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Indian Caste in Two Volumes (An Old and Rare Book)

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Item Code: NAN004
Publisher: Manohar Publishers And Distributors
Author: John Wilson
Language: English
Edition: 1985
Pages: 700
Cover: Hardcover
Other Details 9.0 inch x 5.5 inch
Weight 1.30 kg
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Shipped to 153 countries
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More than 1M+ customers worldwide
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100% Made in India
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Book Description
About the Book

This is a reprint of Rev. John Wilson’s celebrated work on the doctrine and practice of caste in India that was published posthumously in 1877. Pride of ancestry, of family and personal position and occupation, and of religious pre-eminence which is the grand characteristic of “caste”, is not peculiar to India. But it was in India that the caste system exhibited its most fearful and pernicious development. While in its original form the system may have lent strength and stability to Hindu society, it later degenerated into a stranglehold of the worst kind and became, in the author’s words. “the curse of India and parent of India’s woes”.

In this work Dr. Wilson, Scottish missionary and orientalist, examines the origin, development, character and results of the caste in India. The book which is based on the labour of about twenty years is in two volumes. Volume I entitled What Caste is contains a comprehensive discussion of the institution of the caste as it is set forth and as it later evolved, in ancient Hindu texts from the Vedas to the Puranas, and also as it was viewed by early Buddhist and Greek writers. Volume II entitled What Castes Are deals with the Brahmanical or the priestly caste that comes on the top of the caste hierarchy, in all its bewildering variety.

The author had apparently intended to write on other castes as well but before he could do so he died in December 1875.

Originally published more than a hundred years ago, this book still remains a monumental and authoritative work on the subject.

About the Author

Rev. John Wilson (1804-1875), D.D. FRS came to India as a missionary in 1829, and here he labored- from 1843 under the Free Church of Scotland- till his death. He actively promoted vernacular education and strove for legal and social reforms.

During 1948-61 he was President of the “Cave Temple Commission” to examine the antiquities connected with the cave temples. In the mutiny he deciphered the rebel’ cryptic correspondence.

He was twice President of the Bombay branch of the Asiatic Society and become Vice- Chancellor of Bombay University in 1868. He died on December 1, 1875, near Bombay.

His other works include; Parsi Religion Unfolded (1843); land of the Bible (1847); History of the Suppression of Infanticide in W. India (1855); India Three Thousand Years Ago (1858), etc.

Volume I

Contents

Part First- What Caste is.
Section IIntroductory Remarks9-12
Section IIThe Meaning, Sphere, Authority and Symbols of Caste12-17
Section IIIOrthdox View of the Four Original Castes.17-53
Section IVOrthdox View of the Mixed Castes.53-72
Section VOrigin and Development of Indian Caste73-211
Section VICaste in the Indian Epics212-277
Section VIIThe Buddhist View of Caste278-315
Section VIIIA peep at Indian Society by the Greeks315-358
Section IXCaste in the Law Books and Later Indian Literature354-418
Section XCaste in the Harivansha418-422
Section XICaste in the Puranas422-450

Volume II

Contents

Part Second- What the Castes are
Section I The Brahmanical or Priestly Castes1-228
First Distinctions among the Brahman5
General Divisions of the Brahmans17
The Five Dravidas17-123
The Maharastra Brahmans17
Political History of the Maratha Brahmans30
The Andhra or Tailanga Brahmans50
The Dravidian Brahmans56
The Karnatika Brahmans60
The Konkani Brahmans64
The Hubu Brahmans65
The Gaukarna Brahmans66
The Haiga Brahmans66
The Tulava Brahmans68
The Amma Kodaga or Kaveri Brahmans72
The Namburi Brahmans73
The Gurjjara Brahmans91
The Five Gaudas124-228
The Sarasvata Brahmans124
The Kashmiri Brahmans140
The Kanyakubja Brahmans148
The Gauda Brahmans159
The Rajputana Brahmans166
The Central India Brahmans187
The Maithila Brahmans192
The Nepal Brahmans196
The Bengali Brahmans203
The Assamese and South- East Border Brahmans220
The Odradesha or Utkala Brahmans222

Sample Pages

Volume I

















Volume II













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