Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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Hindus patriotism consists in attachment to the caste system and they
achieve the paradox of being unable to unite except in the very culture
pattern that divides them.’ 10a it is stressed by some writers that Hindu
religion and culture were a great cohesive force which bound the Hindus
together. Sarkar is, however, of the opinion that the Hindus ‘could
not possibly form a nation or even one compact sect.’ 11 Hindu religion
has no “congregation.” 12 In an case, it should be clear from the lack of
marked resistance to the Muslim domination that, even if Hindu
religion and culture had some sort of a cohesive quality, it was not
strong enough to impel the Hindus to fight for their defence. The
mere existence of hatred or sentiment does not lead to movements.
The minimum requirements for building up a movement are cohesion
among the people, unity and strength of purpose, an organization and
a determined and inspired leadership. The very ethos of the caste
order precluded it from providing such a cohesion, ‘unity of purpose’,
and the organization needed to carry it out.
The prospects of the caste providing leadership to the Hindus
against the domination of foreign Muslim rulers were equally dim.
The caste ideology had reserved the leadership of the caste society
for the Brahmins and the ruling castes, predominantly the Rajputs at
the time of the Muhammadan conquest. According to the caste
ideology, merit and efficiency from the ranks of other castes could
not even aspire to it. Hemu, a Bania, led the armies of a Muslims
emperor for a major battle. Malik Kafur and Malik Khusrau, both of
whom were slaves and converts from low Hindu castes, 12a conquered
and laid down the foundations of Muslim rule in South India. But
there could be no such place for them in the caste ideology. The
reluctance to legitimize shivaji’s sovereignty was, by implication, a
censure by the ideology on his achievements against theMughals, or
rather on his right to these achievements. The collaboration of the
Rajputs with the Mughals had brought about a situation for which the
caste society had made no provision. A vacuum was created in the
military leadership of the caste society. Who was to fill it and how ? If
the caste ideology had its say, no one could fill it. It is true that
Brahminism had been accommodating upstart ruling castes in its
system. But that usually took a long time, because a good deal of