Explain briefly the barriers, felt by Al-Biruni, in understanding what he observed in India.
(i) Travellers often compared what they saw in the subcontinent with practices with which they were familiar. Each traveller adopted distinct strategies to understand what they observed.
Al-Biruni, for instance, was aware of the problems inherent in the task he had set himself. He discussed several 'barriers' that he felt obstructed understanding. The first amongst these was language.
The second barrier he identified was the difference in religious beliefs and practices. The self-absorption and consequent insularity of the local population according to him, constituted the third barrier.
(ii) Al-Biruni’s description of the caste system : Al-Biruni tried to explain the caste system by looking for parallels in other societies. He noted that in ancient Persia, four social categories were recognised : those of knights and princes, monks, fire-priests and lawyers, physicians, astronomers and other scientists, and finally, peasants and artisans.
In spite of his acceptance of the Brahmanical description of the caste system, Al-Biruni disapproved of the notion of pollution. He remarked that everything which falls into a state of impurity strives and succeeds in regaining its original condition of purity.
Al-Biruni’s description of the caste system was deeply influenced by his study of normative Sanskrit texts which laid down the rules governing the system from the point of view of the Brahmanas.
