A new social science textbook released by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has made the contentious claim that the caste system was initially flexible and gave stability to India’s social structure.
The book, Exploring Society India and Beyond, for Class VII students says that Brahmins at times picked up trading and other occupations not conforming to their traditional role.
Academics have questioned the source of these findings and the claim that the caste system was flexible during the ancient period. They said that though flexibility was allowed to Brahmins during periods of distress, the lower strata never enjoyed any such leeway to move upward or take up professions considered the sole preserve
of Brahmins.
The book says that in India, society was organised in a two-fold system. One category was the jati, a group or community with a specific professional occupation closely tied to their livelihood. Along with the jati, there is another category, varna, a concept that emerged from Vedic texts, the book says.
There were four varnas — Brahmins were engaged in preserving and spreading knowledge, and performance of rituals; Kshatriyas were expected to defend society and the land, and to engage in warfare if necessary; Vaishyas were supposed to increase society’s wealth through trade and agriculture; Shudras were artisans, craftspeople, workers or servants.
“There is historical evidence, both in texts and inscriptions, that in the early period individuals and communities changed their professional occupations if circumstances demanded. For instance, a long drought or some natural calamity could force a community of farmers to migrate to a city and take up other occupations, or some Brahmins would turn to trade or even military activities. This complex system structured Indian society, organised its activities, including economic ones, and therefore gave it some stability,” the book says.
“There is a broad agreement that the system was significantly different (more flexible, in particular) in earlier periods and became more rigid with the passage of time, in particular during the British rule in India,” it adds.
Rattan Lal, a scholar of history and faculty at a Delhi University college, said caste system flexibility was allowed only to Brahmins, that too only during distress.
“The Puranas refer to apada dharma, or the duties of distress. It says Brahmins can perform other trades during distress periods. After that period, they would go back to their earlier role and claim to be pure. Such flexibility was not allowed to other castes. They could never practise the professions of Brahmins,” he said.
Suraj Mandal, a political science faculty member at Swami Shraddhanand College under Delhi University, said it was well known that the Brahminical order had been challenged since Buddha’s time because it was not flexible.
“Was the caste system flexible during the period when Valmiki’s Ramayana was written? Shambuka, a Sudra saint, was killed for meditating, something not allowed for Sudras. Was the system flexible during the period when the Mahabharata was written? Arjuna’s rival Eklavya had to lose his thumb for learning well,” he said.