The history and basic details of Caste System in India.

1. Caste System
The Evolution and the Effects of
Indian Caste System
-Anand Jhunjhunwala
BBM-B
Trimester – I
Roll No. 3

2. Origin
• Indo-European Aryans invaded our country in
1500 BC
• They were warriors who established control
and began to restructure our social
classifications.
• Under their influence, people were divided
into five different classes.

3. The Different Castes

4. The Brahmins
• Members of the highest
caste
• Priests and teachers of
Sanskrit
• Performed religious
duties and preached
Dharma
• Only caste allowed to
teach and attend school

5. The Kshatriyas
• Ranked below the
Brahmins
• Functioned as warriors
or army leaders
• Apart of the miltary.
• Had Political influence
• Women could not be
warriors but could
belong to this class.

6. The Vaishyas
• Below the Kshatriyas
• Traders, cattle
farmers, minor
officials, merchants and
artisans
• Owned their own
business or farm land
• There were many more
people in this caste
than the Kshatriyas or
Brahmins

7. The Sudras
• Below the Vaishyas
• Servants and
Farmhands
• Did not own their own
lands or businesses
• Were employed by
members of higher
castes
• The most populous
caste

8. The Harijans
• Known as
“Untouchables, Pariahs”
• Technically not even a
caste, below all others
• Responsible for
handling the
dead, cleaning human
wastes, and collecting
garbage.

9. Caste System in Practice
• People from different
castes could not
marry, befriend or eat
with each other
(especially sudras and
harijans with upper
castes)
• Lower castes could not
attend schools
• They were not allowed
in temples
• Impossible to change
castes
• Caste passed down to
generations by family