scholars such as D. N.

Mazumdar and others had used the concept of de sanskritization or de-

ritualization. After that not much has been written to define and explain this concept. He had stated
that members of high castes have been dropping several rituals, abandoning their age-old ways of
life and adopting dress, diet and social customs. The process of sanskritization has been much
researched in India, but not its reverse namely, asprashyeenkaran or 'dalitization'. de-sanskritisation
and which have been interchangeably used may be explained. We may term them as the "Bhangi
caste specific" and "untouchable castes specific" connotations of de-sanskritisation.

It is the downward mobility of people in India, where groups and individuals of upper castes or
tribes break their affiliation with the parent groups and get culturally incorporated, formally or
legally, into low, untouchable castes, acquiring an altogether new low caste identity

Hindus and tribes had converted themselves into untouchable castes from the beginning of the
Muslim period. In the British period, the conversions took place more frequently in the country.

Bhangiisation

He talks about how Bhangis, who had converted from different castes, were found living in Bhangi
bustees (hutments). The spatial segregation of the castes was not reflected in the settlement pattern
outside the bustee areas. According to this process , a high caste person accepts the membership of
the Bhangi caste and thereby lowers his/her social as well as ritual position in the Hindu social order.
He or she loses his or her previous caste identity, also involves adopting the customs, beliefs of the
bhangis

"Bhangiisation" has two aspects : one may be called the "positional aspect" which involves "social
falling" of the individual through the adoption of the customs and practices of the Bhangis. This
process results in positional changes for the converting individuals. The other may be called the
"occupational aspect" which involves accepting scavenging as a job by the converting individuals and
gradually projecting a Bhangi image.

Conversion to the "Bhangi" Caste in Rajasthan

the begining of the de-sanskritisation process can be traced back to as early as 1880. De-
sanskritisation first began among the Muslims through their contact with Bhangis in the nagar
palikas of Jodhpur. Later, it gradually spread through the high caste Hindu population.

The incidence of conversion from upper caste Hindus was greater than from Muslims and other
untouchable castes. not a single case was reported where the converted Bhangis wanted to revert
to their original caste they could not do so as the concerned community had first ex-communicated
and then refused them re-admission into their communities.

All high caste converted Bhangis sit with the other Bhangis, and often share bidis and tea, as well as
cooked food. They also show deference where it is due. Likewise, the Bhangis treat the high caste
converts as they treat the other Bhangis. The main factor that has helped in integrating and bringing
the high caste Bhangis with Bhangis is the fact that they (upper caste Bhangis) are formally
employed as Bhangis. The high caste Bhangis do the scavenging, sweeping and cleaning of streets,
cleaning of drains and gutters of workshops and disposing of dumps. They are treated as Bhangis. All
these are low status jobs which take the high caste persons to the level of the lowest, the Bhangi
caste . In the past, the high caste Hindus and non-Hindus had preserved their caste-based
occupations. Now, in the changing circumstances of economic deprivation they are being compelled
to undertake menial

Motivating Factors in "Bhangiisation"

1. whenever a high caste boy or girl had an affair with a Bhangi, (s)he was both turned out from
the family and ex-communicated from the community. Such ex-communicated persons were
later incorporated in the Bhangi community.
2. The Vyas Brahmins traditionally considered themselves a very pure and clean community
and they retained a great amount of orthodoxy and rigidity in their caste rules. They strictly
adhered to commensal rules and if there was a case of one of their members taking food
with a Bhangi or even mixing with them, the community would ex-communicate the person
concerned, who would, in the course of time, be absorbed in the Bhangi fold.
3. the moral support and protection given to starving persons and orphans by the Bhangis.
4. A potent source of de-sanskritisation in British India was the preponderance of famines. In
order to save their lives, a few individuals from rural areas had to move to Jodhpur town,
their extreme poverty and hunger took them to Bhangi colonies, where they were given
food and succour. As time went by, these people were converted into Bhangis.
5. unemployment among both the educated and uneducated Indian youth, overgrowth of
population, economic crisis and constraints, limited number of job opportunities in
government sectors are all significant factors in contributing to the decline in prestige of
purely traditional occupations.