Hinduism Caste System Religion & Theology Essay Paper

Name:
Instructor:
Course:
Date:
Hinduism Caste System
Description of Hinduism Caste System
Caste is a system in the Hindu community that has lasted for over 2000 years. The ritual entails segregation of people in various categories where they are enclosed and cannot escape.
“The caste system divides Hindus into four main categories - Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Shudras. Many believe that the groups originated from Brahma, the Hindu God of creation.” (BBC)
It is believed that the groups originated from the Hindu God of creation popularly Known as Brahma. Brahmins, who occupy the top level of the caste are believed to have been created from Brahma's head, and they are mainly intellectuals. Kshatriyas occupy the second topmost level in the caste hierarchy, and they consist mostly of rulers and warriors. The third category of caste hierarchy is occupied by the Vaishyas, who are traders are believed to have been created from Brahma's thighs. Shudras, believed to have been made from the feet occupies the bottom level of the hierarchy and are associated with menial jobs. The caste system has created a rift between Hindus at the top level, and the lowest level as more Hindus at the bottom level faces a lot of suppression from colleagues at the top level.
Summary of the Article
Betigeri's article that was published in November 2020 on The Interpreter by Lowly Institute highlights some of the elements about the ritual and goes further to connect it with events taking place in the contemporary world. Besides describing activities associated with the caste ritual, the article proceeds to showcase how the impacts of the practice crossed borders and are experienced in the United States. Betigeri (2020) uses an example of New Jersey-based dancer, Nadia, whose hails from the Shudras of Guyana. She is still perceived as a nobody in the eyes of Indians from the higher hierarchies of caste system despite her success in America as Betigeri notes in her article.
“…their families – are conscious that Indians who settled in Guyana all those years ago were probably low-caste, meaning Nadia, despite her seemingly high status in the US, is not an option for them.”
On the contrary, the article seems to criticize Indians of influence living in the United States and some key figures in Bollywood for doing little to rebuke the ritual. Betigeri (2020) claims that Indians were active in the Black Lives Matter protest, yet they did nothing regarding the 19-year-old Dalit girl who was gang-raped by the men from a higher caste.
Relevance of Caste System in the Study of Religion
The caste ritual practice contains religious elements that conquer with the general knowledge of religion. First, the caste system recognizes the existence of God. Presence ...