Understanding the Jajmani System and Key Researchers

The question asks to identify the scholar among the given options who did not primarily focus on the functioning of the Jajmani system specifically as a "binding force" among castes. The Jajmani system is a traditional system of reciprocal relationships found in rural India, involving the exchange of goods and services between different castes, often characterized by hereditary obligations and rights.

Analyzing Contributions of Scholars to Jajmani System Studies

Let's look at the contributions of each scholar mentioned:

• W. H. Wiser: Wiser is famous for his detailed account of the Jajmani system in his book "The Hindu Jajmani System" (1936), based on his study in the village of Karimpur, Uttar Pradesh. He described it as a system where various castes, particularly service castes (Kamins), provided services to landowning castes (Jajmans) in exchange for fixed payments, often in kind. His work emphasized the system's functional aspects, highlighting interdependence and hereditary relationships, which aligns with the idea of it being a "binding force," albeit one based on traditional roles and economic exchange.
• K. Ishwaran: Ishwaran studied the Jajmani system in villages in Karnataka (then Mysore). While he also described the reciprocal exchange, his work offered a critique of the functionalist view, pointing out changes, tensions, and variations in the system, and suggesting it was not always harmonious or a perfect binding force. However, he definitely conducted significant research *on* the Jajmani system.
• M. Opler: Morris Opler, along with R. Singh, studied villages in Uttar Pradesh (like Sripuram). Their work also contributed to the understanding of village social structure, including the Jajmani system, analyzing the interactions and dependencies between different caste groups within the village economy and social life.
• K. Gough: Kathleen Gough conducted extensive ethnographic research in villages in South India, particularly focusing on social structure, caste relations, and agrarian systems (like in the Tanjore district). Her work often highlighted class dimensions, exploitation, and conflict within the caste system and agrarian relations, especially concerning land ownership and labour. While she analyzed the economic and social interactions between castes in the villages she studied, including relationships that might be considered part of or evolving from the Jajmani framework, her primary focus was often on power dynamics, inequality, and change rather than specifically detailing the Jajmani system as a harmonious or primary "binding force" mechanism in the same tradition as Wiser. Her analysis tended to be more critical of functionalist interpretations of caste.
• S. C. Dube: S. C. Dube studied the village of Shamirpet in Telangana (then Hyderabad State) and provided an account of its social structure, including the economic and service relationships between different caste groups, which included elements akin to the Jajmani system. His work describes the traditional arrangements for the exchange of services.

Based on the prominent focus of their work, W. H. Wiser provided a foundational description emphasizing the reciprocal, interdependent nature often interpreted as a "binding force." Ishwaran, Opler, and Dube also studied the system itself. K. Gough's work, while deeply engaging with caste and agrarian relations in rural India, is less centrally focused on providing a detailed analysis of the Jajmani system as a primary concept or "binding force" compared to the others listed. Her emphasis was often on class, conflict, and agrarian structure dynamics.

Therefore, K. Gough is the scholar among the options who is least associated with detailed work specifically focused on the functioning of the Jajmani system as a binding force.

Conclusion

Considering the scholars listed and their contributions to the study of rural Indian social structure and the Jajmani system, K. Gough is the individual whose primary focus was less directly on analyzing the Jajmani system as a binding force compared to the others.

Thus, K. Gough is the individual who has not worked on the functioning of the Jajmani system as a binding force among castes, relative to the other options.

Revision Table: Jajmani System Scholars

Additional Information on Jajmani System Studies

The study of the Jajmani system has evolved since Wiser's initial description. Early accounts often highlighted its functional aspects, portraying it as a stable system of interdependence ensuring economic security and social integration within the village based on hereditary ties. However, later studies and critiques pointed out the power imbalances inherent in the system, often favoring the landowning 'Jajman' castes over the service-providing 'Kamin' castes. They also documented changes in the system due to monetization of the rural economy, introduction of new occupations, migration, and changes in land ownership patterns, leading to its decline or transformation in many parts of India. Scholars like Kathleen Gough contributed to understanding these power dynamics and changes within the broader context of caste, class, and agrarian structure.