Introduction
Several scholars have tried to understand and explain the dynamic of the caste system in India. Of all these, we may say that Pauline Kolendas comprehensive enumeration is to the point, and easy to follow. Let us now see how Pauline Kolenda summarize the studies on the India caste system and what picture she presents about the working of the caste system:
- (i) Caste as a system operate within a limited area or locality. All the caste in India do not from a single totally and work a single unit. In facet, one caste living in one part of India may not be knowing the castes in other parts of India. For example, although there are Brahmins all over India, the Brahmins do not from a single caste (jati). Even within the same region, there may be a number if different Brahmin castes. There are more than 200 Brahmin castes in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. From the point of view of non-Brahminc, all these are just Brahmins. It is of no importance to a non-Brahmin that the Brahmins are sub-divided into various castes (jatis). Therefore several castes inhabiting a limited locality such as a village or a few linked villages work together and form into a system. In other words, caste at the national level does not operate as a system, rather caste at the limited locality level operate as a system.
- (ii) A limited locality which may include a village or a group of linked villages is composed of a series of mutually exclusive castes. Such castes number anywhere between a handful and a score or more.
- (iii) In each limited locality a particular caste, a particular family or a particular set of families has preponderant political and economic power over everyone else. Such a caste, family or set of families is called a dominant caste, dominant family, or dominant set of families. Dominance is rooted in monopolistic control set land in physical force.
- (iv) In the limited locality, what is called the Jajmani system operate amongst the various castes. Castes are involved in custom fixed socioeconomic interdependence. According to in customs, each caste has a fixed occupation, and one caste cannot take up the occupation of other caste. Therefore, one caste has to depend on other castes. This mutual dependence which has become established through custom fixes mutual responsibilities to continue from generation to generation. This system is called ‘Jajmani System’. ‘Jajmani System’ is non-Aryans exchange network among the caste groups in which an upper-caste family (the jajman or client) provides lower-caste families (Hindi: Kamin or Kamkarnevale; Telugu: panipatalvandlu) with again in return for such services as carpentry, hair-cutting, and washing. The system is hereditary, traditional and mandatory and serves the castes to bind together in a relationship of mutual obligation. It is a system by which members of different castes in India exchange goods and services with little exchange of money.
- (v) In every limited locality, castes tend to have a hierarchy according to their respective degrees of pollution in their ritual system.
- (vi) Efforts to improve caste rank in this local caste hierarchy are made by middle and lower castes, especially by means of discarding polluting customs and by emulating the customs of the higher purer castes. This process refers to Sanskritization
(vii) Political power is monopolized by the dominant caste, family or families or occasionally by a pair of competing dominant caste. Nondominant castes tend to support their patrons within the dominant caste, family or families. Such support may be important if here are factions contending for power within the dominant castes. Family, or families. - (viii) Disputes may be selected either by councils (panchayats) within a caste group, or by one or more elders of the dominant caste, family or families.
- ix) Every caste group within the limited locality is usually composed of kinsmen and functions as an endogamous descent group.
- (x) Every caste group within the limited locality tends to live in its own quarters. The untouchables live in isolation from those of pure castes, either in a separate hamlet or on the outskirts of a village.
Conclusion
Thus, everywhere in India, caste operates as a system only locality. That means, the local caste system in one part of India shares the features of the local caste system in other parts of India. This does not mean that all local caste systems in different parts of India are bounded units; caste system operates as a multiplicity of bounded caste units within a village or set of neighbouring villages.