Haste prevents you from considering important issues. I know this feeling. And you? The one who succeeds is the one who is not in a hurry

Chapter 4 Castes in Ancient Rus' Like the sun Vladimir, everything Slavich A feast of honors began, For the prince-boyars, For the heroes, For everyone, for the guests, for the merchants, And for those black-arable peasants... The epic “Roda”-castes in Ancient Rus'. Sacred king. Magi. Knights. The owners.

India not only has a huge population, but also a stunning diversity of people. This country has always had a huge population, as Herodotus notes, but where did it come from?

The problem of the name of the people

Illustration for Mahabharata

In Russia, Indians are called incorrectly.
A Hindu is a follower of Hinduism, and not a representative of any nation.
But this is a necessary measure, since there are more than one thousand peoples in India, very different from each other, so the ethnonym arose by itself, especially since it is consonant with the name of the country.
Although it is incorrect, as if all Jews were called Jews.

Today, the largest population group in India is the Hindustani, also extremely diverse and numerous, but at least having clear common roots.
Almost 300 million people belong to this group, and this can also include the gypsies, whose origins are unclear, but they are really close to the Hindustanis.

Dravidians - ancient Indians

Dravidian women

The first people to inhabit India were the Dravidians.
Their unique civilization of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro was the same age as Sumer and Ancient Egypt.
They once inhabited all of India, but were then driven to the south of the country after the Aryan invasion, which destroyed their civilization.
The Dravidians are so different from others that they are united into a separate race - a mixture of Europeans and Australoids!
Now there are more than 200 million Dravidians and their descendants in India, they have their own literature and even cinema in their native language, which is only slightly inferior to Bollywood.
The ancestral home of the Dravidians is a separate problem; people of their race were found in Egypt, and in Elam, and even near Voronezh!
But judging by their own legends and the discovered sites of ancient people, they came from somewhere in the south of India, and the legends speak of the sunken land of the god Shiva, somewhere in the south, which was their homeland.

Dravidian anthropology

Dravidians are short, rather dense people, with very dark, almost black, skin, dark large eyes and black curly hair.
They have a low and wide face, a wide jaw and a wide mouth with drooping corners of the lips, often a straight but very wide nose.

Aryan invasion

Indo-Aryans in Central Asia

The end of the Dravidian civilization was put by people from the Eurasian steppe, who are called Aryans or Indo-Europeans.
Relatives of all European peoples, including the Slavs, in the Bronze Age they invented the wheel, tamed the horse, learned to make bronze weapons and brought all these innovations down on the heads of less developed peoples.
One part, like the Celts or Greeks, went to the west of Europe, others, like the Scythians or Slavs, remained in place, and the future Indians and Persians moved to the southeast.
As a single people, they crossed Central Asia (and, according to another version, through the Caucasus) and invaded what is now Iran.

There was a religious schism here.
For some reason, the gods of Iran became demons in India, and the Indian devi deities became demons among the Persians. More is unknown, but something happened within the tribe.
Probably for these reasons, in several waves, the Aryans went to India.

There they destroy the local Dravidian civilization, occupy key roles in the economy and politics, and establish harsh laws.

To prevent mixing with the local population, which they openly despise, a caste system is introduced.
Depending on birth and whiteness of skin, a person received a certain status.

High caste North Indian woman

Brahmins- rulers and priests were the highest caste, their color was white and only unmixed descendants of the Aryans went there.
Kshatriyas- warriors, with the color red as a symbol, may have had a more mixed origin, but still predominantly Aryan.
Shudras- traders and artisans were the lower class, predominantly from the local population, dark-skinned with a black caste.

Of course, over thousands of years, mixing occurred constantly; now there is hardly an Indian who has only Aryan ancestors.
But the caste system continues to this day!
There are more than a thousand castes, but in general they can be divided into three indicated parts, which completely determine the status, as well as the untouchable caste, which includes the most “primitive” peoples of Hindustan.
The upper classes of India are often much lighter-skinned than the lower classes, and blondes in India are still treated as something sacred!

Indo-Mediterranean race

Indo-Mediterranean people in Pakistan

In addition to the Aryans and Dravidians, representatives of the Indo-Mediterranean race lived and regularly arrived in India.
This is the local population of southern Europe, Elam and Arabia, groups of which ended up in India and remained in it.
They are all quite similar to each other:
short, very thin, asthenic build, with an elongated face, dark skin and black hair, very long arms relative to the body.
As traders, slaves, captives and free migrants, they found themselves in India and now make up at least a third of its population, and taking into account mixing with the indigenous people, at least half.

Thus, the populous and extremely diverse India consists of three elements: the indigenous Dravidians, the Indo-Mediterraneans who came from the east and the Indo-Aryans from the far north.

Despite the fact that India lags behind China in terms of population, it stubbornly holds its position with a population of more than 1.2 billion people. The descendants of modern Indians, as a rule, crossed here through the Himalayas, or sailed from the ocean. These were residents of the East, the Mediterranean and even Australia. That is why one should not be surprised by such a variety of nationalities, traditions, and historical roots that have been preserved in India and to this day delight travelers with an insane national palette. Among the numerous nationalities you can find Hindustani, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Punjabi, Kannar and so on. Today, the ancient caste system has been preserved in India, only thanks to which the population was able to maintain its rich composition.

More than 75% of the population are Indo-Aryans, most similar to Europeans. Scientists have suggested that modern Hindus came to this land from the north, namely from the Middle East and even Europe. These peoples live in the northern part of India. The south of the country is inhabited by descendants of the Dravidian people and the Mongols. In the mountains and foothills you can find a large number of small nationalities, of which there are several hundred people left.

India is an amazing country, because only here Indians can be very different from each other. In one part of the country these may be short and almost black Indians, but on the other side they will already be tall and with light skin. Each nationality has its own language, traditions and rich history. So let's get acquainted with some Indian nationalities.

Telugu

They are a people from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in the valley of the Krishna, Godavari and Tungabhadra rivers. The population is more than 70 million people. The descendants of the people were Dravidians, Andhras and Kalingas. In the 3rd century BC. e. Buddhism appeared on the territory of the present Telugus. In the 7th century, the Chalukya dynasty began to rule here, which greatly influenced the development of architecture. Many of the buildings that we can see today date back to the reign of the dynasty.

Today Telugu people are engaged agriculture, various varieties of pepper, rice, jowar, bajra, sugarcane, cotton, sesame and tobacco are grown. There is a certain branch of the people who are engaged in sheep breeding. The following crafts are common among the population: pottery, weaving, jewelry and varnish.

After so many years of existence, the people have retained the caste division. Castes are divided into clan groups, where many family customs are preserved, such as marriage between close relatives. Telugus also prohibit divorce, and widows do not have the right to remarry. Telugus who profess Islam also have a caste division.

The settlements of the nationality have a number of features. All villages are divided into quarters, each of which is inhabited by a specific caste group. High caste families have large stone houses with courtyards. The bedroom is always located in the southern part of the house, and the shrine is in the opposite part. The rest of the area is occupied by a guest room and storage rooms. Representatives of the middle castes live in mud houses with one room. Sometimes a veranda is added, but this is rare. The lower caste is generally unlucky; people’s huts are built of bamboo, or less often clay. The staple food of the Telugu people is rice and dishes made from beans and other legumes. Seasonings include sour dairy products, pickled mango, lime and some classic spices. Muslims adopt North Indian cuisine.

The Telugu people have rich history and extraordinary color, that’s why it’s developed here folk art, painting and performing arts. In the 20th century, based on local pantomime on a religious theme, the Kuchipudi dance was created.

Tamils

This is the population of Tamil Nadu. Its population is approximately 65 million people. A number of Tamils ​​also live in Sri Lanka. They have lived there since the beginning of the 19th century. In general, the people live everywhere in all regions of India, but among the rest of the crowd of people, it will be quite difficult to see them.

Most Tamils ​​are Hindus, but many are Muslims, Shaivites, Vaishnavites and Christians. The nation originates from the Dravidians in the 3rd century BC. The appearance of the Tamils ​​is associated with the migration of the Dravidian people from the northwest to the south and the formation of the entire Indy civilization. But, unfortunately, there is very little data about the further fate of the people, so no one dares to judge their history for sure.

Today, the Tamils ​​are prosperous, practicing arable farming, growing rice, millet, oilseeds, and also overseeing huge tea and cotton plantations. The urban population is engaged in all types of weaving, jewelry, as well as the creation of baskets, rugs, and so on. Tamils ​​can be called a modern people. Industry, services, science and culture are developed in cities and villages. Settlements are also divided along caste lines. The houses are very different from each other. They are typically made of clay or brick with multiple roofs. Also, almost every house has a veranda, which is used by the owners during leisure time. Residential buildings have a spacious courtyard. In the homes of rich Tamils, a swing is required. Residents always sleep and sit on mats.

People eat all kinds of variations with cereals and legumes. These include porridge, stewed vegetables, and various broths. Favorite dishes are rice cakes with various fillings and steamed rice balls. Vegetable oil, spices and exotic fruits are often used in cooking. All food is served on banana leaves.

Tamils ​​are famous for their Katteikuttu theater troupes and puppet theater. Dramatic performances are often staged on stage, and mask performances are not uncommon. On the basis of the ancient art of Devadasi, the national dance Bharata Natyam was created in the last century.

Sindhi

These people live in India, in particular in the state of Rajasthan. The population is more than 2 million people. The Sindhi language is very interesting; it contains a lot of borrowings from Persian and Arabic dialects. The majority of Sindhis are Hindus, but Muslims can also be found.

The main occupation of the Sndkhs is considered to be agriculture and growing cereals. Artificial irrigation is mainly used during cultivation. The villagers livestock, mainly buffaloes and horses. Fishing is developed in the river delta. Crafts are not so developed, but weaving, knife making and carpet production remain from their ancestors. Every year there are more and more Sindhis engaged in mental work.

The dwellings in the villages are made of adobe with a special coating, but among wealthy families, the houses are built entirely of brick and fenced off with a high fence. The roofs are flat and covered with palm leaves.

Sindhis eat millet cakes and a variety of pea stews. Along the riverbeds, the main food component is fish. Also, meat is always served with stews: beef, poultry. Tea is a popular drink.

Sinhalese

This people inhabits Sri Lanka, mainly in the foothills of the island, and is well developed economically. In addition to India, they can be found in Singapore and Australia. The population is 13 thousand people. Based on their ethnic groups, the Sinhalese can be divided into mountainous and coastal. Both speak Sinhala, but there are clear differences. Almost all Sinhalese are Muslims. There is no point in writing about all other religions, since their number is counted in units. In modern Islam one can trace the influence of ancient Hinduism and the traditions of the people. The basis of the people were the Indo-Aryans, who, according to legend, belonged to the lion clan. The Vedas had a huge influence on the development of the Sinhalese.

The beginnings of a state system appeared on the island in the first centuries of our era. It was then that Buddhism spread throughout its entire area. In the 15th century, the local state of Kandy recaptured its independence first from the Portuguese and then from the Dutch. The struggle for the territory of the island lasted for many years. It ended only in 1948.

Today, most of the Sinhalese people live in villages and engage in arable farming. The main agricultural crops are wheat and rice. Residents of the coasts engage in fishing. Coconut cultivation, gardening and vegetable gardening play a major role in the life of the Sinhalese. IN last years The population of the island began to actively engage in industry.

The dwellings do not have a frame foundation, but are built on the ground from reeds and covered with palm leaves. The floor is always covered with mats. People eat rice in combination with stewed vegetables in curry sauce.

There was no caste division in the settlements. Only among the Sinhalese, relations have only a rural-community orientation. The people are engaged in artistic crafts, namely wood chasing, carving, sculpture and painting. The Sinhalese practice folklore, perform plays using masks and dance.

Malayali

This is the main population of Kerala state of 35 million. This ethnicity can be found in minute quantities in other Asian countries.

In the 1st century BC, the Malayali formed their state of Chera, in the modern manner of Kerala. During the Middle Ages, its territory was repeatedly divided into small provinces. Such fragmentation persisted until 1056 - the year of formation of the modern state of Kerala. The majority of Malayalees profess Hinduism. Among them there are many Christians and Muslims.

Agriculture is considered the main occupation of the people. They grow rice, cassava, coffee, vegetables and fruits. Malayalees are also engaged in cultivation of coconuts and rubber trees. In addition to crop production, Indians are engaged in animal husbandry. They mainly raise cattle and poultry. Depending on the region, the main type of animal changes. Among the crafts, Malayali are engaged in the creation of boats and fishing tools. Malayali people create mats and baskets from plant materials.

All houses in the villages have a continuous development, that is, one dwelling smoothly passes into another. For the upper castes, houses are built of wood, several stories high, with tiled roofs. Near the house there is always a utility yard with additional buildings. In every home there is always a chapel, a well, and often people create shelters for snakes.

Peasant houses are much simpler. It consists of several rooms covered with palm leaves. Wooden bars must be installed on the windows. The huts of the poorest Malayalees are built entirely of reeds on a bamboo base.

People most often eat cereals, rice cakes, dairy products, seafood and a variety of spices.

The Malayali have a cult of mothers, in whose honor numerous temples have been built. They also do not forget about their ancestors and sacred animals - snakes. There are also rituals with sacrifices. The most important holiday is Onam, celebrated at the end of summer immediately after the harvest.

Oraons

This people mainly inhabits the state of Bihar, although they can also be found in Bangladesh, but in minute numbers. The population is more than 200 thousand people. Most of the Oraons adhere to Hinduism, and a quarter are Christians. According to some sources, they came from South India.

The main occupation is arable farming. In mountainous areas it is of a slash-and-burn nature. Only rice is grown. Animals raised include small cattle, chickens and ducks. Fishing and gathering have been preserved in the river valleys. Today, many Oraons work in the fields or participate in road construction. There are also many representatives of the intelligentsia among the population. The Oraons live in villages in traditional houses with walls coated with clay. The roof is covered with either tiles or reeds, it all depends on the wealth of the family. The administration of the settlement is carried out by a council headed by a mahato. In the village you can find so-called bachelors' houses. They can be compared to modern dormitories where only girls or only men live. The nationality is unique in that after many years it has retained the division into totemic clans. In every village there is a hut with totems representing the ancestors. Residents regularly sacrifice young chickens to them and protect them in every possible way.

Tire

The people live in the Gilgit River valley and nearby mountainous areas. The population is 120 thousand people. Most Shina practice Islam and Buddhism. Until the 14th century, the territory was divided into principalities, which were constantly at war with each other. There were frequent cases of slavery and the sale of people in slave markets. Due to frequent attacks, almost all villages installed defensive structures that still exist today.

The main occupation in the villages is manual farming. They grow rice and other grains, as well as vegetables and fruits. Grapes are grown in the Gilgit delta. Since there is little fertile land, the Shina live close to each other and prefer not to quarrel. This is due to the fact that trade relations often arise between neighboring settlements, for example, they exchange grain for vegetables if there is such a shortage. Residents of the mountains raise small cattle and also mine gold. There is no culture at all, since the people live separately and are actually poor. Today, the rural community has been preserved, and marriage relations are controlled by Sharia law.

Lepcha

This is a small nation, not exceeding 65 thousand people. She lives in the state of Sikkim and Bengal, and you can also meet representatives in Nepal. According to historical data, the Lepchas are an autochthonous population of the Himalayas, which in some documents is referred to as Kirantis. Today, the Lepchas practice terrace farming and grow rice, corn, buckwheat and millet. Common animals include goats, chickens, pigs and cattle. People were engaged in hunting until the 19th century. But it’s very difficult with crafts, they simply don’t exist.

Local residents live in large families in solid wooden houses. Several settlements make up a community, headed by a headman. The people have preserved the cult of the mountains; they still believe in evil spirits and gods.

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