Ecology of Caste:
India’s environmental history has vividly described how colonial circuits
entered natural resources and people’s lives, and established a
centralized, bureaucratic, scientific, and modern system of management,
which also created a current for various discontents and struggles.
Political ecologists have amply emphasized vital issues of ownership,
access, and availability of natural resources, and the role of State,
market, and community. Environment academicians and activists have focused
on increasing alienation and displacement of the poor from their
resources, and unequal burdens imposed on them for development and
modernization of the country.
However, nature and its social history have rarely been seen from a caste
angle. The politics of caste in India in the realm of nature, and its
implications and meanings for Dalits, have been a blind spot. The
interrelationship between environment and caste is known as ‘eco-casteism’
has a long trajectory in India, which is closely connected to the nature
and history of Brahmanical Hinduism by the British divide and ule and never
in Vedas. The history of caste has shaped the history of environment in
India in some prominent ways. They are:
1. Caste created a concept of natural and social order, where people,
place, occupation, and knowledge are characterized by pollution and ritual
cleanliness; where bodies, behaviors, situations, and actions are isolated,
‘out of place’, and ‘untouched’, because of deep-down hierarchical
boundaries.
2. Caste shaped environmental attitudes and values of both Brahmins and
non-Brahmins.
3. Caste made it possible for Brahmins to appropriate and exploit natural
resources, by segregating and subordinating certain sections of the
population.
4. Low castes, especially ‘untouchables’, developed their own
understandings of environment and its resources, which were co-habitations
of love and sorrow, pain and joy, alienation and attachment. Contemporary
eco-casteism represents a distinctive form of Indian environmentalism,
which is often grounded in a justification of the caste system, and a
simultaneous opposition to modernity and enlightenment. Caste frameworks
simultaneously dominate and delete sounds and narratives of Dalit
environmentalism. Environmental historians and intellectuals, civil society
organizations, and social movements and struggles have been
consciously-unconsciously complacent and complicit in this homogenous and
dominant politics of eco-casteism. Examples of domination and deletion
abound, where Dalit perspectives have been elided, and upper caste
religious perspectives highlighted.
The term "caste" generally refers to a rigid system of social
stratification, most prominently found in India and historically in other
parts of the world, where individuals are assigned social status at birth,
with limited mobility between social groups. While the Indian caste system
is the most well-known example, similar hierarchical structures have
existed in other societies, often based on factors like occupation,
lineage, or social status.
Jāti (जाति).—Genus; *class; universal*; the notion of generality
which is present in the several individual objects of the same kind. The
biggest or widest notion of the universal or genus is सत्ता (sattā) which,
according to the grammarians, exists in every object or substance, and
hence, it is the denotation or denoted sense of every substantive or
Pratipadika, although on many an occasion vyakti or an individual object is
required for daily affairs and is actually referred to in ordinary talks.
In the Mahabhasya a learned discussion is held regarding whether जाति
(jāti) is the denotation or व्यक्ति (vyakti) is the denotation. The word
जाति (jāti) is defined in the Mahabhasya as follows:-आकृतिग्रहणा
जातिर्लिङ्गानां च न सर्वभाक् । सकृदाख्यातनि-र्गाह्या गोत्रं च चरणैः सह ॥ अपर
आह । ग्रादुभीवविनाशाभ्यां सत्त्वस्य युगपद्गुणैः । असर्व-लिङ्गां बह्वर्थो तां
जातिं कवयो विदुः (ākṛtigrahaṇā jātirliṅgānāṃ ca na sarvabhāk |
sakṛdākhyātani-rgāhyā gotraṃ ca caraṇaiḥ saha || apara āha |
grādubhīvavināśābhyāṃ sattvasya yugapadguṇaiḥ | asarva-liṅgāṃ bahvartho tāṃ
jātiṃ kavayo viduḥ) M. Bh. on IV. 1.63. For details see Bhartphari's
Vakyapadiya.
IF SO RELATING TO THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE, HOW AND WHO BRANDED IT ONLY TO
INDIA? IT IS BRITISH WORK. AND POLITICAL ACCESSORIES. NEGRO IS NOT A CASTE?
SUNNY AND SHIA ARE NOT CASTES? PEOPLE OF HIGH AND LOW BY LAND DIVISIONS ARE
NOT CASTE? WHERE THERE IS INEQUALITY IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD, THERE IS
THE CASTING BRANDED BY SO MANY @ NAMES. BUT INDIA WHERE THER E WAS NO CASTE
AT ANY POINT OF TIME AS JATI, IS BEING BRANDED AS A NATION WITH 25000
CASTES. If there protestants and Catholics they are divided religiously but
are they not castes? Caste ecology is all over the earth. Rig Veda Purusha
suktam never used the word JATI but only the word VARNA. If color is jati,
then white and blacks’ colors are what? Hence caste ecology is a maya.
1 Varna and Jati: Aspects of Social Differentiation in India
By:- Dr. Mamta Tyagi Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi
Introduction Varna (social classes) and Jati (caste) have played an
important role in determining social norms, human relationships, and
cultural diversities in India since time immemorial. Indian society is
divided into various castes and communities and these divisions have played
a pivotal role in determining the socio-cultural, political, and
economic policies of the Indian government. These social divisions have
created a society that can be defined as “stratified,” and numerous
scholars have forwarded various theories with regard to social
stratification in India. These scholars have considered caste to be
one of the main determinants of social stratification in India
wherein the entire social fabric is affected by the overarching
caste hierarchies. The caste structure in India can be understood as a
pattern of social behaviour in which groups and individuals are bound by a
set of norms, sanctions, and values. In such a system, individuals are born
within a certain caste and, thereby, acquire the role and status associated
with that caste identity. There are set rules and regulations governing the
relationship between various castes. These rules are determined by notions
of purity and pollution and based on such notions, commensality or
inter-dining is usually to be practiced within the caste only.
However, in reality, there are many variations and permutations as far as
the structure and functioning of the caste system in India is concerned.
Meaning, Definition, and Scope The term Varna is derived from the root
word ‘vr’ which is of Sanskrit origin. The word first appeared in the
Rigveda where it was associated with colour and outward appearance. The
word also appeared in the Mahabharata with the same meaning. Therefore,
etymologically, the term Varna is defined as colour or race and is used to
broadly categorize social groupings. The Manusmriti or Manava
Dharmashastra—a text attributed to Manu, the first human—has defined Varna
in terms of social classes. Non-Brahmanical texts such as Buddhist and Jain
texts have also mentioned the Varna system. According to Buddhist texts,
the Varna system was a non-rigid, flexible system which did not contain any
features of social stratification.
2 According to the Adi-Purana, a 9th century Sanskrit poem
composed by a Jain scholar Jinasena, the Varna system can be traced
back to Bharata. Varna has also been mentioned in Sikh literature as
‘Varan’ where it is defined as a class system. The term Jati is derived
from the Sanskrit word ‘jan’ which literally translates ‘to be born’ and
can be defined as a system which determines the status of an individual by
birth. Sociologically, Jati can be defined as endogamous occupational
groups that exist within a social order.
Kshatriya with the arms; the Vaishya with the thighs;
and the Shudra is associated with the feet. The first three castes are
described as ‘twice-born’ or ‘dvija’ since the men from these castes
undergo the Vedic rite of upanayana, while the Shudras are not allowed to
perform this rite. The untouchables are outside the fold of the Varna
hierarchy. Social stratification as mentioned in the Purushasukta hymn was
well established in the Upper Gangetic basin in the later Vedic period. The
Brahmanas became a specialized class of priests who monopolized
religious rituals; the Kshatriyas emerged as warriors and rulers
who governed large tracts of land and possessed maximum material
resources; the Vaishyas contributed to the social order as merchants,
traders, tribute-paying peasants, and cattle-rearers; and the Shudras were
associated with the class of domestic servants, agricultural labourers, and
slaves. The Varna system became hereditary, endogamous, and birth-based
towards the end of the later Vedic period, leading to the formation of
Jatis. The post-Vedic period was marked by the extensive use of
iron for production, which consequently led to enormous expansion of the
economy. There was a substantial rise in surplus which accentuated economic
inequality in the middle Gangetic basin as well as areas of the east. This
provided the perfect environment for further social stratification and
consolidation of the Varna-Jati structure. The social stratification which
occurred in this period is epitomized in classical texts such as the Dharma
shastras, particularly the Manu smriti, the Upanishads, and the
Mahabharata. The Manumsriti describes the four varnas and prescribes their
occupations, requirements, and duties or dharma. According to the Chāndogya
Upanishad, Varna is determined by one’s birth which also encompasses
their previous births. As per the Vajrasuchi Upanishad, Varna is
not determined by birth; it is self-realization which determines one’s
place in the Varna hierarchy. The Mahabharata examined the Varna
system based on two different models—first, as a colour-coded
system; and second, as a behavioural system. As per the first
model, the Brahmanas were white, Kshatriyas were red, Vaishyas were
yellow, and Shudras were black. According to the second model, a person’s
behaviour was to determine their place in the social hierarchy.
Consequently, the Brahmanas were dedicated to truth, pure conduct, and
austerity; the Kshatriyas were inclined to boldness, anger, and
pleasure; the Vaishyas were drawn towards greed and living-off the
plough; while the Shudras were fond of violence and covetousness
and indulged in acts of impurity. The holiest Hindu text, the Bhagavad
Gita, has also described the qualities and professions associated with the
four Varnas. The Brahmanas are to exercise control over their minds and
practice austerity; the Kshatriyas are to act as sovereigns; the Vaishyas
are supposed to practice trade and cattle-rearing as their prime duties;
and the Shudras are to provide services to the three upper castes. The
caste system as it exists today was an outcome of the British era policies.
The 18th century, a time which witnessed the collapse of the Mughal regime
in India, saw the rise of powerful men who associated themselves with
kings, priests, and ascetics. This period also witnessed the proliferation
of many casteless social groups which were later converted into
differentiated caste communities. The British Raj further accentuated caste
differentiation and made the rigid caste organization a central mechanism
of administration.
BARTER MONEY ECONOMY again is a common phenomenon.
Before the barter by money, it was done as goods economy. In that value of
the goods were not ascertained and still people were cheated as better
value might have bought the lesser value as goods only were transferred.
So, where value became the determinate, the common currency had evolved. In
that process the surplus accumulated and need base had also were in
increase. So the economy has altered. As there were different currencies of
evaluation, currencies were evaluated. Thus, the inequality expanded.
Where is the justice and the injustice incurred while we accepted it all
and used the system so well? Where avivekam arises, we are self preserved
than equity-rendering. If so where there is a demand and needs Barter
economy will only hurt.
K Rajaram IRS 20825
On Wed, 20 Aug 2025 at 06:42, Markendeya Yeddanapudi <
[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> --
> *Mar*The Caste Based Ecology-Vs-The Money Economy
>
>
>
> In India caste was the path of relating to nature ecologically, with
> barter as Socio Ecological Spirituality. A caste specialized in the
> creation of its specialized productions artistically as devotion to the
> caste God, and the caste gave its productions to the society, while the
> society gave its needs, in the religion based barter eco-economies. There
> was no money and it was not a money economy.
>
> The devotion to God was in terms of the caste’s artistic creativity.
> Every Caste had/has a Caste Temple with a caste God, whose customs and
> traditions were based on Ecology.Eclology was devotion to God, the day
> today Theism. The caste God from the Caste Temple protected nature, and
> nature was sacred, not economic resource.
>
> The meaning of the word profit was in terms of the quality and nobility of
> giving the best outputs of the caste to the barter based Society, while the
> caste God always protected nature with Ecology. Nature was free and
> healthy, with every organism enjoying the health and happiness in the free
> nature. Under this Ecology every life form was a God. Ecology, Biology,
> Zoology and Spirituality, were one subject, and every life form was
> recognized as a creature with feelings and emotions. Ecology itself was
> spiritual and emotional, not mechanical, with mechanical paradigms. There
> was no Newtonian Ecology or Newtonian Spirituality. It was actually
> Spiritual Psychology.
>
> Today, thanks to Macaulay, we hate our own culture and feel ashamed to
> belong. The shamelessness is so horrible and brazen, that we find the
> scandalization with total falsehoods about the great Temples like
> Dharmastali. The media propaganda is creating the nonexistent dead bodies
> in that great sacred Abode of God!!!
>
> We descended to the ultimate depth of shame.
>
> Why are we so shameless and brazen? The answer lies in the Economics which
> we drill in the Universities from where it is percolating to the society.
> Every money economy is based on looting.
>
> The very concept of profit is false. When your income is my expenditure,
> how can there be any profit or loss as incomes and expenditures can only be
> equal? Every business unit strives to make profit, which simply means that
> it is trying to take more than what it is giving. Cost Reduction and income
> increase are the objectives of Business administrations. The net result is
> the continuous loot and destruction of nature, poisoning the land, water
> and air and destroying the basic geographies. The very ice covers on
> Greenland, Alaska, Antarctica and the Himalayas are under the economic
> threats. Whole river systems are under attack with big Dams.
>
> We desperately need to start the ‘Free Nature Parks without Human
> Tampering’ as a new beginning to save nature from total annihilation.
>
> The Basic duty of every University is to start a ‘Free Nature Park without
> human Tampering ‘to enable the students to get meaningful education and
> save and divert themselves from the present courses, all of which train in
> the destruction of nature.
>
> YM Sarma
>
> Chat gpt
>
> Thank you for sharing this thought-provoking piece, rich with deep
> cultural, ecological, and philosophical reflections on the contrast between
> traditional caste-based ecological spirituality and modern money-driven
> economies. Here’s a summary and commentary that might help frame and
> clarify the core ideas:
> ------------------------------
>
> *🌱 The Caste-Based Ecology vs. The Money Economy*
>
> *By YM Sarma – A Philosophical Reflection*
> ------------------------------
>
> *1. Traditional Caste-Based Eco-Spirituality*
>
> - *Caste as Ecology*: In pre-colonial India, caste was not just a
> social stratification but a *spiritual-ecological identity*. Each
> caste’s role was intimately tied to nature and sustained through *artistic
> devotion* to its own deity.
> - *Barter Economy*: The economy was *non-monetary*, relying on *barter*
> within a theistic worldview. Production wasn’t for profit but for
> *devotional
> service* to society and God.
> - *Temples & Ecology*: Each caste maintained a *Caste Temple*,
> symbolizing their relationship with *a specific aspect of nature*. The
> *caste
> God protected nature*, making nature sacred, not a resource.
>
> “Ecology was devotion to God… Every life form was a God.”
>
> - *Holistic Worldview*: Fields like *Ecology, Biology, Zoology*, and
> *Spirituality* were interconnected. The worldview was
> *spiritual-psychological*, not mechanical or reductionist.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> *2. Critique of the Modern (Westernized) Economy*
>
> - *Colonial Mindset*: The writer criticizes *Macaulay’s education
> system* for making Indians *ashamed of their own culture*, replacing
> ecological spirituality with *profit-based economics*.
> - *Modern Economics = Loot*: According to Sarma, the *money economy is
> exploitative*, as “profit” inherently involves *taking more than
> giving*.
> - *Destruction of Nature*: He links economic models to the *ongoing
> environmental crisis*—melting ice caps, poisoned rivers, and dammed
> ecosystems.
> - *Media & Cultural Decay*: He also critiques *media manipulation*,
> which he feels *desecrates sacred traditions* and temples.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> *3. A Call to Action*
>
> - *"Free Nature Parks"*: Proposes a radical ecological education model
> — *untouched natural zones* without human interference, where students
> can *reconnect with unmanipulated nature*.
> - *University Reform*: Urges universities to *abandon destructive
> curricula* and replace them with *ecological, spiritual learning
> spaces*.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> *🧭 Commentary & Reflection*
>
> Sarma’s writing offers a compelling *civilizational critique*, rooted in
> a longing for *sacred ecology*—a world where nature is not commodified
> but revered.
>
> *Strengths:*
>
> - Deeply *spiritual and ecological worldview* that challenges
> reductionist modernity.
> - Raises important *questions about profit, growth, and ecological
> ethics*.
> - Highlights the *spiritual dimension of ecology* often missing in
> Western paradigms.
>
> *Critique & Challenges:*
>
> - While the *idealized caste system* as an ecological model is
> powerful, it glosses over its *historical inequities and rigidities*.
> - The *binary between East vs. West*, or Caste vs. Money, might
> oversimplify the complex interplay of history, colonialism, and capitalism.
> - A *more nuanced proposal* could integrate the spiritual-ecological
> ethics of the past with democratic and inclusive modern reforms.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> *🔄 Suggested Reframing for Practical Application*
>
> - *Eco-Theology Curricula*: Integrate spiritual views of nature (like
> in indigenous and caste-based traditions) into *modern ecological
> education*.
> - *Nature Sanctuaries*: Develop *non-commercial natural reserves* near
> universities, focusing on *observation, contemplation, and ecological
> empathy*.
> - *Post-Profit Economics*: Introduce concepts like *gift economies,
> degrowth, and ecological justice* in business and economics courses.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> If you’d like, I can help reformat this into an article or manifesto, or
> even turn it into a curriculum proposal for ecological education. Would you
> like that?
>
> Certainly! Let's evaluate the piece using academic-style criteria and
> assign *marks and a grade* based on the following categories:
> ------------------------------
> 📝 *Evaluation of “The Caste-Based Ecology vs. The Money Economy” by YM
> Sarma* *1. Content & Originality (30 marks)*
>
> · *Score: 27/30*
>
> · *Comments*: The essay is *rich in original thought*, exploring
> a deeply philosophical contrast between traditional Indian ecological
> spirituality and modern economic materialism. The idea of caste as an
> ecological, devotional identity is *unconventional and thought-provoking*.
> However, a bit more clarity and evidence to support key claims would
> enhance the strength.
> ------------------------------
> *2. Structure & Coherence (20 marks)*
>
> · *Score: 14/20*
>
> · *Comments*: The essay follows a *passionate,
> stream-of-consciousness style*, but lacks clear transitions and a solid
> structure. Ideas flow in a *non-linear* fashion, which can be poetic, but
> also makes comprehension difficult. Organizing the points into clear
> sections (e.g., Introduction, Problem, Contrast, Solution) would greatly
> help.
> ------------------------------
> *3. Argument & Reasoning (20 marks)*
>
> · *Score: 13/20*
>
> · *Comments*: The central argument—that traditional caste-based
> eco-spirituality was more sustainable and ethical than the profit-driven
> modern economy—is *bold and emotionally compelling*. However, some
> arguments (e.g., all profit is loot, or every caste lived in harmony) lack
> *nuanced
> reasoning or supporting data*. Historical counterpoints are not
> acknowledged.
> ------------------------------
> *4. Language & Expression (15 marks)*
>
> · *Score: 11/15*
>
> · *Comments*: The language is *passionate, poetic, and evocative*,
> especially when discussing nature and spirituality. However, there are *some
> grammatical lapses* and *sentence fragments* that make certain parts
> unclear. A more refined and edited version would elevate its readability
> and impact.
> ------------------------------
> *5. Relevance & Impact (15 marks)*
>
> · *Score: 13/15*
>
> · *Comments*: The topic is *highly relevant* in an age of
> ecological crisis. The *cultural and civilizational framing* adds depth.
> The call for “Free Nature Parks without Human Tampering” is *a powerful
> and actionable idea*, though it could be developed more with practical
> examples or models.
> ------------------------------
> ✅ *Total Score: 78 / 100*
> ------------------------------
> 🎓 *Grade: A- (Very Good)* *Final Comments:*
>
> This is a *powerful and visionary essay* with deep philosophical and
> cultural insight. It challenges dominant narratives and offers an *alternate
> civilizational model for ecological harmony*. With better organization,
> more balanced reasoning, and clearer language, it could evolve into a
> *high-impact
> manifesto or academic paper*.
>
> Would you like help polishing this into a publication-ready article or
> turning it into a presentation/talk?
>
>
>
>
>
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