The Caste System of India and Traces of The Classic Indian Literature

There is not a precise date as to the emergence of the caste system in the Indian subcontinent, yet the system has made a deep impression on society in terms of social and religious aspects. This system is the backbone of Indian society. It is a pyramid that came into being as a result of racial and religious discrimination. The caste system, which is a typical example of closed stratication, reects different ways of life in society. Further, the status of caste members is stable. Mobility in the caste system is banned and so is the marriage between members of different social classes. Using the qualitative research method, this essay examines the ways in which the characteristics of different social ranks determined by the system in Rgveda, the oldest holy book of Hindus, and in dramatic works as well as epics had an impact on society.The work also explores how the religious beliefs of a society inuence the social order and whether this inuence is still ongoing. This essay argues that although the caste system has disintegrated in the course of history, it is believed that it still is an effective way of eliciting social stratication.