E-LESSON-6 HISTORY _ CULTURE OF PUNJAB-1

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B.A. 2 All right are reserved with CU-IDOL HISTORY AND CULTURE OF PUNJAB-I Course Code: BAQ-103 Semester: First SLM Unit : 6 e-Lesson 6 www.cuidol.in Unit--6 (BAQ-103)

HISTORY AND CULTURE OF PUNJAB-I OBJECTIVES INTRODUCTION 33 After studying this unit, you will be able to: The Vedas were composed and orally Make student familiar with the pastoral economy and transmitted with precision by speakers of an the changes that came with the discovery of iron Old Indo- Aryan language who had migrated into the northwestern regions of the Indian Make student aware about the Varna System and subcontinent early in this period. The Vedic also about the division of the society on the bases of society was patriarchal and patrilineal. their work The caste system in India is the paradigmatic ethnographic example of caste www.cuidol.in Unit--6 (BAAQQ-110033)) INASlTl ITriUgThEt OarFeDrIeSsTeArNvCeEd AwNitDh OCNUL-IIDNOE LLEARNING

Topics to be covered 4 > Origin of the Caste System HISTORY AND CULTURE OF > Evolution of the Caste System PUNJAB -I > Merits of the Caste System http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_n34jHsvJD_A/SZR8tTURNDI/AAAAAAAAHcg/0MHPT bB8wjk/s400/01-Casteism%20in%20India.jpg] www.cuidol.in Unit--6 (BAQ-103) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

5 CASTE SYSTEM In the beginning of the Vedic age caste system, as a formulated on the basis of persons birth, was very much absent. Members of one family took two different professions. They used to perform their own duties and preferred to lead a happy and contented life. It is quite clear that there was a freedom and mobility in the adoption of professions. www.cuidol.in https://krishna.org/the-indian-caste-system/ All right are reserved with CU-IDOL Unit--6 (BAQ-103)

ORIGIN OF THE CASTE SYSTEM 6  Vaishya from the Chest and Shudra from the Feet of the Almighty According to Gita, the origin is supposed to be done by the Creator himself on the basis of “Guna” (quality) and the “Karma” (action). From the above extracts of ancient epics, it is clear that the untouchables owe their origin to the traditional varna and caste system. It can, therefore, be observed that the untouchables and the untouchability are by-products of Hindu caste system. According to the code of Manu, all those who were born out of the pratiloma marriage were assigned the lowest rank in the varna hierarchy.  Theology behind the Castes Reincarnation is the process by which a soul is reborn into a new material form after each life; it is one of the central features of the Hindu cosmology. Souls can move not only among different levels of human society but also into other animals. This belief is thought to be one of the primary reasons for the vegetarianism of many Hindus. www.cuidol.in Unit--6 (BAQ-103) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

ORIGIN OF THE CASTE 7 SYSTEM  Daily Significance of Caste Practices associated with caste varied through time and across India, but all shared some common features. The three key areas of life historically dominated by caste were marriage, meals, and religious worship. Marriage across caste lines was strictly forbidden. www.cuidol.in Unit--6 (BAQ-103) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

EVOLUTION OF THE CASTE SYSTEM 8 • The Beginning of the Caste System There are different theories about the establishment of the caste system. There are religious mystical theories. There are biological theories. And there are socio-historical theories. The religious theories explain how the four Varnas were founded, but they do not explain how the Jats in each Varna or the untouchables were founded. The social historical theory explains the creation of the Varnas, Jats and of the untouchables. According to this theory, the caste system began with the arrival of the Aryans in India. The Aryans arrived in India around 1500 BC. The fair skinned Aryans arrived in India from south Europe and north Asia. Before the Aryans, there were other communities in India of other origins among them – Negrito, Mongoloid, Austroloid and Dravidian. https://enigmainblack.wordpress.com/2016/11/21/americas-caste-system/ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-35650616 All right are reserved with CU-IDOL www.cuidol.in Unit--6 (BAQ-103)

• The Religious Form of Caste System 9 In Hinduism, there exists four castes arranged in a hierarchy. Anyone who does not belong to one of these castes is an outcast. The religious word for caste is ‘Varna’. Each Varna has certain duties and rights. • The Confusing Caste System The confusion in the caste system begins by the use of the word caste. The Indians in their different languages use the word ‘Jat’ for any community who has something common like religion, language, origin, similar geographical background and so on. • Untouchables The untouchability feature in the caste system is one of the cruelest features of the caste system. It is seen by many as one of the strongest racist phenomenon in the world. • The Non-Hindus in Caste System Religiously anyone who does not belong to the four Varnas is an outcast and untouchable. It means, all foreigners and non-Hindus are all supposed to be untouchables. https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/how-does- www.cuidol.in Unit--6 (BAQ-103) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

MERITS OF THE CASTE SYSTEM 10 (i) Trade Union and Orphanage It has provided every individual with a fixed social environment. In the words of Hutton, “He is provided in this way with a permanent body of associations which control almost all his behaviour and contacts. (ii) Spirit of Cooperation It has fostered the spirit of cooperation and fellow-feeling among members of the same caste. By helping the poor and needy, it has avoided the necessity of the state supporting the poor. (iii) Defines Economic Pursuits It defines the economic pursuits of the individual. There is an occupation pertaining to every caste so that the child’s future is not only carved out already but also a proper place of apprenticeship is provided. (iv) Racial Purity It has preserved the racial purity of the higher caste by forbidding indiscriminate inter-marriages and has greatly fostered the habits of cleanliness by insisting on ritual purity. www.cuidol.in Unit--6 (BAQ-103) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

MERITS OF THE CASTE SYSTEM 11 (vi) Integration of the Country It develops class consciousness without breeding class struggle. It has created an efficient organisation of Hindu society without giving any chance to class frictions and factions. It was the best device to organise within one society people of different cultural levels (vii) Provides for Various Junctions It provides for the various functions necessary to social life functions ranging from education to scavenging, from government to domestic service of the most menial kinds and it makes this provision under the sanction of a religious dogma, the belief in Karma, which renders the superficially inequitable distribution of functions acceptable as being part of the divine order of the universe. (viii) Cultural Diffusion It helps in cultural diffusion within the group. The caste customs, beliefs, skill, behaviour, the trade secrets are passed on from generation to generation (ix) Separation of Social from Political Life It has separated the social from political life and has maintained its independence from political influences. S.C. Hills says, www.cuidol.in Unit--6 (BAQ-103) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

Key Words/Abbreviations 12  Caste System: Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy.  Caste System in India: The caste system in India is the paradigmatic ethnographic example of caste.  Division of Labour: They are restricted to certain occupations like sanitation work, plantation work, leather works, cleaning streets, etc.  Right to Equality: The fundamental fights are guaranteed to protect the basic human rights of all citizens of India. www.cuidol.in Unit--6 (BAQ-103) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

Learning Activity 13 1. You are required to prepare a report on “Caste System in India”. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ 2. You are suggested to prepare a project report related to Hereditary Occupation and Cultural Difference. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ www.cuidol.in Unit--6 (BAQ-103) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1. Merits of the Caste System 14 (a) Spirit of Cooperation (c) Integration of the Country (b) Defines Economic Pursuits (d) All of the above 2. The Key areas of life historically dominated by caste were ______________. (a) Marriage (b) meals (c) Religious worship (d) All of the above 3. Racial Purity has preserved the racial purity of the higher caste by forbidding indiscriminate inter-marriages and has greatly fostered the habits of cleanliness by insisting on ritual purity. (a) True (b) False Answers: 1.(d) 2.(d) 3.(a) www.cuidol.in Unit--6 (BAQ-103) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

Summary 15  The caste system in India is the paradigmatic ethnographic example of caste. It has origins in ancient India,and was transformed by various ruling elites in medieval, early-modern, and modern India, especially the Mughal Empire and the British Raj. The caste system consists of two different concepts, varna and jati.  Caste comes from the Spanish and Portuguese word \"casta\" which means \"race\", \"breed\", or \"lineage\".  Many Indians use the term \"jati\". There are 3,000 castes and 25,000 subcastes in India, each related to a specific occupation. www.cuidol.in Unit--6 (BAQ-103) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 16 1. Name the two concepts of Caste in India. (For more information see SLM) Ans: The caste system consists of two different concepts, varna and jati. 2. How many caste and subcastes are there in India? (For more information see SLM) Ans: There are 3,000 castes and 25,000 subcastes in India, each related to a specific occupation. 3. Write a note on Caste System. Ans. Vaishya from the Chest and Shudra from the Feet of the Almighty According to Gita, the origin is supposed to be done by the Creator himself on the basis of “Guna” (quality) and the “Karma” (action). From the above extracts of ancient epics, it is clear that the untouchables owe their origin to the traditional varna and caste system. It can, therefore, be observed that the untouchables and the untouchability are by-products of Hindu caste system. (For more information see SLM) de of Manu, all those who were born out . of the prati Unit--6 (BAQ-103) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL www.cuidol.in

REFERENCES 17 •Basham, A.L.(1992). The Wonder that was India. Calcutta: Rupa Books. •Walia, J.M.(1992). A History of the Punjab. Ludhiana: Kalyani Publishers. •Joshi, L.M. and Singh, F.(1977). History and Culture of the Punjab.Vol. I. Patiala: Punjabi University www.cuidol.in Unit--6 (BAQ-103) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

18 THANK YOU For queries Email: [email protected] www.cuidol.in Unit-6 BAQ103 All right are reserved with CU-IDOL