Gandhi & untouchability

The Caste system in India is a system of Social Stratification and social restriction. At first the word “caste” is mentioned in Purusha Sukta in RigVeda. Later scriptures such as Bhagavad Gita and Manusmriti state that the four Verna's (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras) are created by God. However at the same time, Gita says that one's Verna is to be understood from one's personal qualities and one's Karma, not one's birth. The Brahmans, usually priests and scholars, are at the top, next are the Kshatriyas, or political rulers and soldiers. They are followed by Vaishyas, or merchants and the fourth are the Shudras; who are usually laborers, peasants, artisans and servants. At the very bottom are those who considered the Untouchables. Those performed such as occupations that are considered unclean and polluted like; scavenging and skinning dead animals are considered outcastes. Later this evil was worsly surrounding Hindu Indian Society. Buddha, Mahavira, Kabir, Nanak, Dayanand and others played their social religious role to remove this evil from Hindu Society. The work of removing Untouchability was undertaken in all earnestness by Gandhi during the Indian National movement. Gandhi began using the term “Harijans” to refer to the untouchables in order to encourage, a shift towards positive attitude towards the lower castes.