________________
SEPT. 6, 1872.]
CORRESPONDENCE.
289
the fighting men to come from who shall recruit our native army? But we are getting beyond our depth, and shall wisely return to civilian themes.
In Part III. Mr. Sherring treats of the mixed castes and tribes-Vais'yas, Sudras, and others. He compares the position of these in the social scale to that of the middle classes in England. He has several pages of thoughtful writing as to the effects of our rule-slow, but certain as the action of gravitation
-in depressing the sacerdotal class and the warlike nobility of the past, and in eli vating a great body intermediate between these and the ignorant helples masses. As we proceed with our educational scheme, we shall affect even the lowest. A stupendous revolution is thus in progress; and much wisdom is required to secure that it be quiet and successful. Probably none of us realizes the magnitude of the changes that are impending, or the dangers that accompany the transition period. Mr. Sherring says that "the wisdom of the course we have adopted has hardly yet been ever properly tested. The test will have to be applied on any occasion of great political disturbance in the country, involving the social status and dignity of the castes." Yet we doubt not Mr. Sherring would admit that it was imperative to move in the direction we have taken. There may be a question as to what the rate of progress ought to be, whether it is better to walk or run; but it is impossible to go back-impossible to stand still. And after all, Europe has witnessed civil and religious revolutions on quite as vast & scale as any that we can witness here. The cur- tailment of the powers of the Medieval Church- the abolition of the feudal system--the rise of free cities and the commercial classes generally—the emancipation of the serfs in Russia; what reforms
in Indian society can surpass these revolutions in magnitude ?
In Part IV. Mr. Sherring treats of the aboriginal tribes and inferior castes. The most interesting point which he has dwelt upon is the Bhar tribeonce of great importance in the regions around Allahabad and Benares. Mr. Thomason said of them: “The inhabitants were a powerful and industrious people, as is evident from the large works they have left behind them." They seem to have been skilled in the arts both of peace and war. We are too ready to think of the races that preceded the Hindus in the possession of India as having been savages or semi-savages; yet even amidst all the passionate invectives of the Veda against them, we cannot glean from its pages such a notion of the Dasyus. Black-skinned they were, probably flat-nosed, and inferior in physical appearance to he worshippers of the "beautiful nosed" (susipra) Indra; but barbarians-at least in many cases, - they certainly were not. We agree with Mr. Sherring-"I know not why we should be so ready always to ascribe to successive troops of Hindu immigrants all the ancient civilization of India. The more I investigate the matter, the stronger do my convictions become that the Hindu tribes have learned much from the aboriginal races."
We regret that we must stop. We part from Mr. Sherring with much respect for him as a pains-taking, conscientious and intelligent investigator. His book is a repository of very important information ; and the spirit in which it is written is very genialfriendly to all that is good and worthy of a Christian minister. So far as the castes in Benares are concerned and these are largely representative of India generally,-We do not know that this work leaves anything to be desired.
CORRESPONDENCE. THE KHATTRIS.
of eating and drinking in common with each other. To the Editor of the Indian Antiquary. They deny being anything but pure Hindus and are SIR, -Perhaps some of your readers may be able reputed especially religious, worshipping the ordinary to throw some light on the origin of the caste of deities of Hinduism. There are no Sardogis (Shravaks) Khattrîs in Hindustan. I have attempted, when- | amongst them. They are without doubt immigrants ever I have had the opportunity, to discover what into Hindustan at a comparatively late period. Their I could from members of the caste themselves; but Purohits are invariably Sarsuti (Sarasvatî) Brahmans their accounts are various and conflicting. As it is and they have the peculiar custom among them of the highly desirable that we should know as much as Purohit eating with his Jajmans (Yajamâns). If you we can about the history of Hindu castes, I am ask them concerning their origin, nine out of ten will sure you will be ready to admit such a discussion to | reply that they are the offspring of Rajputs: they a place in your columns.
generally say Kshetraj Rajputs, and one account is I will therefore briefly state what I have been that they are sons of a Råjput woman by a S'udra faable to discover on the subject, and ask your readers ther. I am not inclined to place any reliance on stateto aid in elucidating the matter as far as possible ments like this for the simple reason that every The Khattrfs are divided into four sub-divisions, caste which cannot explain its origin, invariably viz., the Panjabi, the Lahori, the Dihliwal, and the | invents the Kshatriya theory of paternity. A more Purbi, and these four sorts are separate from each detailed legend concerning their origin runs other and have not the jus connubii or the custom as follows:- When Parasu-Ráma was exterminating
