varna and jati

[Kamal R. Adhikary]

This discussion started with 'Varna', so we got many responses as to
whether it  literally means skin color or it has little to do with it.  I
would appreciate if some of you could give your opinion on how and when the
untouchable category came into existence.  Were there untouchables since
the inception of the Varna scheme?
        Gratefully,
        Kamal

>A notable example of Sudras being helped by Brahmins is that of the present
>Indian President. His Brahmin teacher defied the prevelant norms in those
>days to educate him with his personal funds.
>
>Regards
>
>Vishal
>
>
>----Original Message Follows----
>From: Stephens <jpstephen at HOME.COM>
>Subject: Re: varna and jati
>Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 17:53:49 -0400
>
>After this training they officiated as priests known as "Kamma
> > Brahmalu" (Kamma Brahmins) at the births, marriages and deaths of those
> > kamma families which chose to use their services - not all kamma families
> > made this choice. <<
>
>This reminds me of a maestri who used to work for Bayer in Salem, Tamilnadu
>many years ago. I believe he belonged to the so called "scheduled caste" and
>was in charge of bringing labourers from his village to the warehouse. He
>was called gounder by his fellow villagers, but he did not belong to the
>actual "gounder" community of coimbatore/salem area. He used to officiate in
>his village temple and ceremonies, he was also called poojari by his peers.
>I know this because his job also included taking me to school everyday and
>we used to chat enroute.
>
>I had earlier posted a question asking for the earliest reference of
>Caucasians as "whites" in English/European literature. The reason for that
>question was if this is a recent development  of say 1000 years or so, then
>arriving at the conclusion that the Vedas attributed "white" to the Aryans
>would seem far fetched. In fact, the day I realised that the Caucasians were
>called "white", I was stupefied because I couldn't relate the colour white
>to the skin colour of Caucasians, it was more like pink or some other
>colour.
>
>Sujatha :)
>
>
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