It is said that Casteism is a problem of the Hindu religion as Manusmrithi has decreed that society is divided into four castes, the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, Vaiyasas and Sudras. Brahmins considered themselves to be the priests, the highest caste. Kshatriyas being the normally strong-armed became the warriors and the caste of the kings. Vaiysas were the traders. In modern terms they were the entrepreneurs and the wealth producers. Sudras were the lowest caste consisting of all the craftsmen. The apologists of the caste system opined that it was a division of labour but the castes were also called the four Varnas (shades of skin colour for the lack of a better explanation). All these divisions of labour or Varnas have ignored a very large group of humans, who in the ‘system’ is non-existent but who are present in all villages, districts and states. This fifth group of people are variously called outcastes, low castes, untouchables, Chandalas or any other demeaning term one can think. Mahatma Gandhi called them Harijans, the people of God, Hari being God (Vishnu). Somehow it did not make any difference as even when referred to as Harijans they were considered belonging to the humblest or lowest strata of society. It is reckoned that this fifth caste numbers over 200 million souls in India, nearly fifth of India’s population. Possibly by divine providence or inspiration they now call themselves by a proper name, Dalits and are now visible in their groupings called Dalit organisations. The theory of Varnas (skin colour) is indefensible as it is possible to see in India Dalits of a much lighter skin colour than the members of the other castes.

This was the general picture all over India but in Kerala the situation was a lot different. Kerala was the meeting place of several religions at the beginning of the Christian era. Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism were there in B.C., and Christianity arrived in the first Century A.D. Kerala was under the pristine influence of Tamizhakam in the Sangham period which lasted from the first century BC to the fifth century AD and when Tamil was the language of Kerala. The great thinker and philosopher of the Sangham period was Tiruvallavur . He absorbed the precious attributes of all religions and preached the deep love of all humanity. Tiruvallvur said “If a man cannot live at peace with his fellowmen and his surroundings he is unlearned however much his formal education may be”. During and after the Sangham period Kerala prospered with tolerance and understanding of all people who were all treated equally.

There was an immigration of Brahmins from the North in the fourth or fifth century AD, possibly from Broach. Parasu Rama can be considered the leader of this immigrant group. Parasu Rama was aggressive and as the number of immigrants was not large he converted the native folks like fishermen to Brahminism as conversion to Brahminism was possible. Being a forceful leader he took the thread of fishermen’s hook and asked them to wear it as holy thread (Poonool) and promised to protect them from famine. Thus the number of Brahmins increased substantially by this conversion and they were mainly the natives of Kerala. They were called Namoothiris and that is the reason why Namboothiris had physical features of Kerala folks. This community had very little influence in Kerala in the fourth, fifth and sixth centuries AD. The land was principally owned by the Buddhists who were very keen on providing education to the populace in Pallikudams (schools) attached to the Buddhist Palli (temple or church) everywhere and rendered unselfish service without seeking political influence as was their vogue.

The Namboothiris were an organised and united community and they slowly gained influence acting as royal advisers. Namboothiris lived in 32 villages of their own around Hindu temples and were well placed to exert political influence on the kings who took by force large areas of land owned and cultivated by farmers and given as outright gifts to the Namboothiris who became the Janmis (landlords) and the farmers became the tenants. Thus the Society descended to a feudal system, unknown earlier in Kerala. The slow waning of the Jain and Buddhist influence assisted in the aggressive acquisition of the Janmi title (over-lordship of a zamindari style) of more lands by the Namboothiris. The Namboothiris armed themselves with the law of Manu ‘everything on earth belongs.to the Brahmin’. Thus according to Prof. Ayyapan they were able to impose ‘theocratic feudalism’ in Kerala where there were no castes and all people were treated equally before. The Brahmana religion took over the society and everything was changed by about the eleventh century.

Brahmins, i.e. Namboothiris, is the highest caste. They could not dispense with the kings and they were called kshatriyas. As Christians and Muslims were the traders they were accorded the status of Vaiysas, although not named as such. There was a large community of Nakathanmar, an important and dominant group before the Brahmana domination. They were also called Nairs and were delegated to a lower order of tenants of the Namboothiri Janmis (landlords). As they were saivaite followers they were accorded the caste of Sudras. However there was another large community of Ezhavas. They were followers of Buddhism and were agriculturists in the main. They were unwilling to accept Brahmin domination and refused to give up their lands. Kunchan Nambiar has referred to Ezhavan as Boudhan (follower of Buddha). They would not have fitted as a caste in the theocratic feudalism of the Brahmana system. So they were allocated a role as Avarnas, i.e. belonging to no varna or caste. Among the Ezhava community there was a section called Channar who were respected elites in the Sangham period and later. In the Ezhava Samudayam there was another group called ‘Villor’ who were good fighters. The famous martial group of Chekonmar were the successors of the Villor. Chekon and Chovan are the same. In central Kerala Ezhavan is called Chovan. According to C.V. Kunjuraman there is a Tamil word ‘Cheevakan’ which means one who follows the ‘dharma’ i.e. a Buddhist and Chovan is a variation of Cheevakan.

We have seen that the followers of Saivaism and Buddhism, Nairs and Ezhavas, were the two large communities of Kerala. In due course Ezhavas also accepted Hinduism. There were other groups following different trades in the Sangham period. The people who worked in the vast paddy fields were Pulangals and they became Pulayas. Porayan was one who worked and lived in the hills and he became Parayan. Hunter (Vettuvan) became Vedan. Those who caught fish Paravathar became Arayans. Those who worked as carpenters became Asaris and those who made iron tools became Kollans. All these cratsmen were called ‘Avarnar’. Of these the poorest, Pulayas and Parayas were considered the lowest.

Nowhere in India was the caste system observed with such absolute cruelty and inhumanity. Each caste had to keep a distance i.e. inapproachability from the Namboothiri and from each other. Nowhere else in India the Brahmin domination was so supreme and nowhere else in India were the Brhamins so rich and powerful. Even the kings had to follow their instruction and they have questioned the authority of the Maharaja of Cochin. This was possible because of the political, economic and social domination resulting from Theocratic Feudalism which was wicked than the Apartheid of South Africa According to Brahminical rules if a Sudra listens to the reading of the scriptures, molten lead should be poured into his ears. If a sudra reads the scriptures his tongue should be cut off. If a sudra is able to memorise the scriptures his head should be cut. If a Sudra kills another Sudra ten cows should be given to the Brahmin, if it is a Vayisa, it should be hundred cows, if a Kshatriya is killed 1000 cows to be given to the Brahmin, if it is a Brahmin, the Sudra should be put to death. Luckily these ridiculous rules were not strictly followed. Swami Vivekananda visited Kerala at end of the nineteenth century and called Kerala a madhouse.

Referring to the Christian community in Kerala it is a matter of total shame and disgrace that the Christians of all denominations are not yet free of caste discrimination in the life and working of society as the Christians allowed themselves to be infected by the powerful virus of casteism. Some Christians make the bogus boast that their families have descended from Namboothiris, an absolutely shameful claim. Till recently caste suffixes were used against the converts from the low castes. Now such suffixes are not openly used but still people keep it in their minds and murmur quietly. It is very hurting to the people who are being referred. Churches are wary of ordaining priests who belong to the convert families. If and when they are ordained they are not given the due acceptance and respect for an ordained priest. This is a total denial of fundamental Christian teachings. Let us hope that the minds and hearts will be cleansed soon of such sinful discriminatory attitudes.

As I have dealt about the iniquities of the caste system I may conclude with a quotation from Bhavishya Purana (Brahma Parva 41,45) : “Since members of all the four castes are children of God, they all belong to the same caste. All human beings have the same father, and children of the same father cannot have different castes” A noble teaching but ignored by the humanity.