Caste in India: The Facts and the System c6.s8.24

c6.s8.24

The movements which are thus produced in the castes, and which are incessantly modifying their position, may be either individual or collective. Certain people, thanks to powerful protection or to trickery and corruption, find means to introduce themselves singly into various castes; this happens most frequently in the frontier territories, where observance is less strict.¹ Men of every caste have been known to be made Brahmans by the caprice of a chief.² Some castes are far from strict, and will under certain conditions readily open their ranks to all comers.³ Some nomad or criminal tribes gladly accept recruits for a consideration.⁴ The characteristic changes are made, however, by more or less compact masses.