Renouncers

Some people step outside the caste system on purpose. These are the sannyasins, the wandering holy men and women of the Hinduism. Caste law applies only to Hindus of this world. Sannyasins have given up the comforts and luxuries of home and family to wander freely without any possessions or worldly responsibilities. without any possessions or worldly responsibilities. They are focused on self-realization and are considered "in this world but not of it". Caste regulations don't apply to them, yet they are among the most highly respected members of Hindu culture.

Some sannyasins are swamis, who have formally taken vows in one of the renunciate orders. Don't expect to go to their headquarters and get a list of all the swamis, though. Things are not done in an organized someone who's swami initiates you in his or her order without necessarily registering your name anywhere. You put on the orange robe of a swami, and you're in business. Recently there was an attempt to begin keeping order in the orders, but the resistance was so fierce the effort collapsed. How can you expect someone who's renounced the world to worry about whether their name is listed in the ledger in some administrative building?

Quite a few of the sannyasins wandering India are not swamis but have simply renounced worldly life with blessing of their guru or even on their own. They beg for food once a day or get a free meal at the local temple. Typically they move along from one pilgrimage spot to the next since staying in any one place for longer than a few days (except during the monsoon season when travel is impactical) is seen as a potential source of attachment. They do their daily ritual practice, chant, meditate, and sometimes teach or hang out with fellow renunciate.