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Brahmin
The caste system organizes Indian culture into an unequal and often prohibitive hierarchy; though the different varnas, or social classes, have their origins in the ancient Hindu Vedic texts, the caste system was more formally codified and enforced by the British, as a tool of colonial oppression. The four varnas in Hindu culture are Brahmins (priest class), Kshatriyas (warrior class, which includes the Rajput castes), Vaishyas (farmers and merchants), and Shudras (artisans and laborers). Within those varnas, there are hundreds of more specific caste delineations, not to mention the Dalits (or “untouchables”), who are considered without caste and are often profoundly discriminated against. To this day, the segregation of caste remains a contentious topic in Indian politics and society.
Caste Quotes in The Henna Artist
The The Henna Artist quotes below are all either spoken by Caste or refer to Caste. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 12
Quotes
“She never spends time with me. All she does is work!”
Each of Radha 's accusations felt like a slap on my cheek.
“She has to support herself.” Kanta took Radha’s hand in hers. “And you. And Malik. She's brave, and she's very fierce. You two are a lot alike, you know.”
Alike? I never thought Radha and I shared anything but the watercolors of our eyes.
“I'm lucky, Radha,” Kanta continued, “I've never had to support myself. Never had to worry about money. Even now my father helps us out when Manu’s civil salary falls short of our expenses. My situation is very different from yours.” She sighed. “As much as I would like it to be different for you, it's not. You must think about money—how to pay rent, how to afford a new pair of shoes, food. As your sister has always done. I accept responsibility for what I've done, Radha. Your sister's not to blame. And neither are you.”
Related Characters:
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Explanation and Analysis:
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Caste Term Timeline in The Henna Artist
The timeline below shows where the term Caste appears in The Henna Artist. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
...in the marble floors and luscious vines, she notes that the Singhs—part of a Rajput caste of rajas, princes, and army officers—have had power “before, during, and even after” British colonization.
(full context)
Normally, low-caste Shudra women do henna. But while Shudra henna artists traditionally do simple patterns, Lakshmi’s designs...
(full context)
...Polo or Alexander the Great. Lakshmi explains that she and Parvati are from the highest castes—Lakshmi is a Brahmin, and Parvati is a Kshatriya (the warrior caste). However, because Lakshmi touches...
(full context)
...marriage makes perfect business sense. But Sheela is a Brahmin—meaning that she is a different caste from Ravi. Though Lakshmi thinks Sheela is entitled and rude, she is also very beautiful,...
(full context)
Chapter 4
...princess of this kingdom.” Unlike Malik, Radha does not understand the “nuances of class and caste.”
(full context)
Chapter 9
...would have been. Radha only replies that, as a believer in free education for all castes, “he would have been happy with the government school.” Radha wolfs her food, even when...
(full context)
