How Did Castes Emerge? The True History from Social Order to Colonial Division

When caste is discussed in India, traditionalists often claim that “caste is a divinely ordained system existing since time immemorial.” On the other hand, some shallow modern thinkers presume that it was merely a conspiracy of the Brahmins.

Yet any serious student of history and sociology knows that both these claims are utterly false and misleading when tested against historical facts.

The truth is that ‘Varna’ (varna [broad social classes based on aptitude and vocation]) and ‘Jati’ (jati [birth-based endogamous caste groups]) are two entirely different things.

In the Rigvedic period, there was mention of only four varnas, which were based on innate qualities and deeds; anyone could change their varna by changing their occupation. Vishwamitra went from being a Kshatriya to a Brahmin, Maharishi Valmiki went from being a highway bandit to a revered sage, and Ved Vyasa, born from the womb of a boatman’s daughter, became the compiler of the Vedas.

The question then arises: how did those four open varnas later degenerate into four thousand narrow, untouchability-ridden, non-intermarrying, and rigid castes and sub-castes?

In Chapter 2 (‘How Were Castes Formed?: From Order to Resistance’) of his book ‘Ginti Se Satta Tak’ [From Numbers to Power], N. Singh conducts a scientific and objective dissection of this historical evolution.

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The Four Historical Stages in the Formation of Castes: N. Singh’s Analysis

1. Pratiloma Marriage (pratiloma [marriage of a lower-caste man with an upper-caste woman]) and the Concept of ‘Varna-sankara’ [intermixture of castes]:
   • In ancient India, as society grew more complex, inter-varna marriages began to take place. The union of an upper-varna man with a lower-varna woman was termed ‘anuloma’ [hypergamous marriage], which society accepted.
   • But when a lower-varna man married an upper-varna woman, the orthodox establishment dismissed it as ‘pratiloma’ [hypogamous marriage, considered contrary to the natural order]. The offspring of such unions were cast out of both varnas and relegated to distinct ostracised categories such as ‘Chandal’, ‘Suta’, or ‘Vaidehaka’. Gradually, these ostracised groups formed distinct castes of their own.
2. The Transformation of Craft and Occupational Guilds (shrenis [guilds of artisans and traders]) into Castes:
   • During the Maurya and Gupta periods, metalworkers (blacksmiths), clay workers (potters), weavers, and carpenters organised themselves into occupational guilds (shrenis). To protect their trade secrets and craftsmanship, they began marrying strictly within their own fraternity, which in the course of time solidified into birth-based castes.
3. Assimilation of Tribal Elements into Society (Tribal Assimilation):
   • When forest-dwelling clans and tribes were assimilated into agrarian society, they were assigned a new caste identity and placed at the lowest rung of the social ladder.
4. The British Census of 1901 (Herbert Risley’s Conspiracy):
   • In the 1901 Census, British Census Commissioner Herbert Risley measured the contours of people’s noses and heads (anthropometry) to construct an official, legal hierarchy of castes. A caste system that was once fluid was turned by British ledgers into a legally rigid, set-in-stone divide so that Hindu society could never unite!

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Ancient Vedic Varna vs Modern Caste System

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The Bitter Truth from the Book: N. Singh’s Historical Evidence

The author N. Singh writes in Chapter 2 of his book ‘Ginti Se Satta Tak’:

“The four varnas symbolically mentioned in the Purusha Sukta of the Rigveda were determined by deeds, not by birth. But centuries of self-interest, the ostracisation of pratiloma marriages, and the first caste census conducted by the British in 1901 imprisoned India’s flexible society into four thousand iron cages of caste. Caste is no divine endowment; it is the toxic fruit of social arrogance, economic self-interest, and colonial divide-and-rule policies. Until we understand that castes are a historical deformity, we will not be able to summon the courage to eradicate them. Those who consider caste an integral part of religion are, in truth, the greatest enemies of religion!”
— N. Singh (Ginti Se Satta Tak, pp. 28–29)

The author further warns:

“Today’s politicians have outdone even the British. The British left in 1931, but our leaders sit down with caste registers before every election just like Herbert Risley did in 1901, so that the public can never unite as a single citizenry!”
— (Ginti Se Satta Tak, p. 34)

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Four Principles for the Annihilation of Caste

1. Mandatory Encouragement of Inter-caste Marriages: Babasaheb Ambedkar rightly said that until there is fusion of blood, the spirit of caste will not die. Couples who enter into inter-caste marriages must receive priority in government employment and financial grants.
2. Democratisation of Religious Institutions: Temple priests must be appointed not on the basis of birth, but through an open examination on the knowledge of the Vedas and scriptures, open to individuals from every caste.
3. Abolition of Mandatory Surnames: The requirement of caste-indicative surnames must be eliminated from all official forms and documents; only the individual’s given name and the father’s/mother’s name should be used.
4. A Total Legal Ban on Caste Conferences and Rallies: A strict prohibition must be placed on shows of strength, rallies, and public events organised by caste-based organisations in the name of any caste.

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A Question for Reflection (The Book’s Message)

If our sages and seers declared ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the entire earth is one family), why then did we chop that family into four thousand fragmented castes?

To understand the historical emergence of castes, this social deception, and the path to liberation from a scientific perspective, every Indian must read this second chapter of N. Singh’s acclaimed book ‘Ginti Se Satta Tak’.