Caste and Race in India c5.82

c5.82

It was not only the moral restraint and the social check of one's caste-fellows that acted as a restraint on the choice of one's occupation, but also the restrictions put by other castes, which did not allow members other than those of their own castes to follow their callings. Of such restrictive regulations there were in operation only those concerning the profession of priests, no one not born a Brahmin being allowed to be a priest. The effect of these rules was that the priestly profession was entirely monopolized by the Brahmins, leaving aside the ministrants of the aboriginal deities, while they were seen plying any trade or calling which suited their tastes and which was not polluting. The majority of the Konkanasth and Deshasth Brahmins of the Maratha country were devoted to secular pursuits, filling offices of every kind, including the village accountantship.¹ During the Maratha upheaval and after, the Brahmins entered the profession of arms in fairly large numbers. Before the Indian Mutiny the Kanaujia Brahmins used to enter the Bengal army as sepoys in large numbers.² Some of the Rarhi Brahmins of Bengal accepted service under Mohammedan rulers.³ Some of the Brahmins of Rajputana serve their Marwadi masters.⁴ The majority of the Brahmins in the lower Carnatic, according to Buchanan, almost entirely filled the different offices in the collection of revenue and even acted as messengers.⁵ Of the Hindustani Brahmins of Central India it is said that a considerable population of them are concerned in trade.⁶ The Havig Brahmins of the Tulu country performed all kinds of agricultural labour excepting holding the plough.⁷ About the Kanaujia Brahmins of the United Provinces it is asserted that they even till the soil with their own hands, while shop-keeping and hawking form the main source of livelihood for the Sanadhya Brahmins of that region.⁸ In Rajputana the Brahmin is not only willing to do all the labour that his piece of land requires, but is also ready to sell his labour to other more fortunate occupants.⁹ Brahmins in Madras appear as civil, public, and military servants, traders, cultivators, industrialists, and even labourers.¹ It seems that in the days of Akbar, too, the Brahmins were engaged in trade, cultivation, or any advantageous pursuit in general.²