Page:The history of caste in India.pdf/45

 There is another shade of distinction regarding the grades of castes whom a Brahmin can touch or from whom he may, as in some parts, accept water without pollution.

(1) If a caste can give water to a Brahmin or touch him, that caste is pretty good.

(2) If a caste can give water to a Brahmin lady or touch without polluting her, that caste is better still.

(3) A caste from whom a Brahmin widow may accept water, or one whose members she can touch without being polluted, is the best of all.

I know that what I say looks very ridiculous; but if I explain the reason for these shades of distinction, then I think it will not look so ridiculous.

The harder the rules of ceremonial purity, the more easily they are broken. The more extravagant the notions of purity are, the more easily is the purity defiled. The castes are good in proportion to the hardness of the ceremonial rules of purity of the people they can touch without polluting them. The ceremonial rules of purity of a Brahmin lady are harder than those of men, and of widows harder than the ordinary women; and castes could be graded accordingly.

The Indian method of excommunicating a man also must be understood in order to understand the propriety of some rules regarding the treatment of the low classes.

If a man is excommunicated by his caste-fellows, nobody in the caste will marry with him or will accept water from his hands, or will invite him to dinner. Sometimes, if the offense is very bad, as the killing of a cow, the whole village will outcaste him. The priests will not attend any ceremonial in his house. The barbers will not shave him, and the washerman will not