what were the major changes that took place in Hinduism in medival India
Answers
New social and political groups: The study of the thousand years from 700 to 1750 is a big challenge for historians. This is because of the scale and variety of developments that took place during this period.
Some instances of these are as follows:
Emergence of new technologies: During this period, new technologies made their appearance like the Persian wheel in irrigation, Spinning wheel in weaving and Firearms in combat.
New foods and beverages arrived in the subcontinent; like potatoes, corn, chillies, tea and coffee.
Economic, social, political and cultural changes also took place during this period. This was a result of the ideas of people who also brought new ideas.
This was a period of great mobility, i.e. groups of people travelled long distances in search of opportunities offered by the subcontinent. The subcontinent had immense wealth and opportunities for people to carve a fortune.
Castes and sub-castes
Castes: Rajputs were a group of people who became popular during this time. The name Rajput is derived from ‘Rajputra’ which means ‘son of the ruler’. The term was applied more generally to a group of warriors during the period between the eighth century and the fourteenth century. These groups of warriors claimed the Kshatriya status. The term ‘Kshatriya’ included, apart from rulers and chieftains, the soldiers and commanders who served in the armies of different monarchs all over the subcontinent. Qualities attributed to Rajputs by their poets were extreme valour and a great sense of loyalty.
Other groups which used the opportunities of the period for becoming politically relevant were Jats, Marathas, Sikhs, Ahoms and Kayasthas (a caste of scribes and secretaries).
Sub-castes: This period was marked by the migration of forest- dwellers due to a change in their habitat. This change in habitat was due to the clearing of forests and extension of agriculture at different paces in different areas. Those who did not migrate started tilling the land and became peasants. These new peasant groups slowly began to be influenced by the regional markets, chieftains, priests, monasteries and temples. They became a part of large, complex societies and hence had to pay taxes and also offer the goods and services to the local lords. Resultantly huge differences emerged among the peasants, socially and economically. Some of them had big productive land holdings, cattle and also did some artisanal work during the lean season of agriculture. These differences in the society led to the grouping of the people into jatis or sub-castes which were ranked based on their backgrounds and occupations. The ranks kept changing at different areas and time periods based on the power, influence and resources controlled by the members of the jati.
Functioning of jatis: The conduct of the members of jatis was managed by the rules and regulations framed by the jati. These regulations were enforced by the jati panchayat which was an assembly of elders. Jatis were also required to follow the rules of their villages which were governed by chieftains. Together, the jatis were only a small unit of a state.
Region and empire
Large states like those governed by the Cholas, Tughluqs and Mughals encompassed many regions. For example; the Delhi Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban was the ruler of a vast empire that stretched from Bengal in the east to Ghazni in Afghanistan in the west and included all of south India also. He was a great