Why are the "Untouchables" in India so called?

sequoianoir

Untouchables, now called Harijans, have traditionally occupied the lowest place in the caste system of Hindu India. They were called untouchable because they were considered to be outside the confines of caste. Their impurity derived from their traditional occupations, such as the taking of life and the treatment of bodily effluvia. Jul 02 03, 3:18 PM

freddy_krueger

Untouchables, or Dalits may not enter the higher-caste sections of villages may not use the same wells, wear shoes in the presence of upper castes, visit the same temples, drink from the same cups in tea stalls, or lay claim to land that is legally or lay claim to land that is legally theirs. This therefore makes them 'untouchable'. Jul 02 03, 3:19 PM

Linus_337

Untouchables were seen as polluting people and their dwellings were at a distance from the settlements of the four Indian Varna communities. The untouchables were not allowed to touch people from the four Varnas. They were not allowed to enter houses of the higher Varnas. They were not allowed to enter the temples. They were not allowed to use the same wells used by the Varnas. In public occasions they were compelled to sit at a distance from the four Varnas. In regions where the attitude towards the untouchables were more severe, not only touching them was seen polluting, but also even a contact with their shadow was seen as polluting. The following site gives the full run-down without mentioning Sean Connery once. http://adaniel.tripod.com/untouchables.htm Jul 02 03, 3:20 PM

Siskin

The castes, which were the elite of the Indian society, were classified as high castes. The other communities were classified as lower castes or lower classes. The lower classes were listed in three categories. The first category is called Scheduled Castes. This category includes in it communities who were untouchables. In modern India, untouchability exists at a very low extent. The untouchables call themselves Dalit, meaning depressed. Until the late 1980s they were called Harijan, meaning children of God. This title was given to them by Mahatma Gandhi who wanted the society to accept untouchables within them. http://adaniel.tripod.com/modernindia.htm Jul 02 03, 3:27 PM

mumby21

It is due to the caste system, the untouchables being the lowest caste and the Brahmins the highest Jul 15 03, 6:38 AM