The book examines the historical articulations of caste and the politics of caste and thus opens up new ways of thinking in relation to caste, kinship, identity and hierarchy. Citing seminal studies and recent works on the subject, it throws light on the diverse understandings of caste in pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial India. It explains how configurations of caste changed and acquired legitimacy during the colonial era. With personal accounts, it includes experiences of everyday life with respect to caste hierarchies and disabilities.