Caste system and India, especially the Hindu's society:

(i) Caste system is unique in India and originally found among the Hindus. It started with the Varna-Vyavastha during the Vedic period (about 1500 B.C. to 1000 B.C.). There were four varnas: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaish, and Shudra. They were broadly divided into the four strata in terms of their occupations. Purity and pollution have been the main bases of varna Vyavastha and it applied to all spheres including occupation, food habits, clothing and language.

(ii) During the Vedic period untouchability was not a phenomenon, it came into being during the later Vedic era (about 1000 B.C.). Later on occupational diversities gave birth to various jatis. 

(iii) There are about 3500 jatis found in India, out of which 751 are Scheduled Caste communities. The Jati system provided a unique system of cooperation through the economic system of Jajman. 

(iv) Jajmani provided the bases of social structure. It means exchange of goods and services between various jatis. It is based on a patron-client relationship. The patron is known as Jajman who used to be a landlord (economically well off).

(v) The client is known as Kamin (from the service castes). The Kamin used to provide services to the Jajman and in return was given rewards in terms of kind (food grains, and many other considerations like free residential plot, free food, aid in litigation, use of animals and instruments, etc.).

However, the Jajman system is gradually fading away with the advent of the market and monetary economy. The Jati system is gradually becoming less rigid in the urban areas in terms of its norms.