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Unit 12: Processes of Change

spread of Sanskritization among the low castes. It is the separation of ritual acts from the accompanying Notes
mantras (citations) which facilitated the spread of Brahmanical rituals among all Hindu castes, including
the untouchables. The restrictions imposed by the Brahmins on the non-twice-born castes banned
only the chanting of mantras from the Vedas. Thus, the low caste people could adopt the social practices
of the Brahmins. This made Sanskritization feasible.
The political institution of parliamentary democracy has also contributed to the increased
Sanskritization, according to Srinivas (1985: 49). Prohibition, a sanskritic value, has been mentioned
in the Constitution of India. Some states have introduced it wholly or partially.
12.2 Westernization

Westernization refers to “the changes in technology, institutions, ideology and values of a non-western
society as a result of cultural contact with the western society for a long period “(Srinivas, 1962: 55).
Giving an example of Indian society, the technological changes, establishment of educational
institutions, rise of nationalism and new political culture, etc. may all be described as the bye-products
of westernization or of the British rule of two hundred years in India. Thus, by Westernization,
Srinivas primarily meant the British impact.
The important features of Westernization are: (1) Emphasis on technology and rationalism. (2) This
process (of Westernization) is not retarded by the process of Sanskritization, but to some extent it is
accelerated by it. Srinivas had earlier maintained that Sanskritization is a prelude to Westernization.
However, later on, he changed his view and maintained that it is not necessary for Sanskritization
occurring prior to Westernization (1985: 60). But the two processes are linked with each other. It may
not be possible to understand one without the other. Harold Gould has also said that for Brahmins
and other higher castes, sanskritizing is an attempt to maintain the distance between them and the
lower castes who are sanskritizing. Thus, the Brahmins are, in a sense, running away from the lower
groups who are trying to catch up with them.
The form and pace of Westernization of India varied from region to region and from one section of
population to another (Srinivas, 1985: 51). For instance, one group of people became westernized in
their dress, diet, manners, speech, sports and in the gadgets they used while another absorbed western
science, knowledge and literature, remaining relatively free from Westernization in externals For
example, Brahmins accepted the dress and appearance (tuff giving way to cropped hair), sending
their children to westernized schools, using gadgets like radio, car, etc., but they did not accept the
British diet, dancing, hunting, and freedom from pollution. This distinction is, however, only of
relative emphasis. It is not a clear-cut distinction.
Srinivas prefers the term ‘Westernization’ to ‘Modernization’ (wheras Daniel Lerner, Harold Gould,
Milton Singer, and Yogendra Singh prefer ‘Modernization’ in place of ‘Westernization’. He considers
the later term as subjective and the former term as more objective (Seminar, 88, 1986: 2). The called
‘rationality of goals’ in modernization could not be taken for granted because human goals are based
on value preferences. As such, rationality could only be predicted of the means and not of the ends of
social action.
Scholars’ Support to the Concepts
Scholars like Bernard Cohn and Milton Singer have supported the validity of the concept of
Sanskritization on the basis of their empirical studies. Cohn had studied a village in eastern Uttar
Pradesh in 1950s. This village consisted of two main castes—a dominant caste of Thakurs and a large
untouchable caste of Chamars. The landless Chamars had tended to become sanskritized by adopting
their landlord’s (Thakur’s) rituals at times of marriage and birth through education obtained in the
local schools and through a rise in their income. On the other hand, many Thakurs had migrated to
cities and became industrial workers, clerks and teachers, taking on in their dress and manner and in
their religious outlook, what may be called a more westernized form of Hinduism. Thus, while upper
caste was westernizing its style of life and religious beliefs, the lower caste was sanskritizing and
assuming more traditional forms of ritual, practice and belief.

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