Introduction: Beauty of Hindu Culture

Hinduism, one of the world’s oldest living religions, has given birth to profound spiritual insights, rich philosophical traditions, and vibrant cultural practices. Many of my closest friends are Hindus who embody generosity, wisdom, and compassion. Like any ancient tradition, Hinduism includes diverse interpretations and adaptations across time and space.

Yet, as with every religion or society, there are aspects and structures that have been used to justify inequality and oppression. This article does not critique Hinduism as a whole, but rather examines how caste-based discrimination has been used by some—particularly from the upper castes—to justify exclusion, dehumanization, and the suppression of the poorest in society, especially the Shudras and the Dalits (those historically considered “outcastes”).

We explore why some upper-caste individuals resist the upliftment of lower castes, especially when that upliftment is facilitated by Christian missionaries, and why conversion to Christianity is often met with hostility—even though for many, it offers something that caste-based society has denied them for centuries: dignity, equality, and love.

Historical Roots: Caste and the Denial of Rights

The caste system, deeply intertwined with socio-religious texts and traditions, stratified Indian society for centuries. Among the most cited ancient texts to justify caste hierarchy is the Manusmriti, a Sanskrit legal text compiled between 200 BCE and 200 CE.

Let’s look at how this text treats Shudras—those traditionally placed at the bottom of the four-fold varna system—and what implications that has had.

1. Shudras Denied Knowledge with Savage Penalties

The Manusmriti prescribes exceptionally harsh punishments for Shudras who seek education, especially Vedic knowledge:

• Manusmriti 2.281: “If a Shudra intentionally listens to a recitation of the Veda, his ears shall be filled with molten lead and lac.”
• 2.282: “If he utters (Vedic verses), his tongue shall be cut.”
• 2.283: “If he remembers them, his body shall be split.”
  This demonstrates how access to learning and spiritual recitation—considered basic rights elsewhere—were criminalized for Shudras, with punishment meant to physically and symbolically silence them.

2. Punishments for Physical Contact with Brahmins

The most graphic evidence of dehumanization can be seen in the rules about physical contact:

• Manusmriti 8.279–8.280 states that if a Shudra were to physically grab or seize (even unintentionally) a Brahmin, both of his hands would be cut off—even if only one hand was used, both would be amputated, because the pain to the Brahmin would be perceived as the same.
• The text details, “If a Sudra assaults a twice-born man, he shall lose the limb with which he offends… even if one hand is used, both are cut off, because the pain (duhkha) to the twice-born is immeasurable.”

3. Additional Cruel Provisions Against Shudras

• Manusmriti 8.270: “If a Shudra insults a twice-born… his tongue should be cut off.”
• Manusmriti 8.271: “If he mentions the names and castes of the [twice-born] with disrespect, an iron nail, ten fingers long, shall be thrust red hot into his mouth.”
• Manusmriti 8.272: “If a Shudra arrogantly presumes to teach religion to Brahmins, the king shall have burning oil poured into his mouth and ears.”
• Manusmriti 8.281: “If he sits on the same seat with a Brahmin, he is to be branded on his hip and banished, or his backside gashed.”

These laws create a world where Shudras are not simply marginalized but actively, violently excluded from learning, dignity, or even basic bodily safety.

4. Those Below the Shudras: Outcastes (Chandalas, Dalits)

While Shudras faced this legalized brutality, those considered “outcastes” or Chandalas—born from unions outside the prescribed varnas—were assigned even lower status:

• Forced to live outside villages.
• Forbidden access to clean water, temples, and town centers.
• Assigned degrading tasks, such as disposing of corpses or manual scavenging.

Such declarations institutionalized a system where the lower castes were not only excluded but criminalized simply for trying to access knowledge or dignity. The outcastes—those outside the four varnas, later referred to as “Dalits”—were considered even lower, often described as “untouchables.” These groups were denied even the basic human dignities—access to clean water, education, employment, or even the right to walk on public roads in some regions.

A Life of Harsh Realities

Across centuries, Dalits and Shudras suffered extraordinary violence, humiliation, and exploitation:

• Labour Exploitation: Dalits and Shudras were often bonded into menial labor—manually cleaning human waste, tanning leather, or working as serfs on upper-caste-owned land.
• Untouchability: Historically, Dalits could not enter temples, had separate wells, and were forbidden to eat with upper castes.
• Sexual Violence: Dalit women have long been subject to caste-based sexual violence. In many cases, perpetrators enjoy impunity due to their caste privilege.
• Modern Data:
• National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data shows that crime against Dalits is disproportionately high, with routine reports of atrocities, including rapes and murders.
• A 2022 study (by IndiaSpend and others) found that over 70% of Dalit children still experience classroom discrimination.

So when some upper-caste individuals accuse missionaries of “bribing” Dalits with rice and dal, they inadvertently confess a deeper truth: many of these communities lived in such poverty that even basic food was unavailable to them—not because of Christianity, but because of centuries of systemic denial of land ownership, education, and livelihood.

Why Are Christian Missionaries a Threat?

Christian missionaries have often set up schools, hospitals, and social welfare programs in India’s poorest regions—typically where Dalits and tribal groups live. These services make no demands for conversion, yet many choose to convert because they feel seen and humanized.

Reasons why many Dalits convert to Christianity:

1. Personal Encounter with Faith: Many testify to a spiritual experience with Christ, not coercion. It gives them hope, love, and an identity not defined by caste.
2. Social Equality: Christianity, at least in its theological essence, treats all humans as created in the image of God. There’s no scriptural basis for caste hierarchy. A Dalit Christian is an equal with a Brahmin Christian—a revolutionary idea for those used to centuries of oppression.
3. Community and Dignity: Converts often cite a newfound dignity—they are no longer “untouchables.” They eat with others, receive education, and can participate in worship as equals.

The accusation that conversions happen “for rice and dal” misses the point. If basic survival is tied to religious freedom, whose failure is it? If India’s caste society had treated its own people with dignity, there would be no space for missionaries to fill that gap.

Who’s Forcing Whom?

Much of the current discourse around “forced conversions” is unsupported by evidence. India’s anti-conversion laws often criminalize voluntary conversion by labeling it “indoctrination” or “allurement.” But in most cases, no coercion is proven.

Several high courts in India have upheld that “voluntary conversion out of faith and belief is a fundamental right” under Article 25 of the Constitution.

No one is putting a gun to anyone’s head. But people are walking away from humiliation and into dignity. Wouldn’t you?

The Real Reason for the Backlash

So why does the upper caste mind—especially those benefiting from status quo—resist this?

Because the caste system relies on compliance and ignorance. Once the oppressed are educated, once they know their rights, their worth, and their spiritual fullness, they can no longer be controlled.

The Christian missionary, school teacher, or social worker who empowers a Dalit child to read, to dream, and to believe he or she is a child of God becomes a revolutionary threat—not because they convert, but because they break the centuries-old back of institutional exploitation.

Conclusion: A Call to Justice, Not Conversion

This article is not a defense of conversion, nor a criticism of Hinduism. It is a call for justice. To all my  brothers and sisters who accuse Christian missionaries: if your concern is that conversion is happening due to poverty or social exclusion, then rise up and change that.

Treat every person, regardless of caste, as an equal. Feed the hungry. Educate the unlettered. Break the cycle of humiliation. If people see no difference between Christ’s love and your love, they will not feel compelled to look elsewhere.

Until then, blame not the missionary, nor the convert—but those who let their neighbours suffer for centuries without rice, without dignity, or without hope.

References:

• Manusmriti – multiple translations including G. Buhler’s version (Sacred Texts).
• NCRB Crime in India Reports.
• India Human Development Survey (IHDS).
• Testimonies and studies on Dalit conversions by organizations like Dalit Freedom Network, Pew Research, etc.