The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-11-08
IRONCLAD. CASTE.
Its Rule Among the Hindus Abso.
lutte and Interchangeable.
THE P0WE2 CT THE BRaHMa'

/
Not Enable a Lower Caste Hinou
Wed Into His Family or Touch n
Hand-Tyrannieai Social Divisions
Caste distinction In India Is a thin,
difficult for foreigner to comprehend
ALI the racial or religious distinction,
which separate European nations from
each other and divide them within
themselves do not equal the number OF
classes into which the Hindus are dl
vided by what is known as caste"
The 200.00OO00 Hindus are made ur
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 ND 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
sental to true caste-tirst, there Is no
entry except by birth; second, mar
rage outside the caste Is absolutely
forbidden. 70 preserve the purity and
maintain the exclusiveness of the so.
ciety many minute rules of condnct.
many restrictions on food and many
ceremonial observances are imposed on
the members and enforced 10y 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 relation nf
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 a graduated de
scent until the untouchable and IN
Bpeakable are reached 1T the lowest
depth.
1t may he urged that the separation
between the Brabman 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
1t is impossible for an Indian TO
change his caste The coal miner may
be elected to parliament may Income
cabinet minister and if he can make
money enough may marry his son to a
dukes daughter.
The Kurmi must remain a Kurmi
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 a 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 h., !
adopting the exclusiveness of his Hin |
du neighbors. He will even onidp
them if he can, and if the Hindu is |
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 a hairs breadth
the distance between hin and the
caste Hindu or even 10 induce the
Hindu barber to look upon him as
client whose chin he may shave ana |
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. II a man is excommuni-
lated by his caste fellows nobody In
the caste will marry him or will ac-
cept water from his hands or will eat
with him
II lie is married his wife will not
louch him or speak to him. He is
lead 10 his family, The priest will not
perform ceremonies for him. The vii
age barber will not shave him, and
he washerwoman will moi wash his
clothes. These are the methods OF
bringing pressure on the man. The
'trctest boycott which Irishmen have
invented is mild compared to the final
sentence of a caste punchayat.
A system like this is IA stern fact
which has to be faced. There is not a
yoice case or a civil case OF trial NJ
he sessions, there is hardly an mp.
continent to an Office in India of
whatever degree, in which the matter
II caste has not to be considered II
,orces itself into every assessment of
and revenue, into every adjudication
If rent. Ii affects the administration
If justice, the proceedings OF munich
BAL 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
e.ff1l oft |