India’s centuries old caste system hasn’t gone away in the digital age. It’s moved online. Global Post reports that Indians have created thousands of groups on the social networking site Orkut related to caste. Examples include the Brahmins of India, The Great Marathas, and i love intercaste marriage. One research company estimated that some 485,000 people are members of 32 different caste-related communities.
Fights and insults have broken out on the site, but for the most part, Global Post reports that discussions have been benign and respectful. Some experts believe that Indians continue to identify deeply with their caste, and that the groups are simply an expression of that identification. Others think that Indian society is becoming increasingly uncomfortable taking about caste, and that social networking sites provide a safer place to discuss the issue.
Source: Global Post
