Caste mobility in rural Mughal India
Topic: Mughal Agrarian Society and Economy · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 4 "Peasants, Zamindars and the State"
Meaning
In Mughal villages, some castes in the middle of the caste ladder could rise in status. They did this through farming, cattle-rearing or growing fruit and vegetables. The bottom stayed rigid. Labouring castes (majur) stayed poor even though land was plentiful. This shows that caste shaped village life, but it was not completely fixed.
Example
A 17th-century manual from Marwar lists Rajputs as peasants alongside Jats. The Gauravas of Vrindavan claimed Rajput status. Ahirs, Gujars and Malis rose through cattle-rearing and horticulture (growing fruit and vegetables). In the east, Sadgops and Kaivartas became peasants.
Don't confuse with
- Groups at the bottom, such as majur, halalkhoran and mallahzadas: these groups had almost no chance to rise. The halalkhoran (scavengers) were made to live outside village limits. In Bihar, the mallahzadas lived almost like slaves.
Related concepts
- Village community in Mughal India
- Begar
- Village panchayat in Mughal India
- Muqaddam
- Patwari
- Jati panchayat