THE CASTE SYSTE IN THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD

 

THE CASTE SYSTE IN THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD

Class or occupational distinctions crystallised in the early phase of the medieval period, artisans, servants, priests and money- lenders were the main groups. The caste panchayats had become very strong instruments for regulating the behaviour of its members.

The Turks placed a premium on high lineage in matters of appointment. The nobles and officers were graded into Khans Maliks, Amirs, Sipah Salars and Sar Khails ,

according to their military status. There was a class of slaves. 

The turkish rulers had a preference for

luxurious, city life. The lower classes of Muslims mainly consisted of converts from Hindusm. They retained a Hindu identitty even after conversion to Islam. They continued to work as artisans, shop kepers

and clerks many worked as workers and 1 saves in the royal palace and in the households of the nobles and the rich. In social matters they were treated as inferiors by the ruling group.

The Mughal rule did not adversely affect the social - cultural aspects of the caste system The Brahmanas looked after the temples directed religious ceremonies, worked as teachers, administered Hindu personal laws and served the Hindu society in various other ways. The kshatriyas were rajas, rais and zamindars, although they lost a large part of their dominion in the north. They were a worlike people. They fought against the foreign invaders to protect their interests position and prestige. The vaishyas were quite proshpherous, as they were engaged in banking commerce, transport and crafts. They generally served the royal families and the rich. The plight of the shudras was the same as before because they continued to suffer from social disabilities. 

Numerous eastes, sub eastes and sub eastes arose, based on occubational and regional differences. The kayasthas come into the line lime - light as government servants and continued to be so until India become independent. The Khatris proved to be successful financiers and administrators. The Negars. the Brahmans and the ehettiyars become influential as they performed administrative and financial responsibilities. However the Bhakti movement by recognising spiritual equality of all persons reduced the rigidity of the caste system in day to day social relations.

The caste system is known for its adaptive

capacity. It has adapted to innumerable difficult situations forces and pressures. I have written elsewhere "Because of its (caste) adaptability, caste has evolved simultaneously in several directions and

adjusted with ideologically contagonistic system, adjusting its principles whenever necessary. It has never paved the way to the emergence of an alternate system of stratification and social relations, though

the contents of ets functions and other paraphernalia changed from time to time.