Page 185 - DSOC201_SOCIAL_STRUCTURE_AND_SOCIAL_CHANGE_ENGLISH

Social Structure and Social Change

Notes be known by their territorial limits as Kanauji Brahmins, Konkan Brahmins, Telugu Brahmins, and
so on. Similarly, sub-divisions among the Kshatriyas and Vaishyas soon followed. In due course, a
large number of occupational castes, such as weavers, smiths, carpenters, brewers, fishermen,
cowherds, etc. which originally started only as occupational-guilds, came to be regarded as distinct
castes or sub-castes. Since the vision of each caste and sub-caste was circumscribed by its own interest,
it had evil repercussions on the social and political life of the country. Thus, before the advent of
Muslims, a distinct change had come about in our social structure in the form of multiplicity of castes
and rigid observance of the caste rules.
8.1.7 Muslim Period (1200–1757 A.D.)
The advent of Islam and the iconoclastic tendencies (that is, movement against the use of images and
idols in religious worship) of the early Muslim rulers made India no longer the peaceful home for the
safe pursuit of Brahminism. Though several attempts were made in the seventh century by the Muslims
to enter India but it was in 711-713 A.D. that Sindh and Multan were conquered by a Muslim—
Muhammad-Bin-Kasim. However, the Arab Muslims could not retain their political power in that
region for long. Next followed the Muslim conquest of Punjab by Mahmud Ghazni in the tenth
century (995–1030 A.D.). But the foundation of the Muslim Empire in India was laid down by Mahmood
Ghori in 1175. Within thirty years, he conquered many parts of India and thus started the Muslim
period. The caste system in the Muslim period during different dynasties (that is, Slave dynasty
(1206-1290), Khilji dynasty (1290-1320), Tughlak dynasty (1320-1412), Sayyid dynasty (1414-1451),
Lodhi dynasty (1451-1525), and Mughal dynasty (1526-1757) including Babar (1526-1530), Humayun
(1530-1540 and 1554-1555), Akbar (1556-1605), Jahangir (1605-1627), Shahjahan (1627-1658), Aurangzeb
(1658-1707) and his descendants and Bahadurshah (1707-1857) rules) became still more rigid because
Muslims were not absorbed in the elastic Hindu-fold. Their religion—Islam—being fiercely
monotheistic religion (that is, doctrine that there is only one God) could not allow any compromise
with polytheism. The Hindus and Muslims, therefore, could not mix together. Since Muslims led a
religious crusade upon India and tried to convert people to Islam, Brahmins assuming upon themselves
the responsibility of protecting the Hindus from being proselytized, imposed severe restrictions on
Hindus making caste system a very rigid system. Though some bhaktas (saints) like Ramanuj, Kabir,
Nanak, Chaitanya, Tukaram, Tulsidas, Namdev, etc. preached Bhakti cult in this period which
denounced idolatory and caste and preached the equality of all people, protested against excessive
ritualism and domination of the priestly class, yet this cult could not dis-integrate the caste system.
One reason why Brahmins succeeded in imposing their leadership on Hindus in religious and social
fields was because of their control over temples which came to be used in this (Muslim) period not
only for worship but for political activities, cultural programmes, educational activities, and so on.
Brahmins made caste distinctions more rigorous by declaring that Muslims and all those Hindus
who worked with or for Muslims would be treated as malechh. Thus, castes like sunar (goldsmiths),
luhar (blacksmiths), nai (barbers), dhobi (washermen) and khati (carpenters), etc., came to be treated as
castes of low status. Puranas were rewritten and new commandments were prescribed, making the
caste system very rigid.
8.1.8 Pre-industrial British Period (1757–1918 A.D.)
The East India Company secured some commercial privileges from the Mughals in the beginning of
the seventeenth century. Soon it conquered India from the Muslim rulers and the Marathas and thus
started the British period from 1774 when Warren Hastings was appointed the first Governor General
of India. The material development of the country under the British, the restoration of our contact
with the outer world, the administrative and socio-economic policies of the government and some of
the legislative measures taken brought change in our religious doctrines and practices and also in the
caste structure of the society. The British transferred the judicial powers of the caste councils to the
civil and the criminal courts which affected the authority which panchayats held over their members.
Besides, the Caste Disabilities Removal Act of 1850, the Widow Remarriage Act of 1856, and the
Special Marriage Act of 1872 also attacked the caste system. By removing some of the disabilities of
untouchables through some social measures, the British Government gave a further blow to the
integrity of the caste system. However, all these measures were taken by the British Government

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