KERALA CASTE SYSTEM HISTORY

     KERALA CASTE SYSTEM HISTORY



 

The caste system has been a part of the social and cultural fabric of Kerala for centuries. The system is believed to have evolved during the early centuries of the Common Era, when Brahmanical traditions and customs were being established in the region.


In Kerala, the caste system is traditionally divided into four main groups, known as varnas, which are Brahmins (priests and scholars), Kshatriyas (warriors and rulers), Vaishyas (merchants and traders), and Shudras (artisans and laborers). The Shudra caste in Kerala was further divided into many sub-castes based on their traditional occupations.


The caste system played an important role in the social and economic organization of Kerala society. Members of each caste were expected to follow a specific set of customs and traditions, and inter-caste marriages were rare until recent times.


Over time, however, the caste system became more rigid and hierarchical, with upper castes gaining greater social and economic power. The system also became associated with the idea of purity and pollution, with upper castes being seen as pure and lower castes as impure.


During the British colonial period, the caste system in Kerala was further entrenched, with the British using it as a tool for social control and administration. However, Kerala also has a long history of social reform movements that sought to challenge and change the caste system. These movements included the "Vaikom Satyagraha" in 1924 and the "Guruvayur Satyagraha" in 1931, both of which aimed to challenge the exclusion of lower-caste Hindus from temple entry.


Since India's independence in 1947, the government of Kerala has implemented several policies and programs to address caste-based discrimination and promote social equality. These include the implementation of affirmative action policies and the provision of reservation quotas in educational institutions and government jobs for lower-caste communities. Despite these efforts, caste-based discrimination and prejudices continue to persist in various forms in Kerala society.

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