Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-09-14
IR0NCLAD CASTE.
Its Rule Among the Hindus Abso-
lutte and Interchangeable.
THE POWER OF THE BRAHMAN
All the Wealth Of the World Would
Not Enable a Lower Caste Hindu to
We'd into His Family or Touch His
Hard-Tyrannieai Social Divisions.

1
Caste distinction In India Is a thing
difficult for Il foreigner to comprehend.
| All the racial or religious distinctions
Which separate European nations from
each other aud divide them within
themselves do not equal the number of
classes Into which the Hindus are d.
vided by what is known as caste"
The 2OO.OOO.GO Hmdus are made up
Of diverse racial elements and speak
about nineteen developed languages
ana over 100 dialects. They are again
divided into over 5000 castles, most OF
them with SubcaStcS. one of these
castles. the Brahmans. is split up into
more than 500 subcaStes. Of which none
vii! intcrmarry ana few will eat to-
-c:hcr.
The term caste includes so many
things that il i difficult to define IL.
mere are. however. two properties es-
Sential to true caste-frst, there Is no
entry except by birth; second, mar
riaSe outside the caste Is absolutely
forbidden. TO preserve the purity and
maintain the eXcluSiveneSs of the So
ciety many minute rules of conduct.
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-
treme cases follow the offender beyond
the grave.
But that Is not all. The relations OF
castles to each other are as much a
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 a graduated de-
scent until the untouchable and I'M
speakable are reached ut the lowest
depth.
1t may he 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 difTerence-that
II is impossible for an Indian to
change his caste. The coal miner may
be elected to parliament. may become
money enough may marry his son to
dukes daughter
The Kurmi must remain Kurmi.
All the wealth OF Croesus will not en-
able him To make an alliance with a
Brahman family or to touch II Brah-
mans hand. The members of a caste
may and in some eases do raise them
in I,n f,-ht or A.,
adopting more elaborate ceremonies
and more scrupulous observances.
A half civilized Gond. for example,
may find himself brought into contact
with Hindus as the plow encrOaches
on the forest. He tries to raise his pO-
sition and add TO his self respect by
adopting the exclusiveness of his Hin
them if he can, and If 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 n hairs breadth
the distance between him and the
caste Hindu or even to induce the
client whose chin he may shave and
whose toe nails he may pare without
degradation.
Another point connected with caste
which has Il very practical bearing
and must be tsken into account is the
power Of coercion which il gives to the
brotherhood If man is excommuni-
nI is all 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. lie Is
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 of
bringing pressure on The man. The
strictest boycott which Irishmen have
invented is mild compared to the final
sentence of II caste punchayat.
\ system like this is a stern fact
which has to be faced There is not
police case or n civil case or trial at
the sessions, there Is hardly an APP
pointment to an Office IN India of
whatever degree. in which the matter
of caste has not to be- considered. Ii
forces itself into every assessment of
land revenue, into every adjudication
of rent. 1t affects the administration
of justice, the proceedings of munich
pal and district councils.
The influence and power of the
Brahmnn and the idea that he Is