Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-09-06
IR0NCLAD CASTE.
lis Rule Among The Hindus Abso-
lutte and Interchangeable.
THE POWER OF THE BRAHMAN
All tho Wealth of tho World Would
Not Enable Lower Caste Hindu to
We'd into His Family or Touch His
Hand-Tyrannical Social Divisions.

caste distinction I'm Indin is n thing
difficult for foreigner 10 comprehend.
All the racial or religious distinctions
which separate European nations from
each other and divide them within
themselves do not equal the number Of
cilsses Into which the IIindus are d.
Nided by what Is known as caste"
THE 20O.00O.OOo Hlndus are made nm
OF diverse racial clements and speak
hpont nineteen developed languages
and over 1Oo dialects They are again
divided into over 3.OnO castles. most of
them with subcnstcs One of these
castles. the Brabmnns. Is split I'M info
more than 800 subcastes. of which none
VIII internarry and few will cat to-
Gcther.
The term 'caste" includes SO many
things that Ii IL difficult to define II.
There are. however. two properties es
sential to true caste-tirst. 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
clety many minute rules OF conduct.
many restrictions OH food and many
ceremonial observanccs are InIposcd on
the members and enforced 10y. penalties
which cannot be evudcd. against which
there Is no appeal and which in OK
tretne cases follow the offender beyond
tho grave.
! But that Is not ALL The relations OF
castles to each other are rs much
piatter or religions observance rs 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 he twice born. The
less honored follow In graduated de-
scent until the untouchabe and un-
speakable are reached mt the lowest
depth.
1t may he urged that the separation
between the Brahman and let ns 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 dlfTerence-that
1t Is impossible for IN Indian to
change his caste. The coal miner may
be elected TO parliament. may become
n cabinet minister and IL lie can make
money enough may marry his son to a
dukes daughter.
The kurmi must remain Kurmi.
All the wealth OF Croesns will not en-
able him to make an alliance with a
Brahmun family or 10 touch Brah-
mans hand. The members OF II caste
may and In some cases do raise them
selves In the sight OF other. cnstes by
adopting more elaborate ceremonies
and more scrupulous obsprvances
half civilized Gond. for example.
may find himself brought into contact
with HiDdus as the plow cncroa ches
on the forest. He tries TO raise his DO
Sition and add to his self respect by
adopting the excIusiveness of his Hin
du neighbOrs. He will even outdo
them IL 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 endeayors of this kind. however,
Will avail TO lessen by hairs breadth
the distance between him and the
cnste Hindu or even 10 induce the
client whose chin he may shave and
whose Toe nails he may pare without
degradation.
Another point connected with caste
which has a very practical bearing
and must be taken into account is the
power of coercion which 1t gives to the
brotherhood. IL man is excommuni-
nH hry 81
the caste will marry him or will ac-
} cept water from his hands or VIII ent
with him.
IL 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 freshmen have
invented Is mild compared TO the final
sentence Of u caste punchayat.
a system like this is stern fact
which has to be faced. There is not n
police case or civil case or trial at
The sessions. there is hardly an ap.
pointment TO an Office In India OF
whatever degree. I'm 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 munici-
pal and district councils.
The influence and power OF the
Brahman and the idea that he is
above the law and Is not TO be pun.
isbed as other people are still alive,
although century Of British Justice
has done something toward eradicat-
ing them. On the other hand, the sug.
gestion that n man Of a lower caste
might rise 10 an equality or nearer to
an equality with members OF a caste
above him is unthinkable Where the
low caste men are. there they must
remain. IL they behave themselves
u will be made I'D to them I'm a futuro