[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Les six voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier) › [Travels in India (Ball)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball) › 117 # Travels in India (Tavernier) 117: Of the Religion of the Gentiles or Idolaters of India. Travels in India (Ball) 117 - **Language:** English ### Of the Religion of the Gentiles or Idolaters of India. ### [117.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.117.1) The idolaters of India are so numerous that for one Muhammadan there are five or six Gentiles. It is astonishing to see how this enormous multitude of men has allowed itself to be subjected by so small a number of persons, and has bent readily under the yoke of the Muhammadan Princes. But the astonishment ceases when one considers that these idolaters have no union among themselves, and that superstition has introduced so strange a diversity of opinions and customs that they never agree with one another. An idolater will not eat bread nor drink water in a house belonging to any one of a different caste from his own, unless it is more noble and more exalted than his own; thus they can all eat and drink in the houses of the Brahmins which are open to all the world. A caste is, so to speak, among these idolaters that which formerly a tribe was among the Jews, and although it is commonly believed that there are seventy-two of these castes, I have ascertained from the most accomplished of their priests that they are able to reduce them to four principal (castes), from which all others derive their origin. ### [117.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.117.2) The first caste is that of the Brahmins, who are the successors of the ancient Brachmanes or philosophers of India, who specially studied astrology. There are still to be found their ancient books, in the reading of which the Brahmins generally occupy themselves, and they are so skilled in their observations that they do not make a mistake of a minute in foretelling the eclipses of the sun and moon. And in order that they may preserve this science among them, they have a kind of university in a town called Benares, where they principally study astrology, and where they also have doctors who teach the law, which is followed with very great strictness. This caste is the most noble of all, because it is from among the Brahmins that the priests and ministers of the law are selected. But as they are very numerous and cannot all study in their university, the majority are ignorant and consequently very superstitious, those among them who pass as the most intellectual being the most arrant sorcerers. ### [117.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.117.3) The second caste is that of the Rajputs or Ketris, i.e. warriors and soldiers. These are the only idolaters who are brave, and distinguish themselves in the profession of arms. All the Rajas, of whom I have often spoken, are of this caste. They are like so many petty kings, whose disunion has made them tributaries to the Great Mogul ; but as the majority are in his service, they are highly recompensed for the small tribute which they pay him by the large and honourable salaries which they receive from him. These Rajas, and the Rajputs their subjects, are the most firm supports of the Great Mogul’s kingdom; and it was the Rajas Jaisingh and Jeswantsingh who placed Aurangzeb on the throne. But it should be remarked that this second caste does not altogether consist of people who follow arms (as a profession). It is the Rajputs, alone, who go to war, and who are all cavaliers; but as for the Kctris they have degenerated from the bravery of their ancestors, and have quitted arms for merchandise. The third caste is that of the Banians, who attach themselves to trade, some being Shroffs, i.e. money-changers or bankers, and the others brokers, by whose agency the merchants buy and sell. The members of this caste are so subtle and skilful in trade that, as I have elsewhere said, they could give lessons to the most cunning Jews. ### [117.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.117.4) They accustom their children at an early age to shun slothfulness, and instead of letting them go into the streets to lose their time at play, as we generally allow ours, teach them arithmetic, which they learn perfectly, using for it neither pen nor counters, but the memory alone, so that in a moment they will do a sum, however difficult it may be. They are always with their fathers, who instruct them in trade, and do nothing without explaining it to them at the same time. These are the figures which they use in their books, both in the Empire of the Great Mogul, as well as in other parts of India, although the language may be different. If any one gets in a rage with them they listen with patience, without replying anything, and they withdraw coldly, not returning to see him for four or five days, when they believe his rage to be over. They never eat anything which has had sentient life, and they would rather die than slay the least animal, not even excepting an insect or vermin, being in this respect very zealous observers of their law. It is sufficient to add that they never strike one another, and that they never go to war, and cannot eat or drink in the houses of the Rajputs, because they slay animals and eat meat, with the exception of that of the cow, which is never eaten. ### [117.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.117.5) The fourth caste is called Charados or Soudra. Like that of the Rajputs, it occupies itself with war; but with this difference, that the Rajputs serve on horse, and the Sudras on foot. Both glory in dying in battle, and a soldier, whether of the cavalry or foot, is esteemed for ever infamous if, in the moment of combat, he runs away. It is an eternal disgrace in his family, and in this connection I shall relate a story which was told me in the country. A soldier who loved his wife passionately, and by whom he was equally beloved in return, fled from combat, not out of fear of death, but simply on account of his wife’s sorrow should she find herself a widow. When she heard the cause of his flight, as she saw him approach the house she closed the door, and told him she was unable to recognise as a husband a man who had preferred the love of a woman to honour; that she did not wish to see him any more, in order not to leave a blot on the reputation of her family, and to teach her children to have more courage than their father. This woman remained firm in her resolution. The husband, to regain his reputation and his love, returned to the army, where he performed noble actions which redounded to his credit, and having splendidly repaired his fault, the door of his house was opened to him, and his wife received him with pleasure. ### [117.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.117.6) The remainder of the people, who do not belong to either of these four castes, are called Pauzecour. They all occupy themselves with mechanical arts, and do not differ from one another except by the different trades which they follow from father to son; so that a tailor, although he may be rich, is unable to push his children, except in his own calling, nor to marry them, be it a son or a daughter, to others than those of his trade. So also when a tailor dies all those of his calling go to the place where his body is burnt, and the same custom is observed among all the other artisans. ### [117.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.117.7) Among the particular castes there is one that is called Halálkhors, who only engage in cleaning-houses, each house paying them something monthly, according to its size. If a man of quality in India, whether a Muhammadan or an idolater, has fifty servants, not one of them will be willing to use a broom to clean the house, for he would consider himself contaminated by it, and one of the greatest insults that one can do to a man in India is to call him Halálkhor. It is proper to remark here that each of these servants having his own special duty, the one to carry the vessel of water for drinking by the way, another to have the pipe of tobacco ready — if the master asks one to perform the service for which the other is employed, that service will not be performed, and the servant remains as though he were immovable. As for slaves, they have to do whatever their master orders them. As this caste of Halálkhors is only occupied in removing the refuse from houses, it gets the remains of what the others eat, of whatever caste they may be, and it does not make any scruple about eating indifferently of all things. It is the people belonging to this caste, alone, who make use of asses, to carry the sweepings from the houses to the fields; while all other Indians will not touch this animal. It is otherwise in Persia, where asses are used both for baggage and for riding. It is also the Halálkhors in India who alone feed pigs and use them for food. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.117](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.117) · Pramāṇa