Family and Society

When traveling in India you will become aware of how culture and society are orientated towards religion and the family. People have great respect for age and traditions and they dress and present themselves modestly. 83% of India's population is Hindu; therefore the belief systems set down by Hinduism have a huge impact on the structure of Indian society, not just for Hindus.

The ideal Hindu life is a balance of:
Dharma: Right Living,
Artha: Work,
Kama: Pleasure and
Moksha: Liberation.
All are based on principles of duty and properness. Coupled with this are the four stations of life; student, householder, retiree and renunciate; when you are young you grow up and have a family, then you must provide for your family and keep them in good health. When you retire you work only to gain wisdom and improve your karma for your next life.

However, perhaps the most direct impact of religion on daily life is the inequality posed by the caste system. Like all societies around the world, and much like the Western class system, India has a system of social division. The main difference perhaps is the difficult, although not impossible, social immobility this system has provided for many Indians.

The caste system has four levels:
Brahmins - Intellectuals/Holy Men;
Kshatriyas - Bureaucrats/Politicians;
Vaishyas - Entrepreneurs;
Sudras - Workers.
There are also many sub-castes, but perhaps the most controversial are those known as Untouchables. Gandhi called these people Harijan, or God's People. Initially, this group of people were excluded from normal society because they led objectionable lifestyles. However, overtime those born into untouchable families were still outcast despite not living the lifestyle of their parents. This is a social convention not supported by religion.

The caste system and the accompanying belief in karma, means accepting your place in society and it accounts for the huge gap between rich and poor.