A tale of two temples: an exploration of caste in Cape Town
Date
2016-10-28
Authors
Gajjar, Neerali
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Abstract
A Tale of Two Temples: An Exploration of Caste addresses the notion of caste in South Africa,
specifically among the Gujarati community in Cape Town. Caste within this community has been
discussed with regard to the Indian diaspora in general and Natal in South Africa, but there is not a
vast amount of literature regarding this phenomenon among Indians in Cape Town. Through the
description of a dispute between a caste-based organisation of mochis –those of a leatherworking
and cobbler caste- and a non-caste-based organisation predominantly of agricultural patidars over
control of the space of worship, the recreation, dynamics and interplay of the caste system are
discussed. Louis Dumont’s influential synoptic theory of caste serves as the frame of reference when
addressing the system. Dumont focuses on the idea of purity and hierarchy. The system includes four
varnas or classes, which are positioned along a pure-to-impure hierarchy. In Cape Town, this
hierarchy is not entirely recreated; all four varnas are not represented. Instead patidars or
agriculturalists have claimed to be of high status, which is normally attributed to a Brahmin or clerical
caste, and have asserted themselves as the reference group for other castes. They perceive the
mochis to be of low caste. The mochis have not accepted this and through the influence of the Arya
Samaj, they have recreated a new historical narrative classifying themselves as high caste. This new
narrative and the empowerment of the mochis created a conflict that escalated as a result of
apartheid’s Group Areas Act, which legally enforced racially segregated residential areas. This conflict
provides insight into the recreation of caste in Cape Town.
Keywords and Terms
Cape Town, Caste, Diaspora, Dumont, Durban, Fiji, Gujarati, Indenture, Indian Diaspora,
Johannesburg, Migration, South Africa, Trinidad
Description
A Dissertation submitted to the School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities,
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in the fulfilment of the requirements
for the degree of Masters of Arts in Political Science by research.
Johannesburg, January 2016
Keywords
Citation
Gajjar, Neerali, (2016) A tale of two temples: an exploration of caste in Cape Town, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg,< http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/21301 >