Transcript Aryans and Caste System of India

TIAL
TIAL about who the Aryans
were in Ancient India and
about the Caste System that
they brought with them.
Aryan Invasion
Indo- European Aryans invaded
India in 1500 BC
They were warriors and herders
who came from eastern Europe and
western Asia
They crossed the Hindu Kush
Mountains into northern India
Aryans brought changes
 Indo-Aryan word for war meant “a desire
for more cows”
 Archers, warriors and charioteers enabled
the Indo-Aryans to conquer all of North
India.
 Developed writing- recorded in the Vedassanskrit texts of India’s spiritual culture
 Irrigation used
 Traded with one another (difficult because
of poor transportation)
 Southern India was protected from
invasion from the north by mountains
 The hilly landscape made unification
difficult
 Aryans brought with them a new way
to specialize classes into 5 different
groups.
The Caste System of India
What exactly is a caste system?
 People are ranked into groups
 “True” caste systems are only found in India
 The caste is a closed group whose members are
severly restricted in their choice of occupation
 Social status is determined by the caste of one’s birth
 Marriage outside the caste is prohibited
The Caste System of India
 Has been in use for many years
 Still today the values of the caste
system are held strongly
 Has a major role in modern India
 Gives a sense of order and peace
among the people
The Different Castes
(from Highest to Lowest)
(1) Brahman → priests,
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
scholars
Kshatriya →ruler,
warriors, landowner
Vaishya →merchants
Shudra → artisans,
agriculturalists
Harijan → actually not
part of the caste
system,
„outsiders“ and once
known as
„untouchables”
Where Does The System Come From?

It’s not 100% proven where this system comes
from but there are assumptions
(1) The Indo-Aryans may have established a caste
system in which they placed themselves in
higher classes
(2) The caste system was already established by
tribes and with the arrival of the Indo-Aryans
those castes just became more well-defined
Criticism On The System
 Some activists think the system is a form of racial
discrimination
 Lower Castes
1.
2.
3.
4.
Aren’t allowed to go to the high castes areas
Lower castes have to drink water from public wells
They can’t visit the same temples as the higher castes
Often sit in the back of classrooms.
 Many Hindus believe that the system is a part of
the society and not with Hinduism backgrounds.
 Observers think the caste system is a system of
exploitation of poor lower castes by the higher.