Cunningham's Ancient Geography of India c9.1

c9.1

Western India, according to Hwen Thsang, was divided into three great states, named Sindh, Gurjjara, and Balabhi. The first comprised the whole valley of the Indus from the Panjâb to the sea, including the Delta and the island of Kachh; the second comprised Western Rajputâna and the Indian The *fraternities* of the Middle Ages, which were so numerous and so varied in their objects, were not all of the same origin. Some were religious, some social, some charitable, and some industrial. The religious guilds, or *gilds*, as they were often called, were associations of laymen for the purpose of performing religious duties, such as the maintenance of a chaplain, the celebration of masses, or the support of a hospital. The social guilds were formed for the purpose of mutual aid and good fellowship, and often included in their objects the relief of the poor, the sick, and the aged. The charitable guilds were established for the purpose of supporting hospitals, almshouses, and other institutions of mercy. The industrial guilds, or *craft guilds*, were associations of men engaged in the same trade or industry, and were formed for the purpose of regulating the trade, protecting the interests of the members, and maintaining the quality of their work.