SEPT. 6, 1872.]
REVIEW.'
287
REVIEW.
HINDU TRIBES AND CASTEs as represented in Benares. By
fest in every movement of his body, is a wonderful specimen
the Rev. M. A. SHERRING, M.A., LL.B. Calcutta, Bombay and London, 1872.
of humanity walking on God's earth......... Endowed with an extremely subtle, rather than with a powerful mind; which by long habit perpetuated from age to age, and from
MR. SHERRING has already proved himself to be a careful inquirer into Hindu customs; and in his “Sacred City of the Hindus” he amassed much valuable information regarding the place of his residence, Benares. We welcome the present con tribution from his pen on a subject of very great interest and no less complexity. Mr. Sherring does not enter at any length into antiquarian discussions. His object is not to inves tigate the origin or history of the various divisions of Hinduism, but to describe these as he finds them now existing in the city of Benares. This limi tation of range enables him to speak with the autho rity of an eye-witness of many, or most, of the facts which he brings forward; while, on the other hand, as representatives of nearly all the divisions of Hindus visit the sacred city, there is ample room and verge enough to include a very tolerable sur
vey of the subject of Indian castes as they now are. Mr. Sherring writes in a very kindly spirit. His favourite motto seems to be Homo sum ; hu mani nihil a me alienum puto. He speaks in terms of commendation of all that to a dispassionate mind
can appear praiseworthy. Of the caste system as a whole, however, he has no admiration ; on the con trary, it is his “ intense conviction” that the abso lute renunciation of caste would be an unspeakable blessing to India. The work is divided into four parts, treating of 1st, the Brahmanical tribes; 2nd, the Kshatriya or Rājput tribes; 3rd, mixed castes and tribes; and 4th aboriginal tribes and inferior castes. Prefixed to the whole is an introduction which deals chiefly with the views of Manu regarding caste. To our mind this, which is the least original, is also the least valuable part of the book. The laws of Manu in their present form cannot be safely held to be older than the third century B. C. The Sanhità of the Rig Veda was probably collected a thousand years before that date ; and how much earlier composed, it would be hard to say. Without discussing the very diffi cult question of the date at which the caste system was introduced, we cannot doubt that it was long before Manu's day; and the views of the legislator regarding its origin are amusing, and little more. Mr. Sherring's tread is far firmer—like the Mac gregor's on his native heath—when he comes in Chapter I to speak of the Brahman as he is. Here is a lively sketch of his physical appearance and character:—
“Light of complexion, his forehead ample, his counten ance of striking significance, his lips thin, and mouth expressive, his eyes quick and sharp, his fingers long, his carriage noble and almost sublime, the true Brahman, un eontaminated by European influence and manners, with his intense self-consciousness, with the proud conviction of superiority depicted on every muscle of his face, and mani
family to family, he has trained to the utmost keenness ; dogmatic, self-willed, pertinacious, and supremely arrogant and vain.” Mr. Sherring goes on to tell us that this remark
able being has lived his day ; that his prestige is rapidly declining ; and that the lower classes have
availed themselves of European schools and colleges more than the highest have done. We accept the statement on his authority as true regarding Be nares and the North-West Provinces; but it hardly holds good of Calcutta, and still less of such places as Pună, Nāsik, and most cities in Mahārāshtra. From the great mass of valuable information with which the author supplies us, we can only make an extract here and there. Here is his description of an important class of functionaries with whom he has often been brought into contact, the Gangá putras, or sons of the Ganges:— “The name is given to those Brahmans who preside over the religious ceremonies performed on the banks of the Ganges. At Benares their number is very large. The ghats, or stairs leading down to the river are apportioned out to them ; and they watch over their several boundaries with much jealousy. Moreover, they lay claim to the entire bank between high and low water-mark, which is consider able, seeing that the difference is upwards of fifty feet. As a class, they are notorious for coarseness of manners, licentiousness and rapacity. Yet the tens of thousands who every year visit Benares are entirely at their mercy. Many of these come from remote parts of India, and not a few are
females. Most of them arrive tired and worn out by travel, yet full ofjoy at the thought of having a length reached the sacred city.
Unsuspectingly, they entrust themselves to the
sons of the Ganges, who with all their wickedness at home, have a reputation abroad for sanctity. These enfold them
within their toils, fleece them of their money, and otherwise behave towards them in a shameless manner, while the poor pilgrims, being generally utter strangers, having no means of redress, patiently submit to maltreatment. It would be well if the Government authorities exercised
control not only over the Gangāputras but also over all the priests of the temples in Benares, so as to secure their behaviour and the comfort of pilgrims and other worshippers.”
...!
Of the Maráthá Brahmans, Mr. Sherring speaks thus—
“The Mahratta Brahmans are a very distinguished race among the Brahmanical tribes of India.
For quickness of
intellect, for energy, practical power, and learning, they are unsurpassed.
In Benares itself, which is famous for its
Pandits deeply read in Sanskrit literature, they are highly respected for their intelligence and knowledge. As a people they seem to possess, wherever they are found, those great
gifts
mental midable.”
which formerly
e the Mahrattas so for
On the question why the Maráthá Brähmans—par ticularly the Konkanasth division of them are so fair, our author is opposed to the view adopted by Mr. Campbell, (Lieutenant Governor of Bengal,) in his work on Indian Ethnology—that they came by sea from the north and so have received less ad mixture of aboriginal blood. Mr. Sherring maintains that in the North-Western Provinces—
“The Brahmanis quite as fair, and exhibits quite as strongly
the physical characteristics of his race as the Mahratta Brah: man of the Konkan. He is occasionally as fair as the lightest
