The Colas c28.2

c28.2

Caste was the basis of social organisation and many examples of caste organisations have been incidentally passed under review in the course of our study of social and economic life. Each caste was more or less a hereditary occupational group with an active organisation for the regulation and protection of its economic and social interests; and the Indian society of those days is best conceived as a loose federation of strong self-regulating groups which shared a common background of social rights and obligations making for mutual understanding and accommodation. There is practically no evidence of ugly social conflicts and jealousies such as those between the right-hand and left-hand castes, or between Brahmins and non-Brahmins of more recent times. The general impression derived is one of social harmony, removed alike from the placid content which knows no ambition and the blind and ruthless pursuit of class-interests.