Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

131 outcaste

some serious infringement of caste reg-

ulations were excommunicated. Many

outcastes originated from unlawful

mixed marriages, others from neglect of

rituals (former Buddhists or Jains).

Certain professions, such as leather

workers (cämärs) and sweepers

(bhaögis) and attendants at funerary

sites (dom), were deemed hereditarily

unclean, and could only be held by out-

castes. Outcastes were not allowed to

live in villages, to use the common wells

or to share food with caste people, and

they were often subjected to cruel pun-

ishment for minor offences. Mahatma

GANDHIcalled them Harijan, ‘God’s

people’, and wanted to make them part

of the Ÿüdra varæa. The Indian consti-

tution of 1950 outlaws untouchability

and legally gives equal status to all

Indians. In practice the former

untouchables are still widely disadvan-

taged and attempts to improve their

chances, such as those made by the

Mandal Commission (1989) are met

with violent resistance from the higher

castes. Many former outcastes have

organized themselves as DALITS

(‘oppressed’) and are fighting for eco-

nomic and social equality.

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