The Brahmin books speak about the social divisions called Jati. According to the thinking of Brahmins, birth is the basis for Jati, just like it is the basis for caste. There are only 4 Varnas. But the number of Jatis has no limit. Whenever the Brahmin chiefs met new groups which did not fit in with the 4 Varnas, they considered them as Jatis.
For example, they categorized the Nishadas living in the forests and the goldsmiths (Suvamakarar) as Jatis, as they were not fitting into the Varna System.
