Struggle for Justice:

Caste is an integral part of Hindu fabric. There are four well-defined divisions of castes (or varnas) in Hindu society. These four castes (Chathurvarnas) occupying the upper divisions are the real masters and supreme leaders in the society. Those who could not or would not be fitted in the stratifications called “castes”, which term strictly covered the four varnas, were Panchamas, the fifth class, or loosely, avarnas (castes outside the pale). These people, who were subjected through the ages to indignities, disabilities and untouchability, until they sank into a sub-human existence, misery, squallor and poverty, were until some years ago described as “Depressed classes”–a term implying inferiority.