That is not my understanding and reading of indian caste system at all.

There is no indian text on caste that says that non priestly class must be denied education. Many priestly classes go without formal education. One must remember that when the Indian caste system was formalized, ‘education’ as we know of it now was not the same.

Before the British arrived in India, nobody was a ‘graduate’ because that kind of educational system doesn’t exist.

Priestly classes were educated in religious texts. The warriors were well versed in combat and kings with governance. Merchants knew math and sciences. The working class did manual labour.

The priests were not allowed to own property and should only live on charity. They had the ear of the King who should be willing to die for his people. The merchants were rich but they bore the burden of taxes so the whole machine can be funded. The working class was integral because without them nothing would move ahead. Everyone had the other by the balls and unless they played along nice, the whole set of cards would come tumbling down. Everyone had power. The priestly classes were not ‘special’.

The Dalits were outside the caste system. They simply didn’t belong because they neither had the protection or balance of the caste system in place. Everyone exploited them. The narrative that the priestly class were the only ones with access to education or that they were wealthy is beyond nonsense.

If anything the priest class was vulnerable because historically and religiously they were not supposed to accumulate wealth. Their only job is to study the religious texts and offer it for public good. When the British eliminated kingdoms, they lost their benefactors and were also poor and didn’t bear arms. Their only strength was the generational dedication to education and accumulation of knowledge. That they used as an asset to survive and create a living for themselves.

This is the 400 year old story of my lineage and family tree. Not all Brahmins could be ‘smart’ and climb the social ladder with education. Because of inbreeding due to the religious laws in place, you will find genius and extreme intellectual retardation in the same family tree. It’s the same with genetic diseases. It is similar to Judaism and Zorashtrian Parsis.

I am honestly surprised where the more common kind of information about Indian caste system comes from...it is inflammatory and untrue to divide indian caste system as Brahmin vs Dalit. Dalits are not even part of the caste system. They were ‘outside’ society’s ladder.

It is utter nonsense that Brahmins are ‘privileged’ class. The only privileged class were the merchants. When the British got rid of kings..you know.. the East Indian TRADING company...the sought the merchants as allies and turned one weak vulnerable caste against another weak vulnerable caste shattering the equilibrium with their tried and tested divide and rule strategy. 70 something years later, they are still winning..indians are still fighting and divided.

Why isn’t anyone looking at the role the British played and their meddlesome shenanigans of turning us against us? Anywhere they went, they divided the people...India used to include Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka etc. Israel and Palestine. Ireland. Job done and no one is talking about the real villain. Machiavelli would have gone, ‘well done’’