A. SANSKRITISATION | Definition and Analysis of the Process of Sanskritisation Meaning of Sanskritisation The term “Sanskritisation” was introduced into Indian Sociology by Prof. M. ‘The term refers to a process whereby people of lower castes collectively tried to adopt upper ire higher status. Thus cae practices and beliefs, as a preliminary step to acquire hig it indicates a pig fof cultural mobility that is taking place in the traditional social system of India Context of the Introduction of the Term “Sanskritisation” | MN. Srinivas in his study of the Coorgs in Karnataka, found that some lower cae | coder to raise their position in the caste hierarchy, adopted some customs and practices of Brahmi and gave up some of their own which were considered to be “impure” by the higher castes, fy | example, they gave up meat-eating, drinking liquor and animal sacrifice t0 their deities, Ti imitated Brahmins in matters of dress, food and ritwals. These people who started calling themsel, “Amma Kodavas”, became strict vegetarians like the Brahmins, began to wear sacred threads arrange marriage from among themselves, on the model of the Brahmins. In fact, they sane; imitating Brahmin way of living in all possible ways. By doing this, within a generation or x they could claim higher positions in the hierarchy of castes. In the beginning, MN. Srinivas wes the term “Brahminisation” (in his book “Religion and Society Among the Coorgs” - 1952] denote this process. The term “Brahminisation” denotes the imitation of Brahmin way of it Later on, he replaced it by “Sanskritisation””. Definition of Sanskritisation MN. Srinivas, in fact, went on broadening his definition ofthe term “Sanskntsaton” fe time to time. Initially, he described it as follows. 1. Sanskrtisation is “the process of mobility of lower castes by adopting vegetarianism a teetotalism to move in the caste hierarchy in a generation or pvo" - (MLN. Srinivas 196"book “Social Change in Modem India” s net ip a eb vue to atone m {Aste oF a tbe or other group changes its and way of ife in the ee SM ee tna th endionaee e te rd deinon 1 mich Bonde, ot inde some Te papas). "Punya” “moksha ete} I a : in cumency now. ra Singh Points out that the second definition cited above fe roar and more oe spel thaneline! 67% er tis definition, the imitating group need not be only a low'caste group, it can be a 0 atx any oer 0p ition i not restricted to mere rituals and religious ome ay part ane ——e Sanskritisation and Brahminisation tw Term Sanskritisation is Preferable to Brahminisation ty Sram is a broder term and it con include in sel the narrower proces of foination. For instance, today though by and large, Brahmins ae vegeurans and ecole sea hem sich as Kashmiris, Bengali and Saraswath Brahmins eat non-vegetran fe, Hey ‘eam Brainsarion” ben used it would have become necessary to specify which pane Ssiia pou was meant (Father, the reference groups of Sanskritisation are not always Brains: The process isan ned ot necessarily ake place onthe model of Brahmins. Srinivas himself hax gven ‘eau of the low castes of Mysore who adopted the way of life of Lingayats, who a nox Inti bot who claim equality with Brahmins. Te lower castes imitated not only Brahmins but also Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, ats, Shudas, «aire pars of the country. Hence the term Brahinisation does not completely explain ‘mcs. MIN, Srinivas himself acknowledged ths fact Analysis of the Process of Sanskritisation ‘An malyss ofthe process of “Sanskritsari poe cein rt rere | PMA. Chingamani “Socioiogy of ‘Indian Societ 219, "Moe Grmp The om "fence gow” ws ino by Mamas Sh nis book nt 1 Oat of Socal Psychology” - 1948. As Oghurn and Nimkolf have sid. “groups which seve eat comparison are known as reference groups”. They are aso groups from which we get U Nets OF whose approval we seek.” Sis wrote Tow reals that emphasised wnduly the Brinicl mode! of Skraion SRR oer ml Ky Vays dS." Sal Cage Mr ne o) ‘would reveal to us the following aspectse BAN Go. ay 1 samarithtion a proces of itatlon 04% pg ne anlct of upper cases i their attemp sts, The process seems 0 ed Brahmins they soon shite it towards hey, Mug" lower se na nom Brahmin dominant cise ro caw im as COS aS cae oe on or Sanskritsalon : The lower castes tae jg te specs of hishet ON * gaste Hindus imitated the rituals of th Finals : Some ofthe “tow” caste Hing OF the Brat, Creag a ching ee MANS sing he pcs ae ee ie atvce ofthe “perahis™ [press] and giving away ihe ‘ge xing mariages 08 ‘twadana™ mariage, and $0 anette ge The pate of pepe ABS A SOMMER oN he yy aria cmon thn was regaded 8 a idisoluble bond and id SEES poems afte iw wm comida omen, Thogh ym evecare th sted te sme on mode fe ae ‘reameat of Women : Women among the high aes wee assigned only ric et ated estesonn posed by the Darmashasina, Epa Traine women wee cose tobe pling ding menstruation and hil ith agg EKpeed nd he men fal expects Thogh he tow aus ha “Spc eter edn the women lt imiaon oF fraimin moda mag to give harsh treatment and very low status to their women (ho) Food Habits ond Dees Habis : Brains have been vegetarians and tetas soc ng te Some of the Hw cases imitated the food habits of the Babin and pes te remain vera and even gave up dking lehol Some low castes aso imitated ese, them se sch as wearing dha, sala turban fr roma, kachche panche,kachee st 10 raise gh thei hg ed (©) System of Giving Names to New Born Ones : Many of the low castes sted gin ‘ames to new bom members on the model of the Brahmins. For example, in place of the traders and typical names such as Basava, Kariya, Kempa, Kaala, Chinna, Soma, Honni, Thimmara, ‘Kempi. Duggi, Beeri, Chinn, et. they stared giving names such as Parameshwara, Ramis, ‘Shankara, Madhava, Eshwara, Gowri, Parvathi, Saraswathi, Lakshmi, Rukmini and so on (4) Lmitation of Ideologies and Values: In these attempts to rise up in the social hieracy the low caste people started using in their daily conversation, ideological concepts and vals such as — Karma, Dharma, Papa, Punya, Maya, Moksha, Sansara, Paramatma, etc. which ate fui in Sanskrit literature 4. Sanskritisation indicates a process of upward mobility. In this process, a ese Laying to raise its position in the caste hierarchy not at once, but over a period of time. t wll take, sometimes, a period of one or two generations, S. Pre-conditions of Sansritisation: A careful observation of this process would rl 1 us some of its pre-conditions (0) The imitated caste is normally regarded as superior to the imitating caste in ritual $08 economic matters, respectability and social prestige. (Gi), Castes taking part in the process of Sanskrit sation must have the will wo increase its si satus at least by imitating the upper castes,oe rnitating caste must have regu . 4and close socio-cultural contacts with the imitated ) Those castes which AF taking part inthis pr ‘must be prepared to consider the upper- ane the “lifestyles of which it wants osm 2 tate] their “reference group some caste groups within the fold of Hinduism. (Jt should be noted that inthe wadiional ‘soup could be called “Hindu” only if it was regarded asa caste group) 7.The process of Sanshritisation serves asa “reference group” Its through this process uta caste B00 ties 10 orient is beliefs, practices, values, attitudes and “lifestyles” in tenn i setter superior oF dominant group, so tht it can also get some recognition. Since this term ‘ts made applicable by M.N, Srinivas even to Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shuda models (n addition Pramas model, has greater relevance to function as a “reference group". 4, Sanskritisation does not take place in the same manner in all the places. Studies tun revealed that in most ofthe cases the lower castes tend wo imitate the upper eases particularly fe Kitarya and Brahmin castes, There are instances of upper castes imitating some ofthe prachoes ef lve cases and sometimes of even tribal groups. For example, a Brahmin may make‘ blood. sacrifice 10 one of the local deities through the medium of a non-Brahmin friend. The Muslim cual ways have imposed some limitations inthe imitation process of some upper and lower ‘ates This 8 very much in evidence in Punjab. Thus, it can be generalised that Sanstritisarion iso a one-way process; it 4 two-way process. In this proces a lower caste does not always “ide” from the higher caste, sometimes, it also ‘gives’ in return, 9. The castes which enjoyed higher economic and political power but rated relatively oe ritual ranking, went after Sanskritisation for they felt that thei claim 10 a higher postion wat not fully effective. The three main. aspects of power in the caste system are the ritual, the cmamic and the political ones. The possession of power in any one sphere usually leads 10 the ‘xquistion of power in the other two. But Srinivas opines that inconsistencies do occur. 10, “Economic betterment is not.a necessary pre-condition to Sanskitisation, nor economic devepment must necessarily lead to Sanskritisation. However, sometimes a group {cast, tribe] sy sat by acquiring, political power and this may lead to economic development and Sawskriisaion. Economic betterment, the acquisition of political power, education, leadership, ‘1d. desire to move up in the hierarchy, are all relevant factors in Sanskritisation, and each case Sausksitsation may show all or some of these factors mixed up in different measures." 1, Sanskritisation indicates only positional change. Mobility that is involved in the acess of Sanskritisation results only in “positional changes” for particular castes or sections cases sod need nox necessarily lead to a “structural change”. It means while individual castes ‘ove up or down, the structure as such remains the sume. 12. The process of Sanskritisation does not automatically result in the achievement fs higher status for the People will have to wat fr a period of a generation or two ‘ee ei laim an be coi Fre, ay wo happen tat claim which may mo sce "© 4 particular area or period of time, may succeed in another. — ee Nass Aaja “Indian Social Sytem.” Page - 355.SOCIOLOGY OF in UN 864 developments in the realm of material culture have a jniicant 13 Siatan Unksriaisation,oc¥pations: nobility, mas met eR proces of Saget of Wester technology. improvement in the tanspe™e speed of 3 Sanskritsaion. Introduction of artiamentary pa 9 see tap Be also contnibuied 10 the increased Sansritecgee ef dems ras MA. Sivas hs oid out, Sansrisation serves to rei ‘he ritual and secular ranking. It is, indeed, one of is main fim ap beeen i Tement gains secular, that is, political power, it immediate 118 i ofthe customs, tal, ideals, beliefs, values, le soca mies Te Tower casi group which successfully ges into the set of sooth Pe sae mabe ofthe services of Brains especially at the time of observing 2 an of things 1 the God in the Cente of pilgrimage, ec prea fing “muhurtam” (auspicious ime for doing ood work ost Hinde feoprtanteccsions and programmes and 0 on, ae snot new phenomenon as such. MLN. Sivas wets: “San, hese nee of et! henge da oy, d hen sree welt nan scone 1 may have Deen more active at some periods than atc ej fn re mre sari than thers: bt ther 1s no db sae po same Pal” (Socal Change in Modern India ~ 1966 Page: 23). « Sanshiisation has often been construed as kind of protest against the rad sem. Sankrsation i 0 type of protest against the caste system in which the sen cae mtn a ot et ae ce wi ean and impressed with the higher statuses accorded to the upper castes, naturally desire to gr inthe sans hierarchy. Ths desir is virually against the traditional hierarchical prints the cave stem. Making an attempt through Sanskritsation {o move up in the satus hee setng aie the hierarchical principle of case, amounts 10a protest agains the caste system te ce or ra tions. Forget he tas imagen es, eo ome rating in ating new eae, tu, ‘© Sansritsatin, as M.N. Srinivas himself has said, does mot denote a basic chang in the structure of the Hindu society. It should not be construed that through this process 2» ‘nd of sca change canbe brought about in the caste-ridden society. Since membership it case-ien society is based onthe unchangeable factor of bint, no one eam become a neste ofthe “reference group” a such. However, an individual ora group may improve his ois sd ston within the range of one’s own Varna group. Srinivas further observes that the pas f Sanitation can only support the existing system but can never remove it. Hence, he ces ‘that are effected through Sanskritisation, though cannot be neglected, have only limited significa '* The British rule in India provided a favourable atmosphere for Sanskritisatioe® {aks place. Political independence has weakened the trend towards this change. Now the empl tar ical Ssial mobility and not on the horizontal mobility. But in this process of =a ' Santisation, the basic unit remains only the group and not the individual otf Sanskritisation: Some Critical Comments Though the 8 a sigifican con ‘of comments have ” onept *Sansritsarion "introduced by Prof. M.N. Srinivas hasbeen 854 9 bution to the sociological literature, it is not fee from crits been mid about the erm bythe scholars. Some of them maybe CS fsa compe, ti 10 A Stall,"Sansritisaion as used by Srinivas and other anthrone IMGlEs come ora class of concepts The erm itself seems to be misleadsCT oth sll rites TF is a extrem IY complex and heterogeneous concept. 1 te sien i auld be more profitable 10 tear It ax a bundle of conepis nee i csibhe that The important thing 10 remember ith I only hae fale face elt si hin vcw Of he lament er eeread ey proces Of the social change. ory oot eet - ra Singh comments: Though “Sanskrtsation and Westemisaion, in logial i: et " concepts They “fal to lead to a consistent theory of eulheral 2h consistency is far from realisation..." The concepts “contain na hypothesis”, and nee oe ‘words, “Cannot be true or false, They can be clumsy or elegant, appropriate or sen? cave or worthless It never tue or fase-= ru Singh points out that Sanskritsation did not have any pan-tndian pattern 3 Winer nape of the ovens for euaral emcees oe Yection of emulation of cultural forms, has there been «universal Indian character. er oqendea Singh sso opines that “Sansrtsaion falls 10 accoun for many aspects change in the past and contemporary iia as i neglects the non Sanskrit nein 4g te tam of Youendra Singhs comments in one of his atic in'e silage, Mackie Abeer th. we cannot estish tha the proce of Sasson always tes pane Meng veioving th Not Sanur ritual, “Sanatrie ree een caaeg ee sc ries without replacing them” (Mackim Marriot §.11 is also commented that much against the assumption of M.N. Srinivas, the “Sansriti ‘fur has not een universal to all parts ofthe country. In most of northern India, especially ‘x Paya it was the Islamic tradition which provided a bass for cultural imitation.” In Punjab, ties Chanana, “Culturally Sanskritic influence has been but one of the trends, and at times, ‘cul ot have been the main trend. For a few centuries, umit the third quarter of the 19th canary, Persian influence had been the dominating one in this area” - (as quoted by Prot. Yogendra Singh - Pages: 11-12), 6Dr. DIN, Majumdar comments that it is wrong to assume the process of Sanskritisation ‘aaniversal process observed throughout India. tn his study of Mohan village in Uitar Pradesh, ‘Strong exception to this assumption. In this village, as he noticed, the lower caste seen) a have any urge or inctination to imitate the “lye-stles” of Brahmins or any other Gina higher caste ofthat region. Ifa cobbler wears tlak (or Vibhut), dat end the vanrcy spt llows some ofthe customs of higher castes, nobody recognises him as an upper exec ia. “fSansritisation is really 4 universal process, where exactly does it stop and why ?..." Dr. Majumdar questions, 7. MN, Srinivas has been changing the definition of the term “Sanskritisation” from a i tine and this adds 10 the problem of understanding its ‘meaning and range of operations inne. Fist, Dr. Srinivas used the term to mean Brahminisaton, Later ea. he ee stem He wed it to mean a process in which a lower ease, a iba! ‘rOUp oF any other group Aa pen inte the “ife-sytes” ofa locally dominant upper cast, mostly a twice coo Hag ght 04 interpretation, the process includes the imation of tvs, values and ideologies. difficult to ascertain the real meaning of the term “ideology”. 80 it becom ¥ "mdr Sigh “Mocerisaton of Indian Train.” Page - 10SET OF INDIAN v $09 Sy ry to interpret certain changes that have taken place ij sanskritisation, We face certain paradoxes. Accor dis the field» political forces are normally favourable for Sanskritisation, : © Dr, oan | reservation” tutional attempt (0 elevate the status of lower Mt the hy | different picture. ‘Theoretically. the policy of wae and oy | SErVation Way class people, presents here @ supportive of Sanskritisation. But paradoxically, it goes against it. Th " ” ‘ . “ ‘of the “reservation benefits have developed a vested interest in calling. we Avail the, Mt Mselves «qt ality “scheduled caste” people. They want to enjoy the benefits of “reservation” 9, “As suggested by Harold A. Gould, oft ie | sugges 4 |, often the motive for i men," not of cultural imitation per se but an expression of challenge tai pehind Sanstrsg ; evolt agains i t the 5 " Mc, ‘economic deprivations.” Y sdb ste: ; nd ‘ene a ope Nanskettzasion is thus a cultural camoufla; where traditionally the privile i ‘onomic and social power, typical of a ae latent ine the impact of the external fees le castes hold monopoly over power aint wns See ieee mirtmnonelstgel i political democratisation, land rand Social status, y I upper castes, the cultural cmwngennn and ther te skritisation thrown away, in fa' : . in favour of an open ; {ibid, Page - 12.) spen conflict with the privileged classes based . on nativistic solic olidariy 8, When we @ mobility in the light of nd economic "a politico-consti