Casteism

What form has casteism taken in South Asia over time?

Casteism

The caste system refers to a social institution in India and elsewhere in South Asia in which endogamous descent groups, known as castes or subcastes, are hierarchically ranked. A pre-colonial phenomenon, practiced in ancient India and explicated in ancient Hindu texts, it has structured Indian society for centuries. Caste has also been conceptually and administratively transformed by various ruling regimes, particularly the British colonial government.

While India’s constitution and laws prohibit discrimination based on caste, casteism remains pervasive. Caste has historically determined land ownership and access to opportunities for social mobility, such as education and employment. Those from oppressed caste communities, such as Dalits, continue to face marginalization today, with anti-Dalit violence and discrimination on the rise.

This lesson provides an in-depth exploration of the caste system in India, examining its depictions in popular media and intersections with other oppressive social systems such as patriarchy. Through a range of activities, discussions, and diverse perspectives, students will gain a deeper understanding of caste and its profound impact on individuals and societies. They will also develop a deeper appreciation of the ongoing efforts to create a more equitable and inclusive society, while acknowledging the challenges that persist in confronting systemic prejudice.

This page adds to content from Inclusive Hindi.

Activities

Task 1.1

Reflect on some of the challenges depicted in these videos and articles about casteism and untouchability in contemporary India.

Task 1.2

“Geeli Pucchi,” one of the four parts of the Netflix anthology movie Ajeeb Dastaans, is about caste, gender, and sexuality. The story follows Bharti, a Dalit factory worker, and Priya, a Brahmin woman who gets hired at her factory as a data analyst, a job that Bharti has wanted for a while. Complications arise when Priya seeks Bharti’s friendship.  Watch this movie and reflect on the questions below:

  • Why is Bharti lonely when the film begins? Do you think she is lonely when the film ends?
  • How does Priya and Bharti’s relationship change over time? What are the inflection points in their relationship? 
  • In what ways do Bharti’s co-workers and bosses view her as less feminine and professionally qualified than Priya? Does caste play a role in this?
  • Bharti’s co-worker Dashrat, who is also Dalit, warns her that even if her upper-caste bosses allow her to eat and work in the same place as them, they will never let her forget that she is Dalit. Do you think the movie proves Dashrat right? Why or why not?
  • What policies would you implement to make your workplace more inclusive and equitable?
  • Which characters did you sympathize with? What did you like about the film? What did you dislike?

Task 1.3

The 2019 film Article 15 portrays the sordid reality of caste-based oppression in rural India, following a police detective as he investigates the disappearance of three girls from a small village. Watch this clip (embedded in-document) from the movie, and discuss what it shows about how casteism works.

Task 1.4

The 2001 Oscar-nominated movie Lagaan depicts an Indian village’s struggle to escape an oppressive system of taxation during a drought during the era of British rule. In this clip, the villagers, who are competing against a British team in cricket, are unwilling to include the character Kachra on their team due to his low-caste status. What do you think about this? Why did the villagers make such a decision? Do you agree with them? Why or why not?

Task 1.5

Read the excerpts below, which come from pp. 18–19 of Caste in the United States: A Survey of Caste Among Asian Americans. What does this report reveal about the presence and relevance of caste-based discrimination in the United States?

  • “From the data, we see that 40% of Dalit students report facing discrimination in educational institutions in the diaspora. In contrast, only up to 3% of respondents who were “upper” Caste report the same.”
  • “I am an Adivasi student. In my undergrad in Iowa, there were many incidents where other Indian kids from rich, upper Caste and urban backgrounds, would make Casteist jokes on me. One in particular was that a few of them were planning to go to visit the local Zoo. One of them said, ‘I don’t need to go to the Zoo to see animals, we get to see K. (myself) everyday!’” – K.A.
  • “In the United States, when my child was in second grade, she used to have play-dates with an upper Caste Hindu kid. Once the kid’s mother had come over to our house and during the course of the conversation, came to know that we follow Buddhism, which is understood to be the religion of Dalits. This was the last time that family interacted with us. Word that my family was Dalit spread like wildfire, my child became secluded from other Caste Hindu children. It angered me and it broke my heart that my child had to face the feeling of being an outcaste in the 21st century in the United States!” – T.R.
  • “Most Indians in my school were upper Caste Hindus and Brahmin families, so I never felt connected to them through ‘Indian culture.’ They would make fun of the fact that I ate meat and was Christian. In that way, my religion and family history sort of alienated me from them. I did not know it at the time but they were Brahmin… and my parents hid from me that I was Dalit. But if I had known I could have called out their Caste bullying for what it was.” – S.J.

Task 1.6

“Ladai Seekh Le” is a rap music video about fighting caste oppression by Dalit artist Sumit Samos. Watch the video and reflect on the following questions:

  • What lyrics did you like? What lyrics did you not like? Did you find anything about the lyrics surprising?
  • How does Sumit use imagery and metaphor in this video to underscore his lyrics?
  • What is the significance of Sumit breaking the pot tied around his neck with string?
  • Why do you think Sumit raps, “your midnight freedom / burns and destroys our slums”? What does he mean?
  • What do you think the various names / events mentioned in the rap (e.g., Bathani Tola 1996) are in reference to?
  • In what other contexts have you seen rap music used to spread social awareness? Do you think rap is an effective tool of social change? Why or why not?

Task 1.7

Kaala, originally a Tamil-language movie directed by Dalit filmmaker Pa Ranjith, follows Karikalan “Kaala”, the leader of the Dharavi slum, as he tries to save his land and people from getting seized and evicted by Haridev “Hari Dhadha”, a ruthless local politician. 

Watch the following scenes: 01:50–04:25 and 1:50:50–1:58:10. The second scene takes place after Hari Dhadha’s men assassinate Kaala’s wife and son in an effort to convince Kaala to stop obstructing the slum evictions. Then, reflect on the following questions: 

  • In what ways does the movie argue that caste, land, and development are related?
  • How does the movie use Kaala and Hari Dhada’s outfits to elaborate on the role of purity in caste?
  • Why do you think Kaala refuses to let the little girl touch his feet? Do you agree with his reasoning? Why does Hari Dhadha tell Kaala to touch his feet later on in the scene?
  • How are Kaala and Hari Dhadha’s notions of power different from each other? How are they similar?

Further Reading

Image Source: DW