caste system (idea)

The Indian caste system is a socieconomic class system. The word caste comes from Portuguese.

• Higher castes:
  • Brahmin were the traditional spiritual caste,
  • Kshatriya were warriors and princes,
• Lower castes:
  • Vaishya were historical merchants and farmers,
  • Shudra were manual laborers.
• Outcastes:
  • The untouchables, or outcastes, performed work such as cleaning up after funerals or handling unclean materials. Mahatma Ghandi renamed the untouchables the Harijan. Another term is Dalit, used by followers of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.
  • Malecha referred to outsiders and invaders who settled in India.