Castes in India: Their Mechanism, Genesis and Development
Encyclopedia
Castes in India. Their Mechanism, Genesis and Development was a paper read by Dr. B.R.Ambedkar at an anthropological seminar of Dr. Alexander Goldenweiser in New York on 19 May 1916. It was later published in Indian Antiquary, Vol. XLI in May 1917. In the same year, Dr. Ambedkar was awarded a Ph.D. degree by Columbia University
on this topic. In 1979, The Education Department of Government of Maharastra (Bombay) published this article in the collection of Dr. B.R.Ambedkar's writings and speeches Volume 1; later, it was translated in many languages. This presentation is an important book for research and study of the Indian caste system in many universities and academic programs.
In this paper, Dr. Ambedkar made a presentation a social phenomenon that emerged from the strategy of the Brahmin
s who adopted a strictly endogamous matrimonial regime, leading the other groups to do the same in order to emulate this self-proclaimed elite. He defined the Castes systems as "Thus the superposition of endogamy on exogamy means the creation of caste".
seminar, in which he started with the following statement:
has not only a geographic unity, but also a deeper and a much more fundamental cultural unity. The unity of culture is the basis of homogeneity, which makes the problem of caste difficult to be explained. If the Hindu society were a mere federation of mutually exclusive units, the matter would be simple enough. But, the caste is a "parcelling" of an already homogeneous unit, and the explanation of the genesis of caste is the explanation of this process of parcelling.
Ambedkar views that definitions of castes given by Mr. Senart, Mr. Nesfield, Sir H. Risley
and Dr. Ketkar as incomplete or incorrect by itself and all have missed the central point in the mechanism of the caste system. Mr. Senart "idea of pollution" is a characteristic of caste in so far as castes has a religious flavour, Mr. Nesfield defined as 'absence of messing' with those outside the Caste as one of its charasteristic, Mr. Nesfield has mistaken the effect of the cause, as caste is a closed group naturally limits sexual intercourse including messing etc.,. Sir H. Risley makes no new point deserving of special attention. He elucidates the definition of Dr. Ketkar of "prohibition of intermarriage" and "membership by autogeny" as two characteristics of caste are two aspects of one and the same thing but not two different things. The prohibition of intermarriage means limiting membership to those born within the group.
Dr. Ambedkar has evaluated that the endogamy
(absence of intermarriage) is the only one that can be called the essence of caste and only characteristic that is peculiar to caste. No civilized society of today presents more survivals of primitive times than does the Indian society like the custom of exogamy
. The creed of exogamy, is not that sapindas (blood-kins) cannot marry, but a marriage between sagotras (gotra
s or clans of the same class) is regarded as a sacrilege. In spite of the endogamy of the castes within them, exogamy is strictly observed and that there are more rigorous penalties for violating exogamy then there are for violating endogamy. Thus "the Superposition of endogamy on exogamy means the creation of caste."
, enforced widowhood and girl marriage
are customs that were primarily intended to solve the problem of the surplus woman and surplus man (widower) in a caste, and to maintain its endogamy. Strict endogamy could not be preserved without these customs, while caste without endogamy is fake.
According to Amebdkar, the two customs -- Sati (burning of the widow on the funeral pyre of her deceased husband) and enforced widowhood (not allowing a widow to remarry) -- intended to solve the problem of surplus women. Whereas man as compared with woman has had the upper hand and a dominant figure with greater prestige in every group. Woman, on the other hand, has been an easy prey to all kinds of iniquitous injunctions, religious, social or economic. Such being the case, one cannot accord the same kind of treatment to a surplus man as you can to a surplus woman in a caste. so "Girl Marriage" was the only custom intended to solve the problem of surplus man(widower).
For him, the "father" of the institution of caste could be the Brahmins who adopted a strictly endogamous matrimonial regime, leading the other groups to do the same in order to emulate this self-proclaimed elite. The priestly class in all ancient civilization are the originators of this "unnatural Institution" founded and maintained through unnatural means.
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
on this topic. In 1979, The Education Department of Government of Maharastra (Bombay) published this article in the collection of Dr. B.R.Ambedkar's writings and speeches Volume 1; later, it was translated in many languages. This presentation is an important book for research and study of the Indian caste system in many universities and academic programs.
In this paper, Dr. Ambedkar made a presentation a social phenomenon that emerged from the strategy of the Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
s who adopted a strictly endogamous matrimonial regime, leading the other groups to do the same in order to emulate this self-proclaimed elite. He defined the Castes systems as "Thus the superposition of endogamy on exogamy means the creation of caste".
Exordium
Dr. B.R.Ambedkar presented his paper "Castes in India:Their Mechanis, Genesis and Development" at an anthropologyAnthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
seminar, in which he started with the following statement:
Genesis
Ambedkar believed that ethnically, all people are heterogeneous. According to him, the Indian PeninsulaIndian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
has not only a geographic unity, but also a deeper and a much more fundamental cultural unity. The unity of culture is the basis of homogeneity, which makes the problem of caste difficult to be explained. If the Hindu society were a mere federation of mutually exclusive units, the matter would be simple enough. But, the caste is a "parcelling" of an already homogeneous unit, and the explanation of the genesis of caste is the explanation of this process of parcelling.
Ambedkar views that definitions of castes given by Mr. Senart, Mr. Nesfield, Sir H. Risley
Herbert Hope Risley
Sir Herbert Hope Risley KCIE CSI was a British ethnographer and colonial administrator, a member of the Indian Civil Service who conducted extensive studies on the tribes and castes of Bengal. He is also remembered for the formal application of the caste system to the entire Hindu population of...
and Dr. Ketkar as incomplete or incorrect by itself and all have missed the central point in the mechanism of the caste system. Mr. Senart "idea of pollution" is a characteristic of caste in so far as castes has a religious flavour, Mr. Nesfield defined as 'absence of messing' with those outside the Caste as one of its charasteristic, Mr. Nesfield has mistaken the effect of the cause, as caste is a closed group naturally limits sexual intercourse including messing etc.,. Sir H. Risley makes no new point deserving of special attention. He elucidates the definition of Dr. Ketkar of "prohibition of intermarriage" and "membership by autogeny" as two characteristics of caste are two aspects of one and the same thing but not two different things. The prohibition of intermarriage means limiting membership to those born within the group.
Dr. Ambedkar has evaluated that the endogamy
Endogamy
Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such basis as being unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships. A Greek Orthodox Christian endogamist, for example, would require that a marriage be only with another...
(absence of intermarriage) is the only one that can be called the essence of caste and only characteristic that is peculiar to caste. No civilized society of today presents more survivals of primitive times than does the Indian society like the custom of exogamy
Exogamy
Exogamy is a social arrangement where marriage is allowed only outside of a social group. The social groups define the scope and extent of exogamy, and the rules and enforcement mechanisms that ensure its continuity. In social studies, exogamy is viewed as a combination of two related aspects:...
. The creed of exogamy, is not that sapindas (blood-kins) cannot marry, but a marriage between sagotras (gotra
Gotra
In the Hindu society, the term Gotra broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Panini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as apatyam pautraprabhrti gotram , which means "the word gotra denotes the progeny beginning with the son's son"...
s or clans of the same class) is regarded as a sacrilege. In spite of the endogamy of the castes within them, exogamy is strictly observed and that there are more rigorous penalties for violating exogamy then there are for violating endogamy. Thus "the Superposition of endogamy on exogamy means the creation of caste."
Mechanism
Dr. Ambedkar views that satiSati (practice)
For other uses, see Sati .Satī was a religious funeral practice among some Indian communities in which a recently widowed woman either voluntarily or by use of force and coercion would have immolated herself on her husband’s funeral pyre...
, enforced widowhood and girl marriage
Child marriage
Child marriage and child betrothal customs occur in various times and places, whereby children are given in matrimony - before marriageable age as defined by the commentator and often before puberty. Today such customs are fairly widespread in parts of Africa, Asia, Oceania and South America: in...
are customs that were primarily intended to solve the problem of the surplus woman and surplus man (widower) in a caste, and to maintain its endogamy. Strict endogamy could not be preserved without these customs, while caste without endogamy is fake.
According to Amebdkar, the two customs -- Sati (burning of the widow on the funeral pyre of her deceased husband) and enforced widowhood (not allowing a widow to remarry) -- intended to solve the problem of surplus women. Whereas man as compared with woman has had the upper hand and a dominant figure with greater prestige in every group. Woman, on the other hand, has been an easy prey to all kinds of iniquitous injunctions, religious, social or economic. Such being the case, one cannot accord the same kind of treatment to a surplus man as you can to a surplus woman in a caste. so "Girl Marriage" was the only custom intended to solve the problem of surplus man(widower).
Origin or Development
Dr. Ambedkar literally viewed as "Origin of Caste" means "The Origin of the Mechanism for Endogamy" and treated class and caste are next door neighbours and defined "A caste is an Enclosed Class"For him, the "father" of the institution of caste could be the Brahmins who adopted a strictly endogamous matrimonial regime, leading the other groups to do the same in order to emulate this self-proclaimed elite. The priestly class in all ancient civilization are the originators of this "unnatural Institution" founded and maintained through unnatural means.
External links
- Complete text
- http://www.scribd.com/doc/8244370/Caste-in-India-by-DRBRAmbedkar