Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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a) Pre-eminence of Caste Status : The caste status comprised
social status, but it was something more than what is generally meant
by social status. Ordinarily, social status depends upon the personal
endowments of an individual or a group, as also on wealth and power.
These could be additional adjuncts to the caste status, but the caste
status retained its primacy even without these. Manu declares that
whether learned or not, and even when practising undesirable
occupations, a Brahmin is a great divinity. 5 Besides, social status is
generally variable. With the loss of political and economic power,
status consciousness tends to vanish. Whole classes have been replaced
by other classes; races have been known to lose their identity;
occupations have risen and fallen in the scale of social estimation;
and group bias and prejudices have disappeared altogether, or have
been replace above political and economic status. The wealthiest Bania
was lower in caste status than the poorest Kshatriya. The Chaturpatti
Hindu king was lower in caste status than his own priest (Purohit)
who was economically dependent upon the princes. Shivaji, the
embodiment of the solitary successful Hindus revolt against the
Muslim political domination, had to go about abegging to the
Brahmins for the legitimization of his sovereignty by them. One
of the probable reasons why the Maurayas shifted their allegiance
to Buddhism might be that within the orthodox religion there was
no way for them of removing the stigma of their doubtful caste
status and origin. As late as the beginning of the present century,
“The Shanan of southern India, inspite of the wealth they have
acquired, have no right to build two-storied house, to wear gold
ornaments, or to support an umbrella.” 6
Another important feature of the caste status was that it was
not confined to a new individuals, groups, or sections of the people.
It covered the entire orthodox society. Excepting the mendicants,
Sadhu, etc, who cut themselves off from society, ‘Before every
thing else, without caste there is no Hindu.’ 7 The whole
population was arranged in hierarchical caste orders in a pyramid
like fashion. Beginning from the top layer of the caste pyramid
and going down to its base, each caste layer was superior in caste
status to the following ones irrespective of their political