Caste in India: The Facts and the System c6.s6.1

c6.s6.1

WE are bordering here on another category of facts. By the side of the most general laws governing caste, which are, so to speak, essential to it and characterize and maintain its organization—the laws which fix the open limits and the barriers imposed on marriage, which protect heredity of occupation, which, by preventing too easy admixture, safeguard the individuality of each section—there exist also in each particular caste certain prohibitions and customs, some very widespread, but none universal. By their nature they are attached, directly or indirectly, to one or other of these main headings. In their entirety they constitute a little code of customs the strict observance of which, in the circle where it prevails, is maintained with uncompromising rigour. These rules have no less authority because they are less uniform in their application and less serious in their consequences. They unite to endow the various castes with individual traits. It is therefore fitting to acquire at least some idea of them.