page_title: Shudra
hierarchical_section_title: Shudra
caption_attribution_description: A ghulum, or bath attendant of the Shudra caste, attending to a customer in a Mughal inspired bath- house. The ghulam is providing snehana and svedana, two Ayurvedic procedures, to his customer. Snehana includes external oil massage that nourishes the nervous system, while svedana is the applying of hot steam to flush out the toxins from the body. Iconographic Collections Keywords: Bathing; Ayurvedic medicine; Masseuse; India; Cleanse; Massage
context_page_description: Shudra or Shoodra is one of the lowest of the four varnas of the Hindu caste system and social order in India. Various sources translate it into English as a caste, or alternatively as a social class. It is the lowest rank of the four varnas.
  The word Shudra appears in the Rig veda and it is found in other Hindu texts such as the Manusmriti, Arthashastra and Dharmashastras. Theoretically, Shudras have constituted the hereditary labouring class serving others. In some cases, they participated in the coronation of kings, or were ministers and kings according to early Indian texts.
context_section_description: Shudra or Shoodra is one of the lowest of the four varnas of the Hindu caste system and social order in India. Various sources translate it into English as a caste, or alternatively as a social class. It is the lowest rank of the four varnas.
  The word Shudra appears in the Rig veda and it is found in other Hindu texts such as the Manusmriti, Arthashastra and Dharmashastras. Theoretically, Shudras have constituted the hereditary labouring class serving others. In some cases, they participated in the coronation of kings, or were ministers and kings according to early Indian texts.
caption: A ghulum, or bath attendant of the Shudra caste, attending to a customer in a Mughal inspired bath- house.
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