India and the caste system

India has been part of the Commonwealth since it became independent in 1947, after 96 years under British domination. Queen Victoria was then very proud of her new title, Empress of India, although she never went there! India is very different from what we know in Europe. India has a system of castes which we can’t really dissociate from the traditions of the country and its way of life. There are four main groups:
- the scheduled castes, better known as the “untouchables”, those people form the lowest classes of the population,
- the scheduled tribes which include the aboriginal populations,
- the other backward castes,
- the forward castes, which are what we would call in England the upper-class.

- caste system
- India
- Commonwealth

to devote yourself: te consacrer
the scheduled castes: les castes prévues
the other backward castes: les autres castes inférieures
the forward castes: les castes supérieures
the upper-class: la classe supérieure
to deserve: mériter
dustmen: éboueurs
sewage workers: techniciens des eaux usées