One of the dogmas of the faith is equality of mankind, but this extends rather to religious tenets than to social laws. All Sikhs will eat consecrated bread and drink water one from another's hand except from the lowest classes, where caste is measured by occupation; but they will not intermarry. Each caste occupies a social position of its own, partaking more of family or race pride than of religious usage. It is maintained among the Jats mainly as a matrimonial system, social custom not permitting a man to seek a bride among the members of his own sub-clan. He must go afield to other septs of his tribe for a wife.
Among the Sikhs births and deaths should take place on the ground. The impress of their origin is still strongly maintained in their regard for the "Mother Earth," the ancient honoured deity. The strongest phrase to denote a human being is literally earth. "From one Mother is the world born." In the house, as soon as death approaches, the patient is taken off
