Denzil Ibbetson
Encyclopedia
Sir Denzil Charles Jelf Ibbetson KCSI
(30 August 1847–21 February 1908) was an administrator in British India and an author. He served as governor of the Central Provinces and Berar
from 1900 to 1902.
Denzil Ibbetson was born in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
on 30 August 1847, the oldest son of John Holt Ibbetson, who at that time working as a civil engineer on the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
. The family moved to Adelaide, Australia after his father took holy orders
and became vicar there. Ibbetson was educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide
and St John's College, Cambridge
.
Together with John Collinson Nesfield's Brief view of the caste system of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, published in 1885, Ibbetson's 1883 Report on the 1881 Punjab census was influential in bringing about a change of methodology for the census of India. The exercises of 1865, 1872 and 1881 had attempted to classify people according to the Brahmanic ritual ranking system of varna but this proved not to reflect the realities of social relationships, however much it might have met with approval from scholars of Sanskrit
and ancient texts. Furthermore, the Brahmanic system had no practical purpose from an administrative point of view. The latter was of considerable significance as there was a desire to use ethnography
and other means in order to develop further the British influence in India. Ibbetson had written in his Report that
Ibbetson argued against the contemporary understanding of caste and the 1891 census adopted an classification based instead on occupation. He had contended that although the conventional belief was that caste was a purely Hindu construct, it was in fact demonstrable that converts from Hinduism to Islam remained affected by system and therefore it should be viewed more as a social than a religious mechanism. Furthermore, he believed that the varna categories of Brahmin
, Kshatriya
, Vaishya
and Shudra
were not reflected in reality, and that indeed it was likely that Kshatriya no longer existed and Vaishya certainly did not. He pointed out that there were Brahmins who were viewed as being outcaste
s even by the lowest ritual rank, the Shudra, and that the latter term was primarily used as a form of abuse rather than in any categorical sense. Finally, he argued successfully that the contemporary belief that caste and the ritual ranks associated with it were inherited had no basis in fact, that different generations could have different identities and that the ancient basis of castes probably lay in shared origins of a tribal nature and were akin to guilds.
His written works include A glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province. Based on the census report for the Punjab, 1883 with Horace Arthur Rose
and Sir Edward Maclagan, and Panjab castes, being a reprint of the chapter on "The races, castes, and tribes of the people" in the report on the census of the Panjab. The latter was a posthumous reprint of a section of his 1883 report on the 1881 census of the Punjab.
Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
(30 August 1847–21 February 1908) was an administrator in British India and an author. He served as governor of the Central Provinces and Berar
Central Provinces and Berar
The Central Provinces and Berar was a province of British India. The province comprised British conquests from the Mughals and Marathas in central India, and covered much of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states. Its capital was Nagpur. The Central Provinces was formed in...
from 1900 to 1902.
Denzil Ibbetson was born in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
Gainsborough is a town 15 miles north-west of Lincoln on the River Trent within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. At one time it served as an important port with trade downstream to Hull, and was the most inland in England, being more than 55 miles from the North...
on 30 August 1847, the oldest son of John Holt Ibbetson, who at that time working as a civil engineer on the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
. The family moved to Adelaide, Australia after his father took holy orders
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
and became vicar there. Ibbetson was educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide
St Peter's College, Adelaide
St Peter's College, , is an independent boy's school in the South Australian capital of Adelaide...
and St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
.
Together with John Collinson Nesfield's Brief view of the caste system of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, published in 1885, Ibbetson's 1883 Report on the 1881 Punjab census was influential in bringing about a change of methodology for the census of India. The exercises of 1865, 1872 and 1881 had attempted to classify people according to the Brahmanic ritual ranking system of varna but this proved not to reflect the realities of social relationships, however much it might have met with approval from scholars of Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and ancient texts. Furthermore, the Brahmanic system had no practical purpose from an administrative point of view. The latter was of considerable significance as there was a desire to use ethnography
Ethnography
Ethnography is a qualitative method aimed to learn and understand cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group...
and other means in order to develop further the British influence in India. Ibbetson had written in his Report that
Ibbetson argued against the contemporary understanding of caste and the 1891 census adopted an classification based instead on occupation. He had contended that although the conventional belief was that caste was a purely Hindu construct, it was in fact demonstrable that converts from Hinduism to Islam remained affected by system and therefore it should be viewed more as a social than a religious mechanism. Furthermore, he believed that the varna categories of Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
, Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
, Vaishya
Vaishya
Vaishya is one of the four varnas of the Hindu social order. According to Vedic tradition, this caste primarily comprises merchants, farmers, cattle-herders and artisans.-Duties of Vaishyas:...
and Shudra
Shudra
Shudra is the fourth Varna, as prescribed in the Purusha Sukta of the Rig veda, which constitutes society into four varnas or Chaturvarna. The other three varnas are Brahmans - priests, Kshatriya - those with governing functions, Vaishya - agriculturalists, cattle rearers and traders...
were not reflected in reality, and that indeed it was likely that Kshatriya no longer existed and Vaishya certainly did not. He pointed out that there were Brahmins who were viewed as being outcaste
Outcaste
Outcaste may refer to:*by extension, anything or anyone with a social stigma, due to criminal behavior or non-acceptance of societal norms.*Casteless people in India Dalit...
s even by the lowest ritual rank, the Shudra, and that the latter term was primarily used as a form of abuse rather than in any categorical sense. Finally, he argued successfully that the contemporary belief that caste and the ritual ranks associated with it were inherited had no basis in fact, that different generations could have different identities and that the ancient basis of castes probably lay in shared origins of a tribal nature and were akin to guilds.
His written works include A glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province. Based on the census report for the Punjab, 1883 with Horace Arthur Rose
Horace Arthur Rose
Horace Arthur Rose was an administrator in the Indian Civil Service and also an author of works related to India in the time of the British Raj.Rose was the son of a merchant from East Grinstead and was born on 25 November 1867...
and Sir Edward Maclagan, and Panjab castes, being a reprint of the chapter on "The races, castes, and tribes of the people" in the report on the census of the Panjab. The latter was a posthumous reprint of a section of his 1883 report on the 1881 census of the Punjab.