Untouchability

Untouchability: The Extreme of Caste

Untouchability is the most brutal and extreme expression of the caste system. It does not simply rank a group at the bottom of a hierarchy — it places them outside the hierarchy altogether. The core idea is that members of these castes are so profoundly "impure" that their mere touch pollutes everyone else. This pollution is not just a matter of social awkwardness; it demands severe punishment for the "untouchable" and elaborate, often costly, purification rituals for the person who was touched.

In many parts of India, especially in the south, the rules went even further. The concept of distance pollution meant that even the shadow of an "untouchable" person falling on a member of a higher caste was considered polluting. The very presence of such a person was a threat to the ritual purity of others.

While other low castes (the "touchable" Shudras) also face subordination and exploitation, they do not suffer the extreme forms of exclusion that are reserved for "untouchables." The exclusion of Dalits is unique. They are, for example, prohibited from:

• Sharing drinking water sources with other castes.
• Participating in collective religious worship, social ceremonies, and festivals.

Untouchability is almost always tied to severe economic exploitation. The most common forms are forced, unpaid (or grossly underpaid) labour and the outright confiscation of property. This is a pan-Indian phenomenon, though its specific forms and intensity vary greatly from one region and historical context to another.

The Many Names of the "Untouchables"

Over the centuries, the groups now known as Dalits have been called by many names. Every one of these names is derogatory and carries a strongly insulting charge. Many are still used as slurs today, although their use is now a criminal offence.

• Harijan: Mahatma Gandhi popularised this term in the 1930s. It literally means "children of God." Gandhi's intention was to counter the insulting nature of the caste names, but the term is now widely rejected by Dalit communities themselves, who see it as patronising. …