Merchants of Virtue: Hindus, Muslims, and Untouchables in Eighteenth-Century South Asia by Divya Cherian (review).

Divya Cherian's book, "Merchants of Virtue: Hindus, Muslims, and Untouchables in Eighteenth-Century South Asia," provides a detailed examination of the influence of merchant castes in the kingdom of Marwar in western India during the eighteenth century. Cherian's use of archival records reveals how merchant castes played a role in transforming local governance and creating a new Hindu identity that was defined against Dalits and Muslims. The book highlights the growing ability of the state to surveil and discipline its subjects, while also acknowledging the limits of its enforcement. Cherian's study offers a nuanced understanding of caste mobility among elite and middle classes, as well as the history of discrimination against religious minorities and disadvantaged castes. [Extracted from the article]