Chapter III

The Occupational form of Caste.

The fair and the dark races. 4. The remarks on the evidence from anthropometry will have shown that there is proof of the stratification of the existing races; and we must not overlook the possibility of the basis of caste being found to some extent in the antipathy between the fairer and the darker race which comes out so strongly through the whole range of early Indian myth. This is not directly opposed to the occupational theory of the origin of the caste system, because even its most ardent advocates admit that it began with an attempt on the part of the priestly class to exclude outsiders and monopolise the right to perform worship and sacrifice.

5. Mr. Nesfield has, however, gone further and attempted to classify all the existing castes on the basis of occupation. He would divide the existing population, excluding the religious orders and foreign races resident in the Province, into eleven groups. He begins with what he calls the “casteless tribes,” who include the so-called Dravidian tribes of the Central Indian plateau, and a collection of vagrants and gypsy-like people, such as Nats, Kanjars, with menials like the Dom and the Musahar. These comprise something like half a million of people. Then we have the “castes allied to the hunting state,” such as Bauriyas, Baheliyas, Pâsis, and the like, to the number of nearly two millions. Then we have about the same number of castes “allied to the fishing state”—Meos, Binds, Mallâhs, Dhîmars, and so on. Next come some five and-a-half millions of people “allied to the pastoral state,” such as Ahîrs, Jâts, and Gadariyas. These are followed by some six millions of agriculturists—the Lodha, the Kurmi, the Taga, Bhuînhâr, and so on. Next come some three millions of Râjputs, who are the “landlord and warrior caste.” In the same way he deals with artisans. We find, to begin with, those artisans who preceded the age of metallurgy, who practise trades like the workers in cane and reed, thread and leather, distillery, pottery, and extraction of salt, and ranging from the Bânsphor and Dharkâr, to the Mochi, Teli, Kalwâr, Kumhâr and Luniya. These represent nearly nine millions of people. Beyond these again are the artisans “coeval with metallurgy,” workers in stone, metals and wood, and ending with dyers and confectioners, aggregating about a million and-a-half. To these follow the groups of traders, including more than a million and-a-half, and these are succeeded by nearly two-and-a-half millions of the “serving castes,” ranging from the Bhangi and Dhobi to the Bhât and the Kâyasth. Last of all come nearly five millions of Brâhmans, who comprise the “priestly castes.”

6. As regards this classification, which has an imposing air of simplicity and completeness, it is necessary to speak a word of caution. If it is meant that this progressive development of function represents the actual, normal course by which, in the ordinary progress of culture, the savage becomes civilised, it may be said that we are too ignorant of the principles of the development of civilisation to be sure that it was conducted on this or similar lines. Further, it may be well to guard against the supposition that this classification of castes in any way represents existing facts. It must not be forgotten that there are few of the present occupational groups which invariably adhere to the original trade or handicraft which may have caused their association in past times. There may be some like the Âtishbâz or fire-work makers, the N’alband or farriers, and so on, which do really adhere to the business from which they take their name. But this is certainly not the case with the associations of longer standing. The Chamâr is no more always a worker in leather than the Ahîr, a grazier; the Banjâra, a carrier; or the Luniya, a salt-maker. They all at some time or other cultivate or do field labour, or tend cattle.

7. Hence the extreme difficulty of framing a classification of existing castes on the basis of traditional occupation, and this is very clearly brought out in the classification at the last Census, of which an abstract is given in the Appendix to this chapter: when we compare this with their actual occupations as individually recorded this fact comes out clearly. The Ahiwâsi, Baidguâr, Belwâr, Nâik, and Rahbâri, an aggregate of 86,674 persons, are classed as “carriers”—a trade which is carried on by no less than 185,431 individuals. There are about 6½ millions, which include the agricultural tribes; while Mr. Baillie estimates the actual number of persons connected with the land as no less than 34¾ millions. There are 4¾ millions of Brâhmans recorded as priests, but only 412,449 declared this as their occupation. There are about 5½ millions of so-called pastoral trades, while only 336,995 people recorded cattle breeding and tending as their occupation. The instances of this might be largely added to if necessary. What is quite clear is that the existing groups which may have been, and very possibly were, occupational in origin do not now even approximately confine themselves to their primitive occupation.

The effect of the Muhammadan invasion on caste. 8. Again, it will be noted how many of these occupational groups have adopted Muhammadan names. There is no name for the aggregate of the boating castes, but Mallâh, which is Arabic. There were tailors, of course, from the beginning of things, but they are now known as Darzi, not Sûji: the turner must be an old handicraftsman, but his name, Kharâdi, is Arabic. So with the Dafâli, drummer; the Mirâsi, singer; the Tawâif, prostitute; the Rangsâz, painter; the Qalâ’igar, tinner; the Rangrez, cotton printer, and so on. In fact, in the silence of history, we seem to have only a faint idea of the tremendous bouleversement in Indian society, caused by the invasions of brutal invaders like Mahmûd of Ghazni and Shahâb-ud-din Ghori. They came like a mighty flood over the land, and left the Hindu political and social organism a mass of ruins. To begin with, they broke the power of the Râjput completely and drove him from the fertile domains of the Ganges-Jumna valley to the deserts of Râjputâna, or the forests of Oudh. It is to this stupendous event that much of the form of modern Hindu society is due. The downfall of the Kshatriya implied the rehabilitation of the Brâhman, and the needs of a new race of conquerors, and of a court at no time lacking in splendour, and with the house of Timûr rising to unexampled magnificence, gave encouragement to the growth of new industries and the accompanying reorganization of the caste system under a new environment.

Appendix.

Classification of castes by traditional occupation.

Class. Caste or Tribe. Strength.

Military and dominant Bhuînhâr 221,031

Jât 698,826

Râjput 3,633,843

Taga 128,563

Total 4,682,263

Cultivators Barai 153,421

Bhar 417,745

Bhurtiya 423

Dângi 2,363

Gâra 51,088

Golapûrab 9,723

Jhojha 26,847

Kâchhi 703,368

Kamboh 8,578

Khâgi 43,435

Kirâr 18,363

Kisân 364,455

Koeri 540,245

Kurmi 2,005,802

Kunjra 85,529

Lodha 1,029,225

Mâli 245,943

Meo 10,642

Mewâti 60,332

Murâo 664,916

Râin 15,243

Râwa 25,451

Ror 4,459

Sâini 99,245

Total 6,586,841

Cattle-breeders and Graziers Ahar 244,167

Ahîr 3,917,100

Dogar 340

Gaddi 51,970

Ghosi 27,760

Gûjar 344,631

Total 4,585,968

Sheep-breeders Gadariya 929,463

Forest and Hill Tribes Baiswâr 1,898

Bhîl 190

Bhoksa 1,208

Bhuiya 849

Chero 4,883

Goli 21

Gond 8,861

Kharwâr 176

Kol 68,556

Korwa 33

Mahra 699

Majhwâr 16,268

Mânjhi 6,122

Musahar 40,662

Soiri 17,822

Sonthâl 1

Thâru 25,492

Total 193,741

Priests Brâhman 4,725,061

Mahâbrâhman 19,829

Total 4,744,890

Devotees Faqîr 623,506

Genealogists Bhât 161,144

Writers Kâyasths 514,327

Astrologers Joshi 35,069

Musicians and Ballad Singers Dafâli 42,075

Dhârhi 1,322

Dom Mirâsi 28,363

Panwariya 512

Total 72,272

Dancers and Singers Barwa 1,631

Beriya 15,313

Bhagat 485

Gandharb 664

Hurkiya 801

Kathak 2,034

Paturiya 4,714

Râdha 4,354

Tawâif 22,969

Total 52,965

Actors and Mimes Bhând 4,014

Traders Banya 1,369,052

Bhâtiya 265

Bohra 1,131

Dhûsar Bhârgava 12,279

Khatri 46,250

Total 1,428,997

Pedlars Bisâti 959

Ramaiya 4,095

Total 5,054

Carriers Ahiwâsi 9,502

Baidguâr 420

Banjâra 67,097

Belwâr 6,194

Nâik 2,563

Rahbâri 898

Total 86,674

Goldsmiths Sunâr 255,629

Barbers Nâi 862,273

Blacksmiths Lohâr 592,220

Na’lband 429

Total 592,649

Carpenters and Turners Barhai 559,617

Kharâdi 1,204

Total 560,821

Painters Rangsâz 1,486

Masons Râj 6,633

Brass and Copper Smiths Jastgar 13

Qala’igar 89

Kasera 7,273

Rangdhar 185

Thathera 21,361

Total 28,921

Tailor Darzi 228,926

Grain Parchers and Confectioners Bharbhûnja 310,216

Halwâi 96,246

Total 406,462

Perfumers, Druggists, Sellers of Betel Leaf. Gandhi 858

Tamboli 73,943

Total 74,801

Weavers Julâba 880,231

Kori 919,750

Panka 6,502

Total 1,806,483

Cloth Printers and Dyers Chhîpi 35,177

Rangrez 35,143

Total 70,320

Washermen Dhobi 658,745

Cotton Cleaners Dhuna 401,987

Kadhera 51,756

Total 453,743

Oil Pressers Teli 934,080

Potters Kumhâr 713,000

Glass and Lac Workers Chûrihâr 28,953

Lakhera 3,763

Manihâr 65,630

Potgar 12

Total 98,358

Bead Stringers Patwa 30,977

Firework Makers Âtishbâz 534

Salt and Earth Workers Biyâr 18,821

Beldâr 37,299

Dhângar 519

Ghasiyâra 198

Luniya 412,822

Total 469,659

Collectors of Goldsmiths’ Refuse. Niâriya 258 4,651

Iron Smelters Agariya 938

Saun 257

Total 1,195

Fishermen, Boatmen, Palanquin Bearers, Cooks, etc. Bargâh 918

Bargi 1,076

Bâri 69,708

Bhatiyâra 30,658

Bihishti 80,147

Châin 28,610

Gond 115,651

Gorchha 963

Kahâr 1,191,560

Kewat 315,882

Lorha 2,622

Mallâh 369,008

Mukeri 6,245

Nânbâi 2,177

Sejwâri 286

Total 2,215,511

Rice Huskers Barwâr 2,379

Kûta 4,029

Total 6,408

Distillers Kalwâr 348,790

Toddy Drawers Bind 76,986

Tarmâli 27

Total 77,013

Butchers Chik 9,430

Khatîk 189,925

Qassâb 148,516

Total 347,871

Lime Burners Sunkar 1,396

Leather Workers Chamâr 5,816,487

Dabgar 1,482

Dhâlgar 8,019

Mochi 11,693

Total 5,837,681

Village Watchmen 80,574

Balâhar 2,359

Boriya 26,909

Dhânuk 146,190

Dhârhi 12,972

Khangâr 32,929

Kotwâr 97

Pahriya 495

Pâsi 1,219,311

Total 1,521,836

Scavengers Bhangi 414,946

Domar 16,037

Total 430,983

Grindstone Makers and Stone Quarriers. Khumra 5,198 3,730

Knife Grinders Saiqalgar 4,206

Mat Makers and Cane Splitters. Bânsphor 17,333

Basor 25,447

Dharkâr 29,639

Dom 270,560

Dorha 68

Dusâdh 82,913

Kharot 5,641

Pankhiya 913

Tarkihâr 2,747

Total 435,261

Hunters, Fowlers, etc. Aherîya 19,768

Baheliya 33,755

Bandi 110

Bangâli 1,353

Gandhîla 134

Gidiya 17

Kanjar 17,873

Total 73,010

Miscellaneous, and Disreputable Livers. Baddhik 126

Barwâr 2,703

Bâwariya 2,729

Bhântu 372

Dalera 2,223

Hâbûra 2,596

Harjala 275

Hijra 1,125

Sânsiya 4,290

Siyârmâr 1

Total 16,440

Tumblers and Acrobats Nat 63,584

Castes foreign to the Province Satgop 177

Sûd 147

Total 324

Indian Nationalities not returned by castes. Bhotiya 7,467

Mandrâji 31

Marhatta 732

Pindâri 27

Total 8,527

Sectarian Castes Nau-muslim 88,444

Sâdh 1,870

Total 90,314

Non-Indian Asiatic Races Biloch 13,672

Irâqi 11,677

Mughal 76,673

Pathân 700,393

Shaikh 1,333,566

Sayyid 242,811

Turk 4,994

Total 2,383,786

Non-Asiatic Races Armenians 54

Europeans 27,941

Habshi 194

Total 28,189

Eurasians Eurasians 7,040

Christian Converts Native Christians 23,406

Castes, unspecified 22,489

Provincial Total Hindu 40,380,168

Musalmân 6,346,667

Jaina 84,601

Christian 58,441

Arya 22,053

Sikh 11,343

Buddhist 1,387

Pârsi 342

Jew 60

Brahmo 14

Deist 3

Unspecified 22

Grand Total 46,905,101

[

Contents

]