Within most villages or towns, everyone knows the relative rankings of each locally represented caste, and behavior is constantly shaped by this knowledge. Castes are primarily associated with Hinduism, but caste-like groups also exist among Muslims, Indian, Christians, and other religious communities. Societal hierarchy is evident in caste groups, amongst individuals, and in family and kinship groups. Although India is a political democracy, notions of complete equality are seldom evident in daily life. Whether in north India or south India, Hindu or Muslim, urban or village, virtually all things, people, and social groups are ranked according to various essential qualities. Yet, amid the complexities of Indian life, widely accepted cultural themes enhance social harmony and order. Adding further variety to contemporary Indian culture are rapidly occurring changes affecting various regions and socioeconomic groups in disparate ways. Indian society is multifaceted to an extent perhaps unknown in any other of the world’s great civilizations-it is more like an area as varied as Europe than any other single nation-state. Differences between north India and south India are particularly significant, especially in systems of kinship and marriage. Diversities of ethnic, linguistic, regional, economic, religious, class, and caste groups crosscut Indian society, which is also permeated with immense urban-rural differences and gender distinctions. India offers astounding variety in virtually every aspect of social life.
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