How were people divided along lines of caste in most regions?

In most regions, people were divided along lines of caste.

(i)Brahmans and Kshatriyas considered themselves as “upper castes”.

(ii)Others, such as traders and moneylenders (often referred to as Vaishyas) were placed after them.

(iii)Then came peasants, and artisans such as weavers and potters (referred to as Shudras).

(iv)At the lowest rung were those who laboured to keep cities and villages clean or worked at jobs that upper castes considered “polluting”, that is, it could lead to the loss of caste status.

(v)The upper castes also treated many of these groups at the bottom as “untouchable”. They were not allowed to enter temples, draw water from the wells used by the upper castes, or bathe in ponds where upper castes bathed. They were seen as inferior human beings.

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