Introduction

One of the most debatable topics in the study of India’s social structure has been caste, which has captivated and divided experts alike. The amount of scholarly research and political rhetoric devoted to this topic is vast. Colonialism and its bureaucratic systems had a profound impact on Indian society, and this is a major topic of discussion. Some people believe that pre-colonial societal institutions, such as caste, still exist today. Others argue that the colonial rulers made fundamental qualitative changes. In his work Homo Hierarchicus, French researcher and author Louis Dumont created a text-informed vision of caste. Caste structure is based on the oppositional mental categories of purity and defilement. According to Dumont, all Hindus live by these distinct core ideas of caste hierarchy, which are reflected in both the scripture framework and their daily lives. To put it another way, these principles isolate Indians from the rest of the world, turning India into a land of ‘oriental’ Brahmanical values that cannot be changed.