Caste in India: The Facts and the System c6.s6.37

c6.s6.37

In events which are nearly related to the religious life — marriages, funerals, etc. — the various castes observe a great many practices often strictly peculiar to themselves. These usages are dear to those among whom they are a tradition. They in no way involve belief and only indirectly affect the religious conscience. A description of them might be entertaining, but would throw no new light on the caste-institution. At most, like so many other indications, they would serve by their originality and diversity to show the caste to be an organism possessing in its isolation a considerable degree of independence, and enveloping itself in a complete network of small institutions which help to create and enhance its individuality in every way.