References to the Ḍombas in Rājataraṅgiṇī

Title:

References to the Ḍombas in Rājataraṅgiṇī

Creator:

Beníšek, Michael

Identifier:

https://cdk.lib.cas.cz/client/handle/uuid:4d7d1a0f-b3a2-4e99-ba7f-39817aacc9a4
uuid:4d7d1a0f-b3a2-4e99-ba7f-39817aacc9a4

Subject:

Ḍomba caste, pre-Islamic Kashmir, and social history of Kashmir

Type:

model:article and TEXT

Format:

bez média and svazek

Description:

This paper analyzes references to an untouchable caste, namely the ḍomba-, which appear in the Sanskrit chronicle of the Kashmiri kings, Rājataraṅgiṇī. Its author, Kalhaṇa, depicts the Ḍombas as itinerant people, living by music and dance and having a liking for rich adornments. Although he regards any association with them as ritually polluting, he records that in the year 936 AD a Ḍomba family was given an audience at the court of King Cakravarman, following which the ruler married one of the Ḍomba singers. In spite of this, the same king is also displayed as a supporter of the Brāḥmaṇas and Brāhmaṇas, as receivers of the king’s favor, even though there is a sharp condemnation of Kalhaṇa. Thus, it seems that the untouchable status of the lowest castes was not too strict in the Kashmir of the 10th century. This is confirmed by evidence that indicates that the Brāhmaṇical King Yaśaskara retained the functionaries who had previously served the Ḍombas. There is also evidence of one other ruler, Kṣemagupta, specifically seeking out Ḍomba company. Only at the end of the 11th century is there evidence of a certain degree of segregation, when King Harṣa was to reject the inclusion of Ḍomba women in his harem. The paper shows how the Rājataraṅgiṇī can be utilized as a valuable source of knowledge relating to the ethnography and social history of pre-Islamic Kashmir.

Language:

English

Rights:

http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
policy:public

Source:

Archiv orientální | 2009 Volume:77 | Number:4

Harvested from:

CDK

Metadata only:

false