Knowra Jati Jati A locally rooted South Asian social group, usually endogamous and associated with shared ancestry, status, or traditional occupation. Jatis vary across regions and are distinct from the broad fourfold varna scheme.
Varna : A fourfold social classification in Hindu texts, comprising Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. Varna is a broad textual scheme, unlike the many locally specific jatis.
Caste endogamy : Marriage within a caste group, often enforced through family and community norms. It is a key means by which jati membership is reproduced across generations.
Rigveda : The oldest collection of Sanskrit hymns, composed in ancient South Asia. Its Purusha hymn presents an early textual account of four varnas, not a map of jatis.
Caste discrimination : Unequal treatment based on caste identity, including exclusion, stigma, and violence. Jati-based status hierarchies can organize discrimination in daily life and institutions.
Caste : A hereditary social grouping or system of ranked groups, especially in South Asia. Caste is often used as an umbrella term; jati names a more localized group.
Endogamy : The practice of marrying within a defined social, religious, or ethnic group. Marriage within the group has often helped maintain jati boundaries.
Occupational specialization : The concentration of workers or groups in particular kinds of work. Traditional occupations have often distinguished jatis, though work is not fixed or exclusive.
Dharmashastra : A genre of Sanskrit texts prescribing norms of conduct, law, and social duty. These texts classified social groups and helped shape later understandings of caste.
Reservation in India : A system of affirmative-action quotas in Indian education, public employment, and legislatures for designated groups. Jati classifications inform eligibility for some protected categories and policies.
Class : A social grouping based chiefly on economic position, such as income, wealth, or relation to work. Class position can change through economic mobility, while jati is ordinarily inherited.
Show all 25