The term ‘Caste’ is derived from the Spanish and also Portuguese word ‘Caste’ meaning ‘breed or lineage’. It also signifies race and kindness. The idea of the caste system in ancient India began after the Indus Valley Civilization disappeared and a new people arrived, the Aryans.

2. WHAT IS CASTE SYSTEM?
The caste system is a form of social
stratification.
What is social stratification?
The division of society into different layers
or groups.

3. THE ORIGIN OF WORD CASTE
The term ‘Caste’ is derived from Spanish and also
Portuguese word ‘Caste’ meaning ‘breed or lineage’.
It also signifies race and kind.
The idea of the caste system in ancient India
began after the Indus Valley Civilization
disappeared and a new people arrived, the
Aryans.

4.  THEY were nomads from the north.
They brought with them some new ideas.
One of those ideas was Hinduism.
Another was the idea of a caste system.
The Vedas are the Sanskrit writings that are
the earliest sacred texts of Hinduism.
The Vedas has suggested the caste system in
India.

5. DEFINITION OF CASTE
Maciver & Page: ‘‘ When a status is wholly
predetermine, so that men are born to their
lot without any hope of changing it, then the
class takes its extreme form of caste.’’

6. C.H. Cooly: “ When a class somewhat
hereditary, we call it caste.”
What is the meaning of hereditary?
 Given to child by its parents before it is
born.

7. THEORY OF CASTE SYSTEM
A number of theories has been used to
explain the origin of caste system but none of
the explanations has been able to explain it
properly.

8. HERE IS THE LIST OF THE NAMES OF
THEORIES
TRADITIONAL
THORIES.
BRAHMANIACAL
THEORY.
RACIAL THEORY.
OCCUPATIONAL
THEORY.
KETKAR THEORY.
SENART’S THEORY.
HUTTOON THEORY.

9. HOW DOES A PERSON GET MEMBERSHIP
IN A PARTICULAR CASTE?
The membership of an individual in a case
is determined by his/ her birth.
An individual’s domestic ceremonies and
customs, temple worship,, circle of friends
and occupation, all depends upon the level of
the caste into which he is born.

10. Caste system in India
Brahmin
Kshatriyas
Vaishyas
Shudras

11. BRAHMIN
The priestly/intellectual class.

12. This top caste was made up of scholars,
priests, teachers, judges, and landowners.
Pronunciation: "BRAH-mihn“
Alternate Spellings: Brahman, Brahmana

13. A Brahmin is a member of the highest caste
or varna in Hinduism.
Brahmins study the religious texts, such as
the Vedas and the Puranas, and teach
members of other castes about the holy
books.
Today, the Brahmins comprise about 5% of
the total population of India

14. If the shadow of an untouchable touched a
Brahmin, he/she would be polluted, so
untouchables had to lay face-down at a
distance when a Brahmin passed.

15. KSHATRIYA

16. KSHATRIYA
 It is also spelled Kshattriya, or Ksatriya.
second highest in ritual status of the four
varnas, or social classes, of Hindu India,
, Traditionally the military or ruling class.
The term kshatriya comes from kshatra.

17. The kshatriya caste constituted an
aristocracy but were not always necessarily
wealthy.
Implies temporal authority and power which
was based less on being a successful leader in
battle and more on the tangible power of
laying claim to sovereignty over a territory,
and symbolizing ownership over clan lands.

18. VAISHYAS

19. Vaishyas are landowners, traders and
money-lenders.
Historically, Vaishyas have been involved
in roles other than trade and commerce.
VAISHYAS

20. •According to historian Ram Sharan
Sharma,
“The Gupta Empire was a Vaishya
dynasty that "may have appeared as a
reaction against oppressive rulers.”

21. SHUDRA

22. SHUDRA
spelled Sudra.
Sanskrit Śūdra
The fourth and lowest of the
traditional varnas, or social classes, of India.
Traditionally artisans and laborers.

23.  Among the Shudras there are also
untouchable groups and land owners.
The concept of untouchability comes from
the belief that certain behavior patterns
and occupations are polluting.
This concept gives rise to a distinction
between “clean” and “unclean” Shudra
groups

24. Washers, tanners, shoemakers, sweepers,
and scavengers were once relegated to the
status of untouchable.
some observers have pointed out that
many castes claiming Kshatriya and
Vaishya status gradually emerged from the
Shudra class.

26. REFERENCE
RAM AHUJA, INDIAN SOCIAL
SYSTEM,…….REPRINTED,2006, JAIPUR
AND NEW DELHI, RAWAT PUBLICATION.
 C.N. SHANKKAR RAO, SOCIOLOGY,……
REPRINT 2015, S. CHAND & CMPANY
PVT. LTD, RAM NAGAR, NEW DELHI-

27. • https://www.britannica.com/topic/Shudra
• Ambedkar, B.R. (1970). Who were the Shudras (PDF). Bombay: Thackers. p. xiv.
• Madan, Gurmukh Ram (1979). Western Sociologists on Indian Society: Marx, Spencer, Weber, Durkheim,
Pareto. Taylor & Francis. p. 112.ISBN 978-0-71008-782-9.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishya
• Jump up^ Kumar Suresh Singh, Amir Hasan, Hasan, Baqr Raza Rizvi, J. C. Das (2005). People of India:
Uttar Pradesh , Voume 42, Part (illustrated ed.). Anthropological Survey of India. p. 66. ISBN 978-81-
73041-14-3.
• The Caste System in India (Mr. Dowling)