Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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designs of ornaments, of articles of household use, and of implements
used in common crafts, found in the excavations at Texila, are strikingly
similar to those commonly used in India upto the 19 th Century, i.e.
before the Western techniques made some impact.
Secondly, as pointed out by Max Weber, during the period of the
growth of cities and the rise of Buddhism and Jainims, the development
of guilds in India had reached a certain level. This stage, in many
respects, was parallel to that of the guilds in Europe, which culminated
there in the establishment of a free economy and a free citizenry. But,
without unrestricted commensalism, no medieval free citizenry in
Europe could have been possible. In India, restrictions on free
commensalism between different castes is fundamental to the caste
system. Thus, instead of leading to the establishment of an occidental
type of citizenry and economy, the monopoly rule and the rigidity of
the caste system ‘steered India’s social structure — which for a time
apparently stood close to the threshold of European urban
development — into a course that led for away from any possibility of
such development’. 4 Thus, it is the caste considerations that dominated
the Indian scene rather than the economic factors.
2. Colour and Racial Prejudice
Colour and racial prejudices have also been mentioned as being
responsible for the formation of the caste system. But, this factor by
itself could not furnish the motivating or the driving force behind the
continuing bardening of social barriers and the grand downgrading
operation of the caste society. It is likely that colour prejudice and
racial hatred supplied the initial impulse to the development of social
exclusiveness in the Indian society. This notion of the superiority of
the Aryan race was quite understandably present all along. It was even
made use of for ulterior ends. But, actually, racial distinctions had
lost their force by the time Neo-Brahmanism developed, because
intermixture of ethnic stocks had already taken place on a vast scale.
It is doubtful whether there are sizeable pure stocks of Brahmins and
Kshatriyas, let alone Vaisyas. 4 If anthropometry can be depended
upon to determine the race of a people, Prof. Ghurye has shown that
‘the Brahmin of the United Provinces has closer