Introduction
Indologists like Bougle, Kane, Bhandarkar British administrators cum ethnographers J.H. Hutton and anthropologist as well as sociologist Ghurye, M.A. Srinivas, A.C. Mayer F.G. Bailey and Mekim Marriet. They tried to study various dimensions of caste system in India. In this they proposed three approaches
- 1. Indological approach
- 2. Attributional approach
- 3. Interaction approach
(1).Indological approach
The indologists who propounded the indological approach to explain the caste system in terms of origin, structure, organisation and functions. The indologists look to the Hindu sacred texts Scriptures to obtain the data and explain the caste system.
According to indological the origins of the caste system can be attributed to the works of creator (Purusha) to the virtuoso qualities (Gunas) to the occupational specialization (Hrithi) to the doctrine of action and to the multiple factors like colours class and special categories. The indological theories also attempt to explain caste system as a system of stratification or as a system structural feature. They highlight the importance of religious sanctions in the moulding of caste system. The indological are able to identify caste system as an ascriptive system based on endogamy occupation, interdependence, purity and pollution and hierarchy.
(2).Attributional approach
The attribution approach looks at caste in terms of its structural features are attributes the focus of attention is the structural elements and their articulation into a meaningful totality structure refers to the arrange mental parts.
The parts of structure include segment each segment is a caste. The arrangement of the caste in relations to each other constitutes the totality. Infact each caste is a stratum or social layer in other words the attributional approach tries to find out nature of all the segment the composition of each segment the exact position of each segment, the arrangement of all segment in relation to each other and the resultant hierarchy, to be presise attribution approach studies the segments , the arrangement of segments, stratification of segments in a meaningful way. The important aspects covered in this content are the background, occupation, life style and any other characteristic useful for under standing the structural features of caste system. Anthropologists and sociologist identified the following as the attributes governing the caste system.
| Principles | Bongley | Ghurye | Hutton | Srinivas | Dumont |
| 1. Segment divisions ascriptive groups. | YES | YES | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| 2. Each segment has Heriditary occupation or division of labour. | ___ | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| 3.commensality or restrictions on interaction among castes | YES | YES | YES | YES | ___ |
| 4. Dress and Speech. | ___ | ___ | ___ | YES | ___ |
| 5. Purity and pollution separation /distance interms of pure and impure castes | ___ | YES | YES | YES | |
| 6. Function and Fission | ___ | ___ | YES | ___ | ___ |
| 7. Caste panchayat | Yes | ||||
| 8. Endogamy | Yes | Yes | Yes | – | Yes |
| 9. Hierarchy. | – | Yes | – | Yes | Yes |
How do the castes ranks on the basis of principle?
The caste groups assign the rank on the basis of there associated with polluted substances. They also assign ranks based on ritual purity and occupation.
| Brahmins | Priest class works with god. |
| Kshatriyas | Statecraft, ruler. |
| Vyshya | Trade. |
| Sudra | Agriculture, barberries, pottery. |
| Others | Removal of dead cattle, removal of night soil |
Ranking on the basis of food habits.
| Diet | Group | Degree of purity |
| Vegetarianism | Brahmin | Vegetables pure |
| Non-Veg | Kshatriya | Meat impure |
| Veg | Vaishya | Veg pure. |
| Non-Veg | Sudra | Meat impure. |
| Non- Veg | Others | Beet highly impure. |
Principles:
| Principle | Brahmin | Kshatriya | Vyshya | Sudra | S.C |
| Sacred thread | Yes | Yes | Yes | ___ | ___ |
| Veil | Yes | Yes | Yes | ___ | ___ |
| Window remarry | ___ | ___ | ___ | Some castes. | Yes |
| Preference for son | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | X |
| Drinking Liqour | -_____ | Yes | ______- | Yes | Yes |
(C) Interactional approach
The interactional approach deals with the behaviour patterns that takes place amongst various caste in the local and region context to understand the system. It examines the operation of the system in the actual social anthropologists M.N. Srinivas, S.C. Dube, Bailey A.C. Mayer, Mekin mariet, Kathleen Gough studied the working of caste system at village level. However
Gould, Kolenda and Srinivas had examined the working of caste systems at regional and national levels. Bairey examined the called Bisipara A.C. Mayer studied the working of caste in Ramkheri (M.P) Katheleen gough analysed the interaction among the castes in Kumbapetai (T.N) M.C Kim Mariat analysed the network of inter caste relations in Kishan ghari and Ram nagla in U.P
According to their studies the two principles or basis of interact ional rank are
- Commensality : Commensality refers to the rules that governed who my dine with whom.
- Proximity : Proximity refers to the physical distance or social separations bet persons or groups.
Commensality
On the basis of commensality higher caste groups do not usually accept food from lower caste. However, there are some exception, a Brahmin can accept raw food material from a lower caste material also he has no hesitation to accept food cooked in ghee, from a lower caste person who belongs to Sudra category.
People of the same caste sit in a single row and dine together however people of different castes sit in separate rows with some distance bet them and eat food. Castes of principal distance usually sit closer than those otherwise stated.
Proximity
Castes of the same rank have no any objection to interdine. Guests are seated in separate row according to status synthesis and food is several separately whenever higher caste people are to be fed the lower caste people engage a Brahmin to cooked food and serve the same which is accepted to all.
Usually higher caste people sit the head side of the cot. Low caste people act in a humble and self-effacing manner in the presence of higher caste people to higher caste man and a service caste member may come into contact with each other for en a barber while serving a higher caste person is in contact with him there by conveying pollution. A ritual bath taken by higher caste person will remove the pollution. This is in tune with the tradition by all.
Apart from this physical distance is taken as a safe measure for observing purity in Kerala a nambudri Brahmin will stand about 197 feet away from an untouchable in the morning time, in order to avoid the shadow of S.C person.