Hinduism
The Caste System
The caste system is the English name for the social classes of India. Indians themselves do not use this term - instead, they refer to the classes as jatis. For most of Indian history, people had very strict restrictions as a result of the caste system. It dictated what jobs people could do, where they could live, what they wore, and even who they could marry. In addition, people would not eat together with people from a different social class. The "lowest" group of people were referred to as "the Untouchables," and they were considered unclean as a result of the jobs they did. The "untouchables" were treated very poorly by the rest of Indian society. However, this is now changing, and Mohatma Ghandi had a great deal to do with the changes. Click the link below to find out more.