The Culture of India

Pre-Write…• Take a few minutes and respond to the

following prompt:– It has been said that a society is fair and

equal if you would be happy to be born to anyone in it. Think about the circumstances of your birth, the resources available to your family, and your opportunities for the future. Would being born to another family change those opportunities? Do you think you live in a fair and equal society?

The Culture of India

• The Aryans migrated from Asia and settled in India–Highly organized and

ordered society into a strict caste system• Caste is a social class

which you are born into• Varnas are the social

classes identified by India’s Hindus

The Caste System in India

• Brahmins: – (brah-MIN)

– the scholars, teachers, religious authority

The Caste System in India

• Kshatriyas: – (k-SHAH-tree-AH)

– the warriors, administrators, political authority

The Caste System in India

• Vaishyas: – (vuh-SHAH)

– the merchants and professionals of society

The Caste System in India

• Shudras: – (shoo-DRUH)

– the laborers and servants of society

The Caste System in India• Dalit or the

Untouchables: – Dalit status has often been

historically associated with occupations regarded as ritually impure, such as any involving leatherwork, butchering, or removal of rubbish, animal carcasses, and waste.

–Means "ground", "suppressed", "crushed", or "broken to pieces”

The Untouchables

The Untouchables

The Untouchables

The Untouchables

The Untouchables

Caste System Simulation

• Each of you has a slip of paper that is a different color...

• This determines what caste you are situated in:– Blue = Brahmin– Purple = Kshatriyas– Pink = Vaishyas– Orange = Shudras– Yellow = Untouchables

Your Roles…• Look at the assigned tasks…• Brahmins: Do anything they tell you to.

They are the wisest people in society. • Untouchables: Do not talk to them nor

should you acknowledge their presence in any way. If they come near you move away quickly so that you are not contaminated.– If they do offend you hold out your hand for

karma payment (one karma coin)

Reflection

• What was the hardest caste? What was the easiest? How did you feel about the other castes?

• Were you able to work your way up the castes when samsara was added to the simulation?

• Did the system become more fair when you were given a caste based on your work in previous lives?