Page 69 - SST Class 07
P. 69
Mobile and
Settled Communities 9
q Caste structure q State formation
q Gonds
Introduction occupation of another class; for example, a
Brahmin could become a trader and a Vaishya
During the reign of Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal
could become a soldier. However, towards the
rule, there was a huge gap between the high and
close of the ancient period, these classes tended to
low caste groups. On the other hand, caste close their ranks; that is, a Vaishya or a Kshatriya
distinction was present among Muslims too.
could no more change his class. The class of a
Sheikhs, Mughals and Pathans were no longer
person was determined on the basis of his birth.
considered as equal member of society.
Many restrictions pertaining to eating, marriage
The process of settlement starts with a tribe when and social interaction were imposed on the
it can meet its needs at one place. During this members of a class. Each of these classes had a
period, there was a great demand in many articles hierarchy of ranks within them, some high and
due to which many people took to crafts. As these some low; for example, within the Vaishyas, some
craftsmen were able to sell their goods at one people of certain castes are considered higher
place, they no more needed to wander from place than the others.
to place. Also some people engaged themselves in As the people of a class (varna) were engaged in
transporting goods from one place to another, so many different occupations: many occupations
they had to visit a place again and again. So many of became family occupations; that is, the son of a
them settled down at one place and made it their goldsmith adopted the occupation of his father
point of operation. As the settlement process and the son of a washerman adopted the
started, two types of societies came into occupation of his father. Thus, castes were formed
existence—heterogeneous societies and on the basis of occupations.
homogeneous societies .
Caste Discrimination
CASTE STRUCTURE Depending on the type of occupation, the status
or rank of a caste was determined high or low.
A heterogeneous society had a hierarchy of
The people of certain castes were treated as high
people, some of whom were considered high and and were put on the higher side of the social
others low. Take for example the Hindu society. It hierarchy; while the people of certain castes were
was a heterogeneous society since earliest times
treated as low and were put on the lower side of
as it was divided into four chief varnas or the social hierarchy. This trend continued even
classes—Brahmins (the priest class), Kshatriyas (the within each caste, as sub-castes and sub-sub-castes
warrior class), Vaishyas (the trader class) and
too came into being.
Shudras (the worker class).
These castes had restrictions pertaining to
During the ancient period, there was no restriction marriage, eating together and social interactions.
on the people of one class taking up an
At some places, these restrictions were very
Mobile and Settled Communities
69
