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KERALA CHRISTIANS AND THE CASTE SYSTEM

The document discusses the three main Christian groupings in Kerala: Syrian Christians, Latin Christians, and New Christians, highlighting their origins, social status, and caste dynamics. It explores the complexities of caste identity within these groups, including endogamy, mobility, and the influence of Hindu caste practices. The conclusion emphasizes the role of Christians as pollution neutralizers and the need for further research on non-Hindu communities to understand these dynamics better.

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38 views4 pages

KERALA CHRISTIANS AND THE CASTE SYSTEM

The document discusses the three main Christian groupings in Kerala: Syrian Christians, Latin Christians, and New Christians, highlighting their origins, social status, and caste dynamics. It explores the complexities of caste identity within these groups, including endogamy, mobility, and the influence of Hindu caste practices. The conclusion emphasizes the role of Christians as pollution neutralizers and the need for further research on non-Hindu communities to understand these dynamics better.

Uploaded by

debadritabanerjee300
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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KERALA CHRISTIANS AND THE CASTE SYSTEM

3 types of
Christian
Groupings
Syrian
Christians New
Christians

Latin
Christians
Syrian Christians:
 Claim descent from Nambudiri Brahmins converted by
St. Thomas (AD 52).
 Faced influence from Portuguese rule in Kerala.

Latin Christians:
 Origin: St. Francis Xavier's missionary work (1544, 1549).
 Mainly fisher castes (Mukkuvans, Arayas).

 Religious affiliation: Roman Catholic, Latin rite.

New Christians:
 Converted during the 19th–20th century by Protestant
missionaries
 Mostly low-caste and untouchables
 Christianity seen as the 'religion of pariahs'.

The Christian Groupings and Castes


Christians as Castes:
1. Syrian Christians:
 Traditionally landholders and traders
 Claim Nayar-equivalent status, but historically ranked
lower.
 Endogamous, avoid marriage with Latin/New Christians.
 Northist-Southist division; Southists rank higher.

2. New Christians:
 Mostly labourers (land, roads, factories).
 Status equal to Harijans
 Seek Scheduled Caste status; some reconvert to
Hinduism for benefits.

3. Hindu-Christian Caste System:


 Single caste system.

Christian Sects in Kerala:


Historical Background
 Syrian Catholics : Remained under Rome, most
numerous in Changanacherry.
 Jacobites: Rejected Rome, later divided into the Syrian
Orthodox (1909-1912) and Syro-Malenkara Catholics
.
Thomite Church (1842) split from Jacobites under
Protestant influence.
 Latin Catholics: Distinct group.
Are Christian Sects Castes?
 Dumont & Mandelbaum argue that sects function as
castes due to endogamy .
 Author argues endogamy alone is insufficient; the key
criterion is recruitment:
o Caste = Ascriptive (by birth).
o Sect = Voluntary affiliation.

Criteria for Membership of the Christian Castes:


Syrian Christian Caste & Mobility:
 Membership: Claimed descent from St. Thomas’s
Nambudiri converts, patrilineal.
 Reality: Many are later converts; land & fair skin aid
Syrian status.
 Mobility: Wealthy converts integrate after 2–3
generations.
 Status: Dowries used to "buy" Syrian status; fair skin
idealized.
 Comparison: More flexible than Hindu castes; parallels
with Muslim mobility

Rules of Caste and Pollution :


Similarity to Hindus:
o Followed purity and pollution rules, including distance
pollution
o Endogamy & segregation
Syrians as Pollution Neutralizers:
o Syrians acted as intermediaries to "earth" pollution (e.g.,
handling objects for high-caste Hindus).
Hindu Orthopraxy vs. Christian Discontinuity:
o Hinduism: Strict practice (orthopraxy) matters more
than belief (orthodoxy).
Christians share orthopraxy with Hindus
o Unlike Hindus, Christians don’t observe birth, death, or
menstrual pollution.

The Question of Ideology:


Christianity & Hierarchy:

 Christian egalitarianism vs. Hindu hierarchy is


overstated.
 Christianity has adapted to unequal societies.
Hindu Ideology (Two Approaches):

1.Dharma & Karma (Weber):


 Justifies caste system; linked to rebirth & duty.

2. Purity & Pollution (Dumont):


 Distinction between status & power is central.

Christian vs. Hindu Differences:


 Christianity emphasizes the individual more than
Hinduism.
 Individual caste mobility exists in Christianity, unlike
Hinduism.

Conclusion:
 Christians act as pollution neutralizers.
 Pollution rules limited within Christian community.
 Power & status linked, unlike Hindu theology.
 Rejects Dumont
 More data on non-Hindu communities for better
understanding.

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