The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1910-09-29
IRONCLAD CASTE
Its Rule Among the Hindus Abso-
lutte and Interchangeable.

sOlO QllO OllVlldIIycdUlCs
THE POWER OF THE. BRAHMAN
All the Wealth Of tho World Would
Not Enable Lower Caste Hindu to
Wed Into His Family or Touch His
Hand-TyrannicaI Social Divisions.
Caste distinction in India is a thing
difficult for foreigner to 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
classes into which the Hindus are d.
vided by what is known as "caste."
The 20O.0OO.OOO 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 it is difficult to define it.
There are, however, two properties es-
sential to 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-
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 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
it is impossible for an Indian to
change his caste. The coal miner may
be elected to parliament, may become
a cabinet minister and if he can make
money enough may marry his son to
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 a 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 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
du neighbors. He will even Guido
them if he can. and it 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
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 it gives to the
brotherhood. If a man is excommuni-
Gated by his caste fellows nobody in
the caste will marry him or will &C.
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 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 caste punchayat
A system like this is a stern fact
which has to be faced. There is not
police case or civil case or trial at
the sessions, there is hardly an ap-
pointment to an Office in India of
whatever degree, in which the matter
Of caste has not to be considered. It
forces itself into every assessment Of
land revenue, into every adjudication
of rent. 1t affects the administration