Posted by George Ellis on May 17, 1998 at 13:18:18:
In Reply to: THE CASTES posted by Mitesh on May 04, 1998 at 01:20:34:
: I have a few questions to ask:
: 1. Can you explain what is caste, gnati, jaati
: 2. Give me some examples of each varna/caste.
: Thanks.
Caste and jati: Caste is often summarized, in the west, as the division of society into four power groups (Varna): Priests (Brahmins) who hold charismatic power, the warriors and princes (Kshatriya) who hold political and physical power, the merchants (Vaisya) who hold economic power. A good system initially that later tended to become rigid. A fourth caste came later: the Sudras or labourers. Finally everybody else who doesn't fit within this division of power system: the Harijans or untouchables..
In actual fact this four-fold division would best be described as a class system (the word caste comes from Portuguese. It means class).
Jati further subdivides each of the major class groups according to people's professions. The jati was a valid and well-oiled system that protected the livelihood of members. It was very like the medieval European guild sys