--------------------Aditya Mongra @ Professors Classes-------------------M.N.

Srinivas
Introduction
M.N.Srinivas was born in a Brahmin Family in Mysore on 16th November,
1916 and died on 30th Nov 1999. M.N.Srinivas had initiated the tradition of basing
macro-sociological generalizations on micro-anthropology insights and giving a
perspective to anthropological investigations of small-scale communities. Srinivas
wanted to study his countrymen not on the basis of western textbooks or from
indigenous sacred texts but from direct observation, field study and field
experience. He made intensive field study of Coorgs between 1940-42. In his
study, he describes the concept of different castes of Coorgs, mainly Brahmins
(priests), Kaniyas (astrologers and magicians) and Bannas and Panikas (low
castes). In the context of the study of Rampura also, he describes that the various
castes in a village are interdependent.
Srinivas studies of Caste and Religion highlighted not only their structuralfunctional aspects, but also the dynamics of the caste system in rural setting. He
proposed conceptual tools like dominant caste, sanskritization-westernization
and secularization to understand the realities of inter-caste relations and also to
explain their dynamics. The concept of dominant caste has been used in the study
of power relations at the village level.
Let learn some salient concepts and themes emerged from M.N.Srinivas
writing on India.
Book View & Field View
Srinivas explains two basic concepts to understand our society. They are: (a)
book view, and (b) field view.
a) Book view (bookish perspective): Religion, varna, caste, family, village and
geographical structures are the main elements, which are known as the bases
of Indian society. The knowledge about such elements is gained through
sacred texts or from books. Book view is also known as Indology, which is
not acceptable to Srinivas and he emphasised to the field view.
b) Field view (field work): Srinivas believes that the knowledge about the
different regions of Indian society can be attained through field work. This
he calls field view. Consequently, he prefers empirical study to understand
our society. Srinivas took the path of small regional studies rather than the
construction of grand theories. In this context, field work plays an important
role to understand the nativity of the rural Indian society.
1

--------------------Aditya Mongra @ Professors Classes-------------------M.N.Srinivas analysis of Social Change in India through the Concepts:
Brahmanization Sanskritization, Westernization, Dominant Caste.
To understand the process of social change in India at macro-level,
M.N.Srinivas proceeded to analyse the transformation at micro-level and that made
him to study village dynamics in India. It is through micro-level finding that
Srinivas constructed macro-level generalization of social change in Indian society.
Srinivas in his work Religion and Society among the Coorgs of South India (1952)
led him to formulate the concept of Brahmanization to represent the process of
the imitation of life-ways and ritual practices of Brahmins by the lower-caste
Hindus. The concept was used as an explanatory device to interpret changes
observed in the ritual practices and life-ways of the lower castes through intensive
and careful field study. The notion of Brahmanization has limitations for being
used as only model as frame of reference to assess the nature of social change.
Hence later Sanskritization, as a concept, thus, replaced Brahminization at a more
abstract level.
Srinivas achieved this through enlarging the meaning of Sanskritization and
by distinguishing it from another concept, westernization, using both terms in a
systematic manner to explain the process of social change in India. The concept
through referring mainly to the processes of cultural imitation has a built-in
structural notion, that of hierarchy and inequality of privilege and power, since the
imitation is always by the castes or categories placed lower in social and economic
status. We find a systematic formulation of two concepts in Srinivas Social
Change in Modern India (1966).
Let now discuss his concepts of Sanskritization and Dominant Caste
precisely.
1) By Sanskritization he defines a process by which a low caste or tribe or
other group takes over the custom, ritual, beliefs, ideology and style of life
of a high and, in particular, a twice-born (dwija) caste. This process
essentially involves a change in ones dietary habits from non-vegetarianism
to vegetarianism, and a change in ones occupation habits form an unclean
to a clean occupation. The Sanskritization of a group has usually the effect
of improving its position in the local caste hierarchy. Thus seeing this as a
pattern of cultural change, Srinivas suggest this had led to the penetration of
sanskritic values into the remotest parts of India. Imitation of the way of life
of the topmost, twice-born castes was said to be the principle mechanism by
which lower castes sought to raise their own social status.
2

--------------------Aditya Mongra @ Professors Classes-------------------Nonetheless, sanskritization brought within the framework of Indian tradition
whereas westernization was a change resulting from the contacts of British socioeconomic and cultural innovation. Srinivas form his study of Rampur a Mysore
village which gave him concept of dominant caste. The study has been
contained in The Remembered Village (1976).
M.N.Srinivas view caste as a segmentary system. Every caste, for him, is
divided into sub-castes which are:
1) the unit of endogamy;
2) whose members follow a common occupation;
3) the units of social and ritual life;
4) whose members share a common culture; and
5) whose members are governed by the same authoritative body, viz., the
panchayat?
Besides these factors of the sub-caste, for Srinivas, certain other attributes
are also important. These are:
1) Hierarchy: To Srinivas, hierarchy is the core or the essence of the caste
system. It refers to the arrangements of hereditary groups in a rank order. He
points out that it is status of the top-most or Brahmins and the bottom-most
or untouchables, which is the clearest in terms of rank. The middle regions
of hierarchy are the most flexible, who may be defined as members of the
middle ranks.
2) Occupational differentiation: Srinivas finds a close relationship between a
caste and its occupation. He says that caste is nothing more the
systematization of occupational differentiation. Caste are known by their
occupation and many derive their name form the occupation followed,e.g.,
Lohar, Sunar, Kumhar, Teli, Chamar etc. He also stresses that occupations
are placed in a hierarchy of high and low.
3) Restrictions on Commensality, dress, speech and custom are also found
among castes. There is a dietic hierarchy and restrictions on acceptance of
food.
4) Pollutions: The distance between castes is maintained by the principles of
pollutions. Srinivas too argues that the castes must not come into contact
with anything that is polluted whether an object or being. Any contact with
polluted renders a caste impure and demands that the polluted castes
undergo purification rites. If pollution is serious such as when a high caste

--------------------Aditya Mongra @ Professors Classes-------------------person has sexual relations with an untouchable, the person involved may be
removed from his or her caste.
5) Caste Panchayats and Assemblies: Besides the above mentioned attributes of
a caste, every caste is subject to the control of an order maintaining body or
a Panchayats. Elder of each caste in a village together maintain the social
order by exercising their authority collectively.
The concept of Dominant Caste Srinivas formed after his study of Rampura
village. The concept has been discussed and applied to a great deal in work on
social and political organization in India. He has defined dominant caste in terms
of six attributes that operates combinedly :
1) Sizeable amount of arable land;
2) Strength of numbers;
3) High place in the local hierarchy;
4) Western education;
5) Jobs in the administration; and
6) Urban sources of income.
Of the above attributes of the Dominant caste, the following three are
important: (i) numerical strength (ii) economic power through ownership of land,
and (iii) political power. The interesting aspect of this concept is that the ritual
ranking of a caste no longer remains the major basis of its position in the social
hierarchy. Even if a caste stands low in the social hierarchy because of being
ranked low, it can become the dominant ruling caste or group in a village if is
numerically large, owns lands and has political influence over village matters.
The Concept of Westernization
Srinivas has given details about the development of westernisation in India.
He traces it from the period of British Raj. Surely, the colonial rule brought with it
exploitation and suppression of the masses of people both at the rural and urban
levels. At the same time, it also brought certain radical changes in Indian society
and culture. The British rule initiated a period of new technology, institutions,
knowledge, beliefs and values.
Like Sanskritisation the concept of westernisation is also employed for evaluating
social change in rural India and elsewhere in the country. The concept was also
constructed by M.N. Srinivas to describe the process of social and cultural mobility
in the traditional social structure of India. It has also emerged, in Srinivas study of
the Coorgs of south India. The author has defined westernisation as:
4

--------------------Aditya Mongra @ Professors Classes-------------------Quite the change brought about in Indian society and culture as a result of over
150 years of British rule, the term subsuming changes occurring at different
levelstechnology, institutions, ideology and values (Srinivas, 1962).
In defining westernisation Srinivas emphasise on the ideas of humanitarianism and
rationalism. Further, commenting on the broader dimensions of westernisation,
Yogendra Singh writes:
Emphasis on humanitarianism and rationalism is a part of westernisation which led
to a series of institutional and social reforms in India. Establishment of scientific,
technological and educational institutions, rise of nationalism, new political culture
and leadership in the country, are all by-products of westernisation.
For Srinivas the advancement of westernization process does not slow down the
process of Sanskritisation. For him both processes go simultaneously, in some
context it has facilitated the process of Sanskritisation. He illustrates this by ciited
how westernization in form of communication and transport facilities has
facilitated spread of sanskritic institutions, such as pilgrimages and caste
associations. It is a common observation that in the last three or four decades new
religious celebrations have emerged. The deities which were oblivious have now
become target of popular celebrations. The caste associations have received better
organisation. At empirical plane it is found that with the increase in westernisation
sanskritic ties have also got solidarity.