Indian society is an old and extremely complex society. The caste system and Indian society are inseparable. The caste system with all its peculiarities is a unique characteristic of Indian society. For centuries together the lowest stratum of Hindu Society was constituted by the untouchables. Untouchability was a practice which imposes social disabilities on persons by reasons of their birth in certain castes. As a result, the untouchables had to face various forms of exclusion and exploitation such as denying access to state services or remunerative occupations, or forcing Dalits to perform demeaning tasks. Untouchability was the system in which physical contact with the persons and things was avoided because of certain blind beliefs relating to ritual purity and pollution. It is important to note that the three main manifestations of untouchability were — exclusion, humiliation- subordination, and exploitation. The people of other low castes also suffered from exploitation to some extent but the sufferings from exclusion reserved for the untouchables were extreme.