Intro
The following classes of people / circumstances were subject to untouchability rules according to the smRti-s:
- A person who has committed a grave sin (mahApAtaka), but has not performed prAyashchitta.
- People whose spiritual practices were abhorrent to certain other people. Eg - bauddha-s jaina-s nAstika-s, even pAshupata-s and sAnkhya-s according to some texts.
- People following undersirable professions. Eg. a devalaka, a purohita for an entire village, hunter, butcher, fisherman etc..
- People in circumstances generating ashaucha. Eg.
- Women in their periods.
- A person shortly after a relative’s death or a birth.
- An uchChiShTa who is yet to wash his hands after/ while eating.
- A person who has touched a corpse, but is yet to bathe.
- Certain races such as the mlechCha-s.
Untouchable jAti-s
- There is no compelling evidence that untouchability existed in the Vedic Indo Aryan society.
- The smRti-s also do not recognize people the existance of people within the hindu society who were excluded from the 4 varNa-s and untouchable.