But seeing others as a 'lower form'... are you fine with that? That's all I question.
Well I am a Zoroastrian. From an ancient Aryan faith. We have (had) a very similar structure in Persian society.
The Athoran (Athrvan) were the hereditary line of priesthood (the Dasturs and Mobeds, descendants of the ancient Magii).
The other classes were similar and in fact even more specialized than the Hindus. Artisans, traders, farmers, etc.
Unlike Hindus, there was no specialist warrior caste/class, as Persian Zoroastrian society in size was a lot smaller, a ways more militaristic and expeditionary, cross continent, and everyone fought. Even our women. Including our monarchy and nobility and (especially) the priests.
When we came to India, over the next 500-600 years (22-28 generations) the other classes, for ease and the simple fact that there were too few of us remaining for so many classes, were all coalesced into a single class of Behdin (the Faithful). These are the commoners.
The Athrvan class with its very strict bloodline rules, and hereditary training of priests by word of mouth from father to son, was left untouched.
There was an additional class that came about, that of the pall bearers. The Khandias. Who carry the dead body into the Dakhmas (Towers of Silence). No one else is allowed beyond its gates. They are the untouchables, so to speak. They marry within themselves. And a whole lot of other rules.
These are the descendants of the children of Persian men and Indian women unions when we first landed here. Absorbed by a one-time decree and Navjote (investiture) ceremony into the faith.
Centuries later in Bombay in the early 19th century a similar ceremony was done to mass formalize children of Parsi seths and their non Parsi concubines.
Cheers, Doc
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