosity of the vast majority of Indians. Over 80% of the country's population professes Hinduism, which is based on the ideology of dharma. This multifaceted concept includes the categories of morality, duty, law and determines the range of responsibilities of each person. Their fulfillment ensures happiness in the next earthly life. To achieve holiness, it is not at all necessary to go to a monastery, indulging in asceticism and hours of prayer. It is enough to “simply” strictly follow your dharma, follow the path of your ancestors. On the contrary, failure to observe dharma leads to suffering in future life. The fear of them is so strong that it outweighs all the delights of equality.

Such an ideology not only allows the lower castes to come to terms with their situation as a given, but also explains its root cause. Born untouchable? This means I sinned a lot past life. If you are able to atone for your sins through submission and hard work, then in future rebirths you will be able to climb a little higher up the caste ladder.

Of course, times, at the very least, are changing, and since the end of the 19th century, some representatives of the lower castes have tried to rebel against their fate. The first person to really make a difference was Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. Born in 1893, he managed to get an education. There were no special schools for untouchables at that time, but by some miracle his father was able to gain the right for him to attend classes. Despite the fact that the boy was not allowed to enter the general classroom and communicate with teachers (he had to sit behind a screen), even in such conditions he managed to gain knowledge, which was enough to successfully pass the exams at Bombay University. From there, for his success, he was sent to study abroad, and, having studied in England, Germany and the USA, returned to the country with a doctorate and took the post of Minister of Justice. Later, in 1936, together with the great Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar achieved a quota for the lower castes in Legislative Assembly India, and instead of the very concept of “untouchables”, on Gandhi’s initiative, the word “Harijans” - God’s people - came into use.

Later, however, Ambedkar and Gandhi diverged. The first dreamed of destroying the caste system in principle, and the second proposed to fight only its extreme manifestations. But at the end of the 1940s, the minister still managed to take part in the creation of the Indian Constitution: through his efforts, it included articles protecting the rights of lower castes. But even the law could not change the ancient consciousness of society. Then Ambedkar decided to take an extreme step and in 1956 convinced several million untouchables to abandon Hinduism and accept Buddhism...

Living in shacks outside the city, the untouchables are sometimes forced to escape hunger by eating carrion, such as the carcasses of cows. Brahmins, strict vegetarians, despise them for "this weakness"

Not the most unfortunate ones yet...

Today, the number of Harijans in India exceeds the entire population of Russia and accounts for 16% of the country's billion population. Of course, some things have changed over the past half century. Since the lower castes are protected by the Indian constitution, they still have access to sanctuaries, shops and various entertainment venues. In villages they are allowed to use public wells and engage in farming. Moreover, a separate article states that the state takes the untouchables under its guardianship, allocates them free of charge and guarantees a certain percentage of places not only in government bodies, but also in universities. Needless to say, if from 1997 to 2002 even the President of India was an “untouchable” - Kocheril Raman Narayanan.

And yet the law is one thing, and life is another. “Progressive” government officials are one thing, and villagers are another, for whom the main guide to action is still the ancestral law, the dharmashastra. Yes, untouchables are allowed into the cafe, but there are separate dishes for them. Yes, they can buy in shops, but in a special way: they say what they need, put money on the threshold and take their goods from the threshold. Yes, their children can now attend public schools, but they do not have the right to pour their own water - so as not to defile it - and are obliged to wait until a representative of other castes helps them. As a result, they sometimes cannot quench their thirst for hours.

All this - despite the fact that according to Decree No. 22, adopted back in 1955, in cases of any discrimination, be it a ban on entering a temple or a ban on using ordinary utensils in a restaurant, the violator can be punished with imprisonment for up to 6 months or fine up to 500 rupees! Even any verbal insults to these people are prohibited, although Lately The word “dalit” came into use, which literally means “trampled under foot.”

In the northern states, in order to fight Dalits who are actively defending their rights, the upper castes even create militant groups - the Sens. Fanatical adherents of traditions act simply - by the method of extermination, not sparing even pregnant women and children, dreaming of one thing: to wipe off the face of the earth the overly zealous untouchables. The police response is very sluggish. So, in 2002, the leader of the large gang “Ranvir Sena” was arrested. However, over the previous six years, she managed to carry out 36 attacks, during which 400 people were killed (in particular, in 1997, 60 untouchables were killed during one raid).

IN last years The incident in Haryana also caused a lot of noise. In September 2002, five tanners from the Jatav caste skinned a still-living cow lying on the side of the road. A group of high-caste Indians who saw this attacked the intruders and killed them. Two criminal cases were opened simultaneously - against the dead, according to the Law on the Restriction of Killing of Cows, which protects all sacred animals, except sick and infectious ones - and against a group of people under the article “murder”. It is noteworthy that the body of a cow was first taken away for an autopsy, and only then the bodies of people. However, according to officials, they only wanted to establish whether the cow was actually alive at the time of skinning, which would explain the actions of the crowd.

And just a year ago, in the village of Hairalanji, about forty high-caste Indians, in front of the entire village and for no apparent reason, committed a brutal massacre of an untouchable family. They dragged two women and two men out of the house, stripped them, broke their legs so that they could not escape, and began beating them with bicycle chains. And then they finished them off with axes and violated the bodies. Last fact, by the way, subsequently disappeared from the indictment. Most likely, for political reasons - the authorities tried to somehow soften the cruelty of what happened in the eyes of society in order to avoid mass protests by untouchables. After all, cruelty is rarely one-sided: it has happened that protests of “God’s people” ended in human casualties.

In general, the Harijans are just one link in the big “caste problem.” As life has proven, it is easier to change religion than to destroy this “system of predestination.” People still convert en masse to Buddhism, Islam or Christianity, and their position in Indian society automatically improves: a Muslim in a village can actually use a well, but an untouchable can only use a well on paper.

Significantly improve your position within caste system maybe either an exceptionally gifted person, like Ambedkar, or a particularly consolidated caste. For now, Nadar remains a unique case of this kind. Since the end of the 19th century, these untouchables have diligently copied the habits and rules of life of the Brahmins, such as vegetarianism, wearing a sacred thread, etc. In addition, they persistently abandoned their traditional occupation - making an alcoholic drink from palm sap, spread legends about their high origins and taught their children as best they could. As a result, the attitude towards them changed. Today Nadars are considered a pure caste and can engage in, say, trade.

In a house where there is a portrait of Ambedkar - an untouchable who made his way to minister - hope does not die

However, most of them are quite happy with their lot - fortunately, children in Indian families from an early age begin to be taught the basics of the structure and hierarchy of the caste system. By the way, it also has its advantages - a person is provided with work and the support of his fellow workers until his death. As for the tough position of the orthodox Brahmins, the Harijans themselves are not eager to communicate with them and slightly despise the priests for laziness and inability to do physical labor.

For that matter, in India, untouchables are far from the most unfortunate people. Widows are treated the worst. Today, those who have lost their husbands no longer have to burn themselves on the funeral pyre of the deceased, as several centuries ago, but they still do not have the right to work, are required to shave their heads and wear simple clothes, and only their closest relatives can communicate with them. It is believed that contact with a widow brings a curse on a person - worse than what an untouchable can bring...

The untouchable caste in India is a phenomenon that cannot be found in any other country in the world. Originating in ancient times, the caste division of society exists in the country to this day. The lowest level in the hierarchy is occupied by the untouchable caste, which includes 16-17% of the country's population. Its representatives constitute the “bottom” of Indian society. Caste structure - complex issue, but still let’s try to shed light on some of its aspects.

Caste structure of Indian society

Despite the difficulty of reconstructing a complete structural picture of castes in the distant past, it is still possible to identify historical groups in India. There are five of them.

The highest group (varna) of brahmanas includes civil servants, large and small landowners, and priests.

Next comes the Kshatriya varna, which included the military and agricultural castes - Rajaputs, Jats, Marathas, Kunbis, Reddis, Kapus, etc. Some of them form a feudal stratum, the representatives of which later join the lower and middle ranks of the feudal class.

The next two groups (vaishyas and sudras) include the middle and lower castes of farmers, officials, artisans, and community servants.

And finally, the fifth group. It includes the castes of community servants and farmers, deprived of all rights to own and use land. They are called untouchables.

“India”, “untouchable caste” are concepts inextricably linked with each other in the minds of the world community. Meanwhile, in a country with ancient culture continue to honor the customs and traditions of their ancestors in dividing people according to their origin and belonging to a caste.

The history of the untouchables

The lowest caste in India - the untouchables - owes its appearance to historical process, which took place in the Middle Ages in the region. At that time, India was conquered by stronger and more civilized tribes. Naturally, the invaders came to the country with the aim of enslaving its indigenous population, preparing for them the role of servants.

To isolate the Indians, they were settled in special settlements built separately, similar to modern ghettos. Civilized outsiders did not allow the natives into their community.

It is assumed that it was the descendants of these tribes who subsequently formed the untouchable caste. It included farmers and servants of the community.

True, today the word “untouchables” has been replaced by another - “Dalits”, which means “oppressed”. It is believed that "untouchables" sounds offensive.

Since Indians often use the word "jati" rather than "caste", their number is difficult to determine. But still, Dalits can be divided by occupation and place of residence.

How do the untouchables live?

The most common Dalit castes are Chamars (tanners), Dhobis (washerwomen) and Pariahs. If the first two castes have some kind of profession, then the pariahs live only on unskilled labor - removing household waste, cleaning and washing toilets.

Hard and dirty work is the fate of the untouchables. The lack of any qualifications brings them a meager income, allowing only

However, among the untouchables there are groups that are at the top of the caste, such as the hijras.

These are representatives of all kinds of sexual minorities who engage in prostitution and begging. They are also often invited to all kinds of religious rituals, weddings, and birthdays. Of course, this group has much more to live on than the untouchable tanner or laundress.

But such an existence could not but cause protest among the Dalits.

Protest struggle of the untouchables

Surprisingly, the untouchables did not resist the tradition of division into castes imposed by the invaders. However, in the last century the situation changed: the untouchables, under the leadership of Gandhi, made the first attempts to destroy the stereotype that had developed over centuries.

The essence of these performances was to draw public attention to caste inequality in India.

Interestingly, Gandhi's cause was taken up by a certain Ambedkar from the Brahmin caste. Thanks to him, the untouchables became Dalits. Ambedkar ensured that they received quotas for all types of professional activity. That is, an attempt was made to integrate these people into society.

Today's controversial policies of the Indian government often cause conflicts involving untouchables.

However, it does not come to a riot, because the untouchable caste in India is the most submissive part of the Indian community. The age-old timidity of other castes, ingrained in the consciousness of people, blocks any thoughts of rebellion.

Indian Government Policy and Dalits

The untouchables... The life of the harshest caste in India evokes a cautious and even contradictory reaction from the outside, since we are talking about the age-old traditions of the Indians.

But still, caste discrimination is prohibited at the state level in the country. Actions that offend members of any varna are considered a crime.

At the same time, the caste hierarchy is legalized by the country's constitution. That is, the untouchable caste in India is recognized by the state, which looks like a serious contradiction in government policy. As a result modern history countries have many serious conflicts between individual castes and even within them.

The untouchables are the most despised class in India. However, other citizens are still terribly afraid of Dalits.

It is believed that a representative of an untouchable caste in India is capable of desecrating a person from another varna by his very presence. If a Dalit touches the clothes of a Brahman, the latter will need more than one year to cleanse his karma of filth.

But an untouchable (the caste of South India includes both men and women) may well become the object of sexual violence. And no defilement of karma occurs in this case, since this is not prohibited by Indian customs.

An example is the recent case in New Delhi, where a 14-year-old untouchable girl was kept as a sex slave for a month by a criminal. The unfortunate woman died in the hospital, and the detained criminal was released by the court on bail.

At the same time, if an untouchable violates the traditions of his ancestors, for example, he dares to publicly use a public well, then the poor fellow will face swift reprisals on the spot.

Dalit is not a sentence of fate

The untouchable caste in India, despite government policies, still remains the poorest and most disadvantaged part of the population. The average literacy rate among them is a little over 30.

The situation is explained by the humiliation to which they are subjected in educational institutions children of this caste. As a result, illiterate Dalits constitute the bulk of the unemployed in the country.

However, there are exceptions to the rule: about 30 millionaires in the country are Dalits. Of course, this is tiny compared to the 170 million untouchables. But this fact says that Dalit is not a decree of fate.

An example is the life of Ashok Khade, who belonged to the tanner caste. The guy worked as a docker during the day and studied textbooks at night to become an engineer. His company currently closes deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

There is also the opportunity to leave the Dalit caste - this is a change of religion.

Buddhism, Christianity, Islam - any faith technically takes a person out of the untouchables. This was first used in late XIX century, and in 2007, 50 thousand people immediately accepted Buddhism.

What is the caste system? Caste (from the Portuguese casta - gens, generation and descent) or Varna (translated from Sanskrit - color), a term applied primarily to the main division of Hindu society in the Indian subcontinent. According to Hindu belief, there are four main Varnas (castes) - Brahmans (officials), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (merchants) and Shudras (peasants, workers, servants).

Of the most early works It is known from Sanskrit literature that the peoples who spoke Aryan dialects during the period of the initial settlement of India (from approximately 1500 to 1200 BC) were already divided into four main classes, later called Varnas. Modern castes are divided into a large number of sub-castes - jati.

Hindus believe in reincarnation and believe that those who follow the rules of their caste will rise to a higher caste by birth in a future life, while those who violate these rules will lose social status.

Brahmins Brahmins are the most upper layer this system. Brahmins serve as spiritual mentors, work as accountants and accountants, officials, teachers, and take possession of lands. They are not supposed to follow the plow or perform certain types of manual labor; women from their midst can serve in the house, and landowners can cultivate plots, but not plow.
Members of each Brahmin caste marry only within their own circle, although it is possible to marry a bride from a family belonging to a similar subcaste from a neighboring area.
When choosing food, a Brahmin observes many prohibitions. He has no right to eat food prepared outside his caste, but members of all other castes can eat food from the hands of brahmanas. Some Brahmin sub-castes may consume meat.

Kshatriyas
Kshatriyas are right behind the brahmanas in ritual terms and their task is mainly to fight and protect their homeland. Today, kshatriyas' occupations include working as estate managers and serving in various administrative positions and in the military. Most kshatriyas eat meat and, although they allow marriage with a girl from a lower subcaste, a woman under no circumstances can marry a man from a subcaste lower than her own.

Vaishya Vaishyas are the strata that engage in trade. Vaishyas are more strict in their observance of food regulations and are even more careful to avoid ritual pollution. The traditional occupation of Vaishyas is trade and banking; they tend to stay away from physical labor, but sometimes they are included in the management of the farms of landowners and village entrepreneurs, without directly participating in the cultivation of the land.

Shudras“Pure” Shudras are a peasant caste. They, due to their numbers and ownership of a significant part of local land, play an important role in solving social and political issues in some areas. Shudras eat meat, and widows and divorced women are allowed to marry. The lower Shudras are numerous sub-castes whose profession is of a highly specialized nature. These are the castes of potters, blacksmiths, carpenters, joiners, weavers, oil makers, distillers, masons, barbers, musicians, tanners, butchers, scavengers and many others.

The Untouchables The untouchables are engaged in the dirtiest jobs and are in many respects outside the boundaries of Hindu society. They are engaged in cleaning dead animals from streets and fields, toilets, tanning leather, etc.
Members of these castes are forbidden to visit the houses of the “pure” castes and take water from their wells, and they are even forbidden to step on the shadows of other castes. Most Hindu temples until recently were closed to untouchables; there was even a ban on approaching people from higher castes closer than a set number of steps.
The nature of caste barriers is such that they are believed to continue to pollute members of “pure” castes, even if they have long since abandoned their caste occupation and are engaged in ritually neutral activities such as agriculture. Although in others social conditions and situations, for example, while in an industrial city or on a train, an untouchable can have physical contact with members of higher castes and not pollute them; in his home village, untouchability is inseparable from him, no matter what he does.

Throughout Indian history the caste structure showed remarkable stability before changes. Neither Buddhism, nor the Muslim invasion, which ended with the formation of the Mughal Empire, nor the establishment of British rule shook the fundamental foundations of the caste organization of society.

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 are talking 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 our heads: 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. 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.

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 do 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 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?

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.