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ABSTRACT
Caste system is an essential feature of both Hindu and Muslim societies in the sub-continent. This paper compares the dynamics of traditional caste system practiced across Hindus and Muslims of India and Pakistan respectively. Birth-ascribed statuses, definite occupations, hierarchical positioning of caste groups and endogamous form of marriage are found to be the common characteristics of caste system practiced across Indian Hindus and Pakistani Muslims. In the Hindu caste system, membership in a Jati determines the rules and regulations regarding food and touchability for the members through socio-religious rituals of purity and impurity. In contrast the notions and rituals of pure and impure are virtually absent in Muslim Pakistan. Caste system in both India and Pakistan is decaying with time because of the increasingly urbanization. However, geographical isolation and long established social structures in rural India and Pakistan are the favourable conditions that uphold the caste practices.
Key Words Caste system, Hindus, Muslims, Sub-continent
Introduction
The word caste is derived from the Portuguese word 'casta' that means lineage, breed or race (Freitas, 2006). While it primarily represents a fundamental institution of Hindu India, the concept of caste has also been used to refer to class structures of exceptional rigidity in any society (Barth, 1960; Leach, 1969). This multiple usage of the concept has raised the argument, whether to understand caste as a cultural occurrence exclusively referring to the Hindu society or as a structural phenomenon denoting a highly generalized discussion about the nature of closed status groups, such as race, ethnicity, nobility etc., and different types of social inequalities and differentiations in any society (Weber, 2009; Leach, 1969). Conceptualizing caste by detaching it from its original geographical, cultural and historical Hindu Indian context is problematic and using it outside India has been questioned by academics (Lyon, 2004; Sharma, 1999).
In the Hindu context, caste is described as a specific and distinctive type of socio-religious stratification comprising of different hereditary groups placed in hierarchy according to their ritual statuses. These ritual statuses are determined according to the notions of pure and impure in terms of purity of blood and the nature of work (Dumont, 1980; Marriott, 1977). Some kinds of purity in the Hindu caste system are inherent, for example Brahmans are born with...