Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-09-17
.IRONCLAD CASTE.
Its Rule Among the Hlndus Abso.
lutte and Interchangeable.
THE POWER OF THE BRAHMAN

Not Enable Lower Caste hindu to
Wed Into His Family or Touch His
tiand--TyrannioaI Social Divisions.
Caste distinction In India is thing
lltficut for foreigner to comprehend.
All the racial or religious distinctions
which separate European nations from
zach other and divide them within
themselves do not equal the number Of
classes into which the Hindus are di.
vided by what Is known as caste"
The 200,000O00 Hindus are made up
Of diverse racial elements and speak
about nineteen developed languages
and over 100 dialects. They are again
divided into over 5000 castles, most Of
them with subcastes. One of these
castles, the Brahmans, is split up into
more than 800 subcastes, of which none
will intermarry and few will eat to-
gether.
The term "caste" includes so many
things that 1t is difficult to define It.
There are. however, two properties es.
sentlal to a true caste-first, there Is no
entry except by birth; second, mar
rage outside the caste Is absolutely
forbidden. TO preserve the purity and
maintain the exclusiveness of the so.
ciety many minute rules of conduct
many restrictions ON food and many
ceremonial observances are imposed on
the members and enforced by penalties
which cannot be evaded, against which
there Is no appeal and which in ex-
IRENE cases follow the offender beyond
the grave.
But that Is not all. The relations Of
castles to each other are as much
matter of religious observance as the
rules for their Internal regulation. The
Brahmans are the highest admittedly
and undoubtedly superior to all the
rest. After them come those who are
acknowledged to be twice born. The
less honored follow In graduated de-
scent until the untouchable and TN.
speakable are reached at the lowest
depth.
1t may be urged that the separation
between the Brahman and, let us say,
the Kurmi market gardener is no wider
than that between the peer of the
United Kingdom and the coal miner.
There Is this essential difference-that
1t is impossible for an Indian to
change his caste. The coal miner may
be elected to parliament may become
cabinet minister and If he can make
money enough may marry his son to
dukes daughter.
The Kurmi must remain a KurmL
All the wealth of Croesus will not en-
able him to make an alliance with a
Brahman family or to touch Brah-
mans hand. The members of caste
may and in some cases do raise them
selves in the sight of other castles by
adopting more elaborate ceremonies
and more scrupulous observances.
A half civilized Gond, for example,
may find himself brought into contact
with Hindus as the pillow encroaches
on the forest. He tries to raise his po-
sition and add to his self respect by
adopting the exclusiveness of his Hin
du neighbors. He will even Guido
them If he can, and il the Hindu is
scrupulous about his food the convert
will wash the very wood with which
his dinner Is cooked.
No endeavors of this kind. however,
will avail to lessen by hairs breadth
the distance between him and the
caste Hindu or even to induce the
Hindu barber to look upon him as
client whose chin he may shave and
4 whose toe nails he may pare without
degradation.
Another point connected with caste
which has very practical bearing
and must be taken into account is the
power of coercion which it gives to the
brotherhood. If man is excommuni-
Gated by his caste fellows nobody in
the caste will marry him or will ac-
cept water from his hands or will eat
with him.
If he Is married his wife will not
touch him or speak to him. He Isl
dead to his family The priest will not
perform ceremonies for him. The VII
lage barber will not shave him, and
the washerwoman will not wash his
clothes. These are the methods OIL
bringing pressure ON the man. The|
strictest boycott which Irishmen have
invented is mild compared to the final
sentence of caste punchayat.
system like this is a stern fact
which has to be faced. There is not al
police case or a civil case or a trial at
the sessions, there is hardly an ap-
pointment to an Office in India OIL
whatever degree, in which the matter
of caste has not to be considered. III
forces itself into every assessment of
land revenue, into every adjudication
4 of rent 1t affects the administrator
of justice, the proceedings Of munich
| pal and district councils.
| The influence and power of the
| Brahman and the idea that he Isl
above the law and is not to be pun
ished as other people are still alive
although century of British justice
has done something toward eradicatN
ing them. On the other hand, the sug
| gestion that man of lower caste
might rise to an equality or nearer q
an equality with members of a cast
above him is unthinkable. Where thu
low caste men are, there they mus
remain. If they behave themselvej
| 1t will be made up to them in a futurl
Observation-Disclosures Spectator.
Politeness is n locksmith and openvI
many difficult doors.