Public conversations today often treat varṇa, jāti, and “caste” as if they are interchangeable—but this conflation has led to widespread misunderstanding, distortion, and confusion.

In this timely and thought-provoking webinar, we revisit these foundational concepts through a more careful and historically grounded lens. What did varṇa and jāti originally mean within the Hindu civilizational framework? How and when did the modern idea of the “caste system” emerge? And what are the consequences—intellectual, social, and cultural—of continuing to collapse these distinct ideas into a single narrative?

Guided by Kalyan Viswanathan, President of the Hindu University of America, this session will unpack the evolution of these terms across indigenous and colonial frameworks, highlighting how Western categories reshaped the global understanding of Hindu society.

More than a historical discussion, this webinar invites participants into a deeper process of intellectual clarity and decolonization—equipping them to engage confidently with one of the most debated and misunderstood topics in Hindu studies today.

Join us as we move beyond confusion toward clarity—and continue the larger samvāda on how Hindu knowledge traditions are understood in the modern world.