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Varna is a social classification, four classes of people in any ancient and medieval society, or even modern
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1. Priestly class
2. Ruling class. Kings and knights
3. Merchant class
4. Common folks – the rest.
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Q. What are common folks for the ruling elite?
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A. Farmers, weavers, engineers, doctors, carpenters, stone masons, firefighters, barbers, bakers, butchers, oil pressors, shepherds, shoemakers, metallurgists, architects, chemists, scientists – the builders of real civilization – the legs, the foundation of any civilization. Modern or medieval or ancient.
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In India we label these 4 classes as Brahmins, kshtriya, Vaishya and Sudra respectively.
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Whereas, Caste is something else altogether.
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In Spain-Portugal, Casta (“pure”) referred to the de facto endogamy between the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities. When the Portuguese found a similar endogamy in India, they reapplied the same term. “Caste” is a satisfactory translation of “Jāti”.
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Endogamy means, closed communities, closed with respect to marriages. The custom of marrying only within the limits of an accepted local community.
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Clearly, caste in India is not race or ethnicity or even Varna, but people belonging to the same profession.
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Caste is what you do for a living.
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Q.Why is the Indian caste endogamous?
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A. See, in modern India, doctors marry other doctors, software engineers marry other software engineers, university professors marry other professors, IPS officers marry other IPS officers, traders marry other traders, defense personnels marry others defense personnels or families.
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People (parents) feel comfortable setting up relationships with the known beasts.
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Also, in the absence of rule of law, a formal schooling system or government run by your own people, skills can only be transferred within the family, from father to son. The underground school.
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India being occupied by Turki dacoits for close to 500 years, with a singular goal to loot. Naturally, not a single university was set up during this dark age.
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Q. What about the notional superiority complex we see in the Varnas.
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A. Possibly an intellectual and spiritual degeneration of Indians, the elitist syndrome.
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A postgraduate in Physics thinks he is superior to the 10th pass politician or carpenter or rickshawala or a firefighter, Or how a JEE rank holder thinks he is superior to others without one.
Clearly, the Priestly (Brahmins), ruling (Kshatriya), and merchant (Vaishya) classes are not the foundation of a society – but common people (Shudra) are.
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Like Farmers, weavers, engineers, doctors, carpenters, stone masons, firefighters, barbers, bakers, butchers, oil pressors, shepherds, shoemakers, metallurgists, architects, chemists, scientists – the builders of real civilization – the “legs”, the foundation of any civilization. Modern, medieval or ancient.
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While the foundation of a society rests on the common people, who perform all the essential tasks, the leadership provided by the other three varnas plays a pivotal role in building a wise, strong, and prosperous civilization.
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The Priestly elites provide quality spiritual leadership and guidance, without that, the society will decay. Imagine a world without the wisdom of a Buddha or Jesus or Mahavira or an Osho or a Vivekananda.
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The ruling elites provide quality political leadership without which the nation-state will not be viable and will not survive its enemies. Imagine an England without Winston Churchill.
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The merchant or business class plays a crucial role in generating and amplifying wealth within a society. Without their contributions, a society would struggle to progress economically and remain impoverished. For instance, imagine a modern India without industrial pioneers like the Tatas, Birlas, Godrej, or Ambanis—such a void would significantly hinder the nation’s growth and prosperity.
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Take the case of West Bengal since the 1970s. A society devoid of spiritual, business and political talents- all 100 million are skilled common folks – Shudras. Communism or shudra-ism, necessarily is a false system of commoners (working class) – it cannot ever work.
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So, decay and destruction in West Bengal since the 1970s
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Conclusion, Varna is not caste. Varna is not by birth, Varna is a societal role or class.
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