Caste and Contemporary Hinduism
According to the dictionary a caste is an endogamous and hereditary social group limited to persons of the same rank, occupation, economic position, and having mores distinguish it from other such groups. 10 However, the Hinduism caste system is different in that it is any of the social divisions into which Hindu society is traditionally divided, each caste having its own privileges and limitations, transferred by inheritance from one generation to the next. 10 Traditionally, Indian society has been divided into four main castes. At the top, there are the Brahmins, who are the priests and teachers; the second caste is the Kshatriyas, who are the warriors and rulers; the third caste is the Vaishyas, who are the merchants; and the last caste is the Shudras, who are the laborers. Below all of the castes is the Dalits, or untouchables, who are called Harijans or “Outcastes”. 4 The caste system may seem like an archaic idea used to categorize people by their profession and place in