Prelims · 6 Indian Society · 6.4 Social stratification and caste
6.4.3 Varna and jati: textual origins and theories of caste origin (Risley, Hutton, Nesfield, Ambedkar)
Varna is the four-fold textual scheme of Brahmanical society, while jati is the real, birth-based group that multiplied over time; scholars have explained caste origin through divine, Brahmanical, racial, occupational, ritual and Ambedkar's endogamy theories, none of which is accepted alone.
- APPSC Group 2 · Prelims
- Standard level
- 10 min read
- Full course
Key terms
- varna
- jati
- Purusha Sukta
- dvija
- upanayana
- anuloma
- pratiloma
- chandala
- Al-Biruni
- Fa Xian
- Abbe Dubois
- H.H. Risley
- nasal index
- J.C. Nesfield
- J.H. Hutton
- mana and taboo
- Ambedkar
- endogamy on exogamy
- S.V. Ketkar
- caste by birth
What this note covers
- Core factsFoundation
- ExplainedStandard
- DeeperAdvanced
- AP angleStandard
- Mains writingMains writing
- Common trapsFoundation
- Quick revisionFoundation
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