Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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divorced themselves from the caste society. Buddhism organized a
monastic society outside the caste ranks. But, it left its laity to remain
in the caste fold. The result was that, when Brahmanism reasserted
itself, the lay followers of Buddhism imperceptibly moved into their
caste moorings, leaving the order of monks, high and dry, in its isolation.
Kabir was far more vocal the Basawa, but the Lingayats established a
far more separate identity than the Kabir-panthies; because their
deviations (e.g. widow-remarriage, burying the dead and admission of
all castes) from the caste usages were very radical. Later, the lingayats
tried to tone down their radicalism. But, inspite of this, they are
perhaps, more an appendage of the orthodox society than its integral
part; because even the toned down Lingayatism is not wholly adjustable
in the caste order. 14 Chaitanaya, who was more radical with regard to
caste restrictions than the Maharashtra Bhaktas, had both low caste
Hindus and Mussalmans as his disciples. In the Kartabha sect, which
branched out of the Chaitanya school, there is no distinction between
Hindus, Mussalmans and Christians. A Mussalman has more than once
risen to the rank of a teacher. The members of the sect eat together
once or twice in a year. 15 But, the main body of the followers of
Chaitanyas reverted to the caste society; and even its Kartabhai section,
like the Lingayats, does not assert a distinct entity apart from the caste
society. The creed of Kabir attained the stage of only a Mata (religious
path), although of all the denouncers of caste considerations he was
the most unequivocal and vocal. The Kabir-panth remained a loose
combination of those who were attracted by Kabir’s religious appeal,
or were attracted by some other considerations (e.g. Julahas (weavers),
who constituted a majority of the Kabir panthies, were attracted to
Kabir because he was a Julaha). 16
These instances leave no doubt that anti-caste movements, like
those of Kabir and other Bhaktas, whose departure from the caste
ideology had been confined only to the ideological plane, remained
still-born in the field of social achievement. And, those like the
Lingayats and the followers of Chaitanya, who, under the influence of
a teacher, did adopt certain anti-caste usages, but either they did not
want to break completely from the caste society or did nt pursue their
aim consistently enough, remained tagged to the caste order in one