Indian culture is deeply connected to their primary faith of Hinduism. Earlier in the school year the class worked with world religions and the way that a Hindu worships and believes. This section deals with the life an Indian. It if very hard to separate religion and life. The first part addressed is the caste system that has influenced Indian life for nearly 2000 years. There are four specific castes, and thousands of sub-castes found within each of these. At the bottom of this ladder is the untouchables. This is called the Varna (Social Hierarchy).
At the top is the Brahmin; the type of people found in this caste are priests and intellectuals. Each caste is expected to follow a certain set of rules and adhere to specific expectations. People of the Brahmin class are expected to teach and study. They are to sacrifice for themselves and also to sacrifice for other. They are expected to make gifts and also receive gifts. It is important for them to receive the praise and tribute from the lower classes because of the tradition. According to the Hindus you are born to your caste and therefore your actions from a previous life have placed you into your caste.
The next caste is the Kshatriyas; the type of people found in this caste are warriors and administrators. They are expected to follow the 6 rules of action like the Brahmins. Their overall duty is to protect the whole world. They are to protect the country from foreign enemies, and to also maintain order within the castes to protect the castes. In other words, they are to make sure tradition and law is followed.
The third caste is the Vaishyas; this is the merchant class. A male in this class is expected to attach his life to his business once he is married. He is to be a master of his business and the business of trade. It is through them that society is able to to eat and function. They are expected to know the value of products. Like the two castes above them, they are expected to follow the 6 rules of action and serve the upper castes.
The lowest of the four castes are the Shudras. They are expected to serve the Brahmin. They are different than the three upper castes because the upper castes have a ritual of initiation, or a second birth to become active within their caste and society. Shudras are considered the underprivileged and uneducated to the ways of the caste system. The untouchables are people that hold no caste. They are not permitted to associate with the other castes in a physical way. They are usually expected to perform the worst, dirtiest, and most unholy jobs.
The caste system is very important in Indian society. The caste system determines the issue of marriage. It also determines which types of food certain groups are permitted to eat, and caste can also determine who you are allowed to associate with and even who you can touch. Higher castes does not always mean a better, wealthier lifestyle. It can lead to many problems. Some Indians have difficulty staying up to date with their caste and its requirements. In terms of jobs, upper caste members can do the jobs of lower caste members if needed, however lower caste members can not perform upper caste job. Socially it is considered beneath a person to work below their caste and it can cause a lot of friction within the home.
When India became a country it was Gandhi that pushed for the segregation of castes to be eliminated. Before this law lower castes were not allowed to enter temples or shrines. Legally it is forbidden, but in many places people know their caste permissions. As mentioned earlier there are sub-castes found within the 4 major castes. These sub-castes are called Jati's. There are an estimated 3,000 Jati's in India. Rankings of importance are based on local value. Jati's will try to emulate a higher caste to prove their value to move up. Interestingly, India has never had to deal with a social revolution. Because Hinduism declares that the birth status is out of man's hand and in the hands of Law of Karma, they realize social revolution will not place them higher in the next life. In other words, they don't question the gods.
Famous Indians
Because of our distance and lack of knowledge of India from the United States, we are limited about knowing the contributions of many great Indians over their long history. In terms of literature, arts, and science India has produced many great men, that if known in the western world would be as famous as many European thinkers and writers.
| Composed the Ramaya. Largest and greatest of Indian Epics | Wrote romantic plays. Malavikagnimitra, Vikramorvasi, and Shakuntala | Greatest Scientist. Introduced the concept of 0; pi; sine; Moon and planets reflect sunlight; supported by Galileo's theory 1,000years after the fact | Excelled in the fields of astronomy, astrology, meteorology, and architecture |
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Valmiki (c.600 BC) |
Kalidasa (c. 400) |
Aryabhata (476-550 AD) |
Varahamihira (500 AD) |
Mughal Empire
Akbar the Great was considered the greatest of the Mughal Emperors. Besides his excellent leadership skills found in terms of the government and military, he was also a strong supporter of the arts. During this time period, religious tolerance was granted between the Muslims and the Hindus and all other religions found in his kingdom. This is considered the golden age of Indian art. At this time period they excelled in working with jewelry, painting, garden design, calligraphy, and music. Some of their favorite patterns were scrolling vines of gold with gems embedded, floral patterns, jade carvings, inlay work, glass engraving, and enameling.
The most famous landmark of India was created during the Mughal Empire, it was the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal was built in 1653, it is a royal tomb complex. It was built for the wife of Shah Jahan, Mumlaz Mahal. This creation took 20 years to build. Interestingly enough, when people visit and photograph the Taj Mahal they are actually entering the back of the complex.
Men and Women's Roles
For the Indians, there were four stages of a man's life. These stages started once they had their initiation into adulthood. The first stage is the student stage. In this stage it is their duty and requirement to obtain information and learn everything possible. The second stage is the householder stage. This is when men are expected to get married and raise a family. The third stage is the forest dweller stage. This is when a man focus' on retirement, he has raised his family and worked hard. It is now the job of the children to take care of him. The last stage is the renunciation stage. It is here that a man is to renounce everything from his life and renounce his family and friends. This stage focus' on death and the preparation of the next rebirth.
Women's stages for life are similar to a mans. The first stage is girlhood. She is to prepare and shadow the females of her family learning how to become a good mother and wife. The second stage is the household stage. It is just like the males. The last stage is widowhood. Here she is to grieve for the death of her husband. In earlier Indian society, women were to die with their husband and jump on their funeral pyre. Today that is illegal. Women are to honored by the men in their family, if the women are honored, then the gods are pleased. The happiness of the wife equals to the happiness of the family. Women were not considered fit for independence in Indian society, and they need protected outside the home. An example of this is that women can cut line in public places. As a wife women are expected to treat their husband like a god. The status of a wife elevates if she is able to give birth to many sons.