This term relates to social trade processes, especially those involving food.
The hierarchical rank differences between various social groupings were both defined and perpetuated in ancient Hindu society by stringent restrictions on exchanges and sharing.
Traditional marriage traditions highlight the importance of social groupings, with individuals marrying members of their own jati (“birth”), or social subgroup.
Another area where similar worries were evident was in the realm of food.
Cooked food is said to be particularly vulnerable to ritual impurity (ashaucha) and may thus transfer pollutants to those who consume it.
To protect themselves from this source of impurity, higher social status groups refused to eat prepared meals from lower social status groups.
Lower-status groups, on the other hand, would accept prepared meals from higher-status groups.
These worries about preserving social status shaped eating habits that may still be seen today.
Higher-status groups, especially brahmins, ate with members of their own community and only when the meal was prepared by a brahmin.
For ceremonial purity-conscious parties, the ideal meal is one prepared at home by a family member, since this guarantees the food's purity.
Even in contemporary times, the most traditional brahmins will only consume food prepared outside the house if it is impossible to avoid.
Whether on a lengthy trip or just for lunch at the workplace, it is always better to consume meals brought from home.
Although it used to be customary for the highest-status groups to avoid eating with others, this has changed.
Thus, although brahmin office employees may have lunch with coworkers from other groups, they would never consider inviting them to their homes for a meal.
See McKim Marriot, “Hindu Transactions: Diversity Without Dualism,” in Bruce Kapferer (ed.
), Transaction and Meaning, 1976, for further detail on how trades indicate status distinctions.
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