Previous

Next

Ask a Question

Summary of Question:	Casts?
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Wednesday, 11/06/2002 10:26 AM MST

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA

WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH
I am a 16 year old girl and I live in London. I go to a sikh school but pupils are always on about casts. They say Jatt is a higher cast and Jatts cannot marry any other cast. I want to ask who made this cast system and why? My parents are Khatri but I don't believe in Cast System. Why do other people belive in cast system?
WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA
WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

(REPLY) Sat Nam. The caste system and believing in it comes from living in the past and accepting outdated social limitations. This separating of people so some can feel superior is totally contrary to the teachings of our Gurus, yet many people today still cling to the old stupid way of categorizing people. It was "invented" in ancient times, probably to exploit those considered to be of the lower castes. I'm sure you could do a search on Google and trace the history of the caste system. Or look it up in the encyclopedia. It is wrong, wrong, wrong. Period. It's time for people - especially Sikhs, to take to heart the words of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh. Guru Gobind Singh definitely tried to abolish the caste system by giving ALL Sikh men the same name, Singh, and ALL Sikh women the name Kaur. (Otherwise, the last name revealed the caste you belonged to>) It is a social, cultural disgrace to the Sikhs that this divisiveness is still practiced. The castes had to do with the jobs, or places that people held in society. Basically, it was a Hindu cultural tradition.The Brahmans were supposedly the scholars and religious leaders, another caste were the warriors, another the tradesmen, and of course, the untouchables were the lowest of the low. Really it is a sad thing that this persists today. As we enter into the Aquarian Age it is totally unacceptable to refuse to recognize that all people are spiritually equal. Every human being should be appreciated on his or her own merits. Let's get out of the dark ages. SP