a. Purity-Pollution
Intercaste relations are also affected by the purity and pollution dogma. High-caste groups shun and keep their distance from the lower castes. Dalits are suppose to be so polluting that even the cast of their shadows would stain the higher-castes. In some cases, they even have to wear bells to warn others of their presence.

Distance is maintained in all situations, even in the case of preparation of food. A Brahmin who accepts water or a meal from the hands of a Sweeper or any Dalit will immediately be polluted and could face social rejection from his fellow caste members. Certain exceptions hold. For example, only members of the Waterbearer caste who are employed to supply water from wells to homes can offer water by hand to all castes without polluting them. Only completely raw uncooked food like rice grains, uncooked vegetables, mangoes, or bananas can be accepted by anyone from anybody.

Another instance of inter-caste relation that is forbidden is inter-caste marriage. Given that even the issue of dining has so many regulations, marriage and consummation issues are under even heavier scrutiny. Marriages are traditionally arranged and within one's own caste. The background of each bride and groom are thoroughly studied to make sure they fit. Caste is the key qualification sought, and like how it affects basic socialization of society, is a filter system when seeking potential life partners. Marriage within caste is such a strong factor that there are directories that publish a list of eligible Indians and what caste groups they belong to. An example is this web site: www.marriage.com

Pollution and Purity have very strict rules and regulations to abide by. Every action in every single day (a drink of water, a meal, talking, touching, bathing) has immediate consequences to it. And one would have to take the necessary purifying rituals to correct the violation. These daily rules and regulations serve as a constant reminder of the multi-ranked caste society and shows how important and essential the hierarchy is to the lives of Indians.


b. Atrocities
Intercaste Relations can be seen as either economically cooperative or exploitative. In the prior perspective, the lower castes that perform jobs as farmers, carpenters, shoemakers, potters are hired by upper castes who owns lands and business to afford to pay them. In the latter perspective, since the higher-ranking castes are the ones with both social and economic power, they can economically exploit or plainly discriminates the low classes. Such cases range from minor levels of degrade and abuse to shocking states where the low castes are even killed by these high-ranked castes. Evidence of such atrocities appears in several controversial news reports in different parts of India.

"In 1990, blatant subjugation of low-caste laborers in the northern state of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh was the subject of many news reports. In this region, scores of Dalits who have attempted to unite to protest low wages have been the victims of some 500 villagers." (Web Source)

"In 1991 the news magazine India Today reported that in an ostensibly prosperous village about 160 kilometers southeast of Delhi, when it became known that a rural Dalit laborer dared to have a love affair with the daughter of a high-caste landlord, the lovers and their Dalit go-between were tortured, publicly hanged and burnt by agents of the girl's family in the presence of some 500 villagers." (Web Source)