Caste+(varna)+system

In the Indus river valley civilization, varnas were used as the social organization to keep peace and order. Originally a feature of Aryan society, this unique caste system divided Indian society into four castes. The top class, known as the Brahman, or priest, class, held all the power. After the priests was the Kshatriya, which consisited of warriors, rulers, and landowners. The Vaishya, otherwise recognized as the merchant class, came next while the artisans and farmers, who made up the Shudra caste, followed. However, below these four castes, a class of "untouchables" existed, making up the bottom of society. Each of these castes wass furtherly divided into subgroups called jatis//,// giving specific roles to each person. This varna system was extremely immobile, meaning it was highly unlikely for one to gain a more prominent social status. Every person was linked to its social station from birth, and no one was allowed to marry outside his or her own caste.

[|http://www.csuchico.edu/~cheinz/syllabi/asst001/spring98/india.htm] [|http://home.snu.edu/~dwilliam/s97/india/caste.htm]

Created by Jaclyn Speer 9/4/08 Edited by Allie Pinosky 9/24/08

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