Untouchable [Dalit] woman, Vrindavan, India

Untouchables are members from a large variety of Hindu groups that were, and in many cases still are outcasts in their society. An Untouchable, now called a Harijan, in traditional Indian society, is a person outside the caste system. These outcasts were greatly discriminated against until 1949 in India, when the use of the term Untouchable and the social disabilities that come along with the term were declared illegal.

A caste system used to exist in India that considerably shaped the outcome of Hindu’s lives; based on what caste the Hindu fell under. This system consisted of four castes. The caste system is a many layered social hierarchy developed several millenniums ago to which a person belongs by birth.

 

The top caste was consisted of Brahmans, which are teachers and priests. The second caste consisted of Kshatriyas, which are rulers and warriors. The third caste members were merchants and traders, and were known as Vaishyas. The last and lowest caste, which consisted of a great mass of peasants and workers, were known as Shudras .

 

The Untouchables are actually below the hiearchy of the caste system. It was considered the extreme lowest social class. As many as three thousand castes, or jatis exists today, which is different from the original idea . Hindu’s did not become Untouchables by random. Their activities and occupations made them considered being so filthy that they were unable to be touched.

 

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