Untouchables

Untouchables. The fifth, and lowest, category (pañchama) of Hindu society. To it belonged the offspring of mixed-caste unions, tribals, and foreigners, and those with defiling occupations, such as the Chāmar (leather-workers) and Dom (scavengers and funerary specialists). Some castes were so polluting they were not only untouchable but unseeable, such as the Vannān of S. India whose job was to wash the clothes of other untouchables, and who might leave their homes only during darkness since even the sight of one of them was enough to pollute a higher caste person.

Untouchables lived outside village boundaries, and were not allowed to draw water from wells used by higher castes. Education was prohibited; they were not allowed to read the sacred texts, and only by patiently accepting their humble lot was salvation possible for them.

The Constitution of modern independent India has abolished untouchability in theory, but in practice, especially in rural areas, the concept still survives. Reform movements, or individuals (see e.g. AMBEDKAR, B. R.), have tried to eradicate it, so far without success. Gāndhī attempted to improve the image of untouchables by giving them the name ‘Harijans’ (Children of God); officially they are termed ‘Scheduled Castes’, but terminological change does not necessarily effect status change.