Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c5.s4.t6.12

c5.s4.t6.12

A number of social and economic factors were operating to modify the rigidity of the caste system and to change the relative position and privileges of the old higher castes of Hinduism. Of these factors, one was the introduction of Islam into Hindustan. The essentially proselytizing nature of the faith of Islam, and the professions of social equality and fraternity among its followers, opened its doors wide to receive the lower castes of Hindu society. Its offer had an additional force because it issued from those who ruled the destinies of India, and possessed unlimited resources. Some conspicuous examples of low class converts had already shown to the mass of Hindus how far a convert to Islam could climb the social ladder. Hinduism was thus faced with the ominous prospect of seeing its numbers being gradually absorbed into the growing fold of Islam. It tried to raise a bulwark against the rising tide by making certain concessions in reclaiming the higher classes back to Hinduism and to their old privileges.¹ For a time, it had nothing to offer the lower classes, who began to develop a new philosophy of life for themselves. A popular liberal and catholic religion began to spread in Hindustan, deriving its inspiration from more democratic creeds of foreign extraction. As against the older creeds of ‘Deeds’ and ‘Knowledge’ this new creed based itself on ‘Bhakti’ or devotion of man to the Divine Being, and demolished, as it were, the whole view of life centring round caste and the Ashrama.² We are not concerned with the history of religious development in this place, but we should make a note of the reactions of this new creed of Bhakti on the system of caste and social behaviour. In this respect, the followers of the new creed were given the name of avadhutas, or ‘emancipated’, by an early teacher of the faith which signified their comparative freedom from the bonds of ancient prejudices.³ In other respects, the alterations in the economic position of the various classes went a long way to modify the social position of the erstwhile higher and privileged classes. Under the new conditions of life, the Brahmans, whose former privileges and occupations did not equip them for any socially useful vocation were in a very unenviable position.¹ Some of them qualified as physicians and astrologers, and managed to earn a living, but on the whole they lived in a miserable plight, unless they migrated to the kingdom of a Hindu chief where the old order existed in some sort of vigour. The lower classes of Hindus, on the other hand, who lived under the Sultanate were no longer hampered by the old restrictions, even when they did not accept the new faith of Islam; in some cases they made notable material progress which reacted on their status in Hindu society.² However, as we have remarked, the introduction of Islam was not a fundamental revolution in the basic conditions of Indian life. It effected a change in classes and in their relative position, but did not uproot the institution. In fact, Islam also succumbed to the spirit of class division, and forgot all about the message of the Qur'an.