Skip to page content |

Tiscali Quicklinks. Please visit our Accessibility Page for a list of the Access Keys you can use to find your way around the site, skip directly to the main navigation, to the page content, or to more links within reference.

Advertisement starts



Advertisement ends

Content Starts Here


caste

encyclopaedia header
Encyclopaedia Search
Click a letter for the index
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Or search the encyclopaedia:
 
 
 
all results tagged with the © symbol denotes content that is relevant to the national curriculum

Caste


A system of stratifying a society into ranked groups defined by marriage, descent, and occupation. Most common in South Asia, caste systems are also found in other societies. such as in Mali and Rwanda. In the past, such systems could be found in Japan, in South Africa under apartheid, and among the Natchez – an American Indian people.

The caste system in Hindu society dates from ancient times. Traditional society is loosely ranked into four varnas (social classes): Brahmin (priests), Kshatriyas (nobles and warriors), Vaisyas (traders and farmers), and Sudras (servants), plus a fifth group, Harijan (untouchables). Their subdivisions, jati, number over 3,000, each with its own occupation. A Hindu's dharma, or holy path in life, depends not only on the stage of life (ashrama) that he or she is currently in, but also on caste; it is a duty to follow the caste into which one is born by the laws of rebirth. Traditionally, Hindus would only mix with and marry people of their own caste.

© Research Machines plc 2008. All rights reserved. Helicon Publishing is a division of Research Machines plc.


 
 

Advertisement starts



Advertisement ends


Latvia Flag
Latvia Flag It is said that berries were used to dye the flag. Red represents the blood shed in the past and the willingness to offer it again. White stands for right, truth, the honour of free citizens, and trustworthiness. Effective date: 27 February 1990. >>

Advertorial

AdvertorialFind out how to buy the things you've always wanted and sell the things you don't on ebay.

Advertisement starts



Advertisement ends

Page Footer


Access keys


You will need to use different key combinations in order to use access keys depending on your internet browser, find out which on our accessibility page.
  • (0) Navigate to Accessibility page.
  • (1) Navigate to Home page.
  • (2) Navigate to My email.
  • (3) Navigate to My Account.
  • (4) Navigate to Site Map page.
  • (5) Navigate to Contact us page.
  • (6) Navigate to Members channel.
  • (7) Navigate to Services channel.
  • (8) Navigate to News & Info channel.
  • (9) Navigate to Entertainment channel.
  • ([) Skip down to the Primary navigation block.
  • (]) Skip down to the more links within this section block.
  • (=) Bypass all navigation and jump to the content.