Download HANDOUT - Hinduism - John Bowne High School

Focus Question: How is Hinduism a key to an orderly Indian society?
Topic: India, Hinduism and the Caste System
Theme: Belief Systems
Introduction:
Although there is evidence that the Indus Valley Civilization may have already been struggling,
its collapse began with the invasion of the Aryan tribes around 1700BCE. The Aryans, a powerful race,
traveled through Europe and Asia, conquering whomever they encountered. When they descended from
the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas into the Indus Valley, they brought with them a very different belief
system and way of life.
The Aryans were not agricultural people. Rather than fertility symbols, they crafted beautiful
bronze weaponry. Another contrast was their religious focus. The Aryans were patriarchal, worshipping
only male gods. The Aryans maintained their rituals but they also adopted much of the Indus’ religious
culture that remained alive in villages. From this mixture of beliefs and practices, Hinduism was born.
With the Aryans arrived the foundation of the Hindu thought system, the Vedas. Considered the
world’s oldest writings, these scriptures originated before the Aryans migrated to the Indus Valley. The
Vedas evolved into four scriptures: the Rig-Veda (the oldest and most popular), the Yajur, the Sama-Veda
and the Atharva-Veda. For centuries the Vedas were only passed on orally, through memorization and
ritual. Eventually, they were transcribed into Sanskrit, the sacred Hindu language developed by the
Aryans of the Indus Valley.
1. How did the Aryans impact the Indus Valley’s religion?
Document #1
Hinduism is one of the oldest and most complex religions in the world. Unlike most major
religions, Hinduism has no single founder. Hinduism developed and changed over 3,500 years, growing
out of the diverse people of India. Hindus believe in one unifying spirit, Brahman. Since Brahman is too
complicated for humans to understand, Hindus worship gods that give a more concrete form to Brahman.
The three most important Hindu gods are Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the
Destroyer. The goal of life is to achieve union with Brahman.
To understand Hinduism, one must understand the basic beliefs which form the foundation of the
religion. These beliefs are rooted in The Vedas.
Dharma
Dharma stands for the ultimate moral balance of all things. It belongs to the universe and to the
individual as well. So, just as there is a divine order of the natural and cosmic realms, there is the same
order with a personal life. Good deeds involve following ones’ dharma, the moral and religious duties that
are expected of an individual. A person’s gender, class, age and occupation all affect his or her dharma.
Karma
Karma stands for the belief that a person experiences the affects of his or her actions. Every act
or thought has consequences. If an individual disturbs the universe’s balance, they will suffer for it.
However, an ethical and moral life, with undisturbed dharma, will lead to happiness.
Samsara (reincarnation)
In the western world, samsara is commonly known as reincarnation. Samsara represents the cycle
of life, death, and rebirth in which a person carries his or her own karma. Each life cycle represents an
opportunity for balance. Many Hindus believe that a person’s worldly status depends upon actions in a
past life. Some Hindus believe that certain people meet in more than one life, in order to achieve karmic
balance. Therefore, every relationship and situation becomes meaningful.
Moksha
Like heaven for Christians, Hindus strive to reach moksha, or state of changeless bliss. Moksha
is achieved by living a life of religious devotion and moral integrity without any interest in worldly
things. However, it may take many lifetimes before moksha is achieved. The ultimate reward is release
from samsara and union with god.
1.
In your own words, how are the four beliefs linked?
2.
Using Document #1, is religion creating an orderly society? Explain
Document #2
The Hindu caste system is rooted in the traditions of the Aryan people. The Brahmans, or high priests,
determined a class order using Vedic hymns as testimony. This is a reading from Rig-Veda, 10.90 11,12
entitled “The Hymn of Man.”
“...When they divided the Man, into how many parts did they apportion him? What do they call his
mouth, his two arms and thighs and feet?
His mouth became the Brahman: his arms were made into the Warrior, his thighs the People, and from his
feet the Servants were born.”
Pariahs (Untouchables) were the lowest on the social scale. They are considered outcasts of society.
1.
How did the caste system divide India socially?
Document #3:
1.
How are the caste system and Hinduism linked?
Task: You will be divided into groups. Each group will be assigned one reading and responsible
for reporting to the class. For each reading complete the following assignment:
 Describe how the Untouchable is being treated.
 Did religion create an orderly society? Explain why or why not?
Document A: The Story of Bakha
Bakha was a young man of eighteen, strong and able-bodied, the son of Lakha, the (head) of all
the sweepers in the town and in charge of the three rows of public latrines. He wanted to go to school to
become a sahib (officer), so he cried so that he would be allowed to go to school. But then his father had
told him that schools were meant for the Hindu gentlemen, not for the lowly sweepers. Later he realized
why his father had not sent him to school. He was a sweeper’s son and could never be a Hindu officer.
Later he realized that there was no school which would admit him because the parents of the
other children would not allow their sons to be made impure by the touch of the low-caste man’s sons.
How absurd, he thought that was, since most of the Hindu children touched him willingly at hockey and
wouldn’t mind having him at school with them. But the masters wouldn’t teach the outcastes, lest their
fingers which guided the students across the test should touch the leaves of the outcastes’ books and they
would be polluted. These old Hindus were cruel. He was a sweeper, he knew, but he could not accept
that fact. He had begun to work at the latrines at the age of six and resigned himself to the hereditary life
of the craft, but he had bigger dreams.
Document B: Savitri’s Story
Savitri’s family is anything but well off. But when she dropped out of school it was not because of
poverty. Her own classmates and teacher made it impossible for the 15 year old to continue her studies.
“The moment I enter the room in school, the other children make faces. They start to sing, “Bhangi has
come.” The words of the song are foul and insulting.
Savitri is from a family of scavengers; a group that is among the vulnerable within the dalits
(untouchables). With even other Scheduled Castes (SC) practicing untouchability towards them, they end
up close to the bottom of the social heap.
Women scavengers cleaning dry latrines, tend to draw their veils over the noses and grip it into their
teeth. That offers them some protection in their unsanitary work. The children at the school mimic this
when Savitri enters. “They bite the side of their collar, screw up their noses. Sometimes they cover their
faces with a hanky. I start crying, but it doesn’t matter to them.”
What about the teacher? Didn’t he do anything?
“The teacher, how is he different? He made us sit at the back of the class; near the door where everyone’s
shoes are kept. We were never allowed to sit on the benches that the rest of the students use. Even other
SC children humiliated us. There are two or three of us and when it became too much, we quit.”
Document C: Suraj Kumar’s story
“Despite the ill-treatment, quite a few girls here are studying till grade eight. After that, it is marriage or
other problems. In families that are better-off, they might make it till the tenth.”
“While I was studying and later even working as a teacher for some years, not one of my colleagues ever
invited me home for dinner. We could have tea together at a restaurant, but that was it. When there are
weddings in our homes, the upper caste colleagues hand over a gift and disappear. They might have a
soft drink but not one of them stays for dinner. Give a gift and run, that is the technique.
Document D: Indian Express – May Day, 1990
 In the town of Vallur near Pravagada, caste Hindus launched a boycott in an attempt to drive the
Untouchables from their community. No merchant will sell them the necessities of life, and they
are leaving their homes to avoid starvation. Any harijan shopper or Hindu vender who breaks the
embargo is routinely assaulted.

High-caste Uttah Pradesh landowners were accused of anti-Harijans atrocities in the Upper House
of Parliament. The charge was sparked by a murder in the Fatehpur district, where local custom
had permitted a landlord to seize and deflower the bride of any of his Harijan tenants. One
Untouchable groom objected and was killed by his master’s henchmen.