Page 255 - DSOC201_SOCIAL_STRUCTURE_AND_SOCIAL_CHANGE_ENGLISH

Social Structure and Social Change

Notes Singer (1967:66) on the basis of his study of leading industrialists in the city of Madras found a
different process of change (what he calls ‘compartmentaiization’) in the style of life and religious
beliefs of lower and upper castes (as different from Srinivas’s process of Sanskritization and
Westernization). He found that there was a decline of fear of ritual pollution both in the office and
factory. For example, different castes mixed freely in the factories, they ate at the same cafeterias,
travelled in the same buses, and attended political rallies freely with one another. Brahmins and
upper castes had even taken to work considered highly polluting, for example, the tanning of skins
and hides. Singer called it the process of ‘compartmentaiization’. There was no conflict in the work of
upper castes in industry and their obligations as good Hindus. The two (factory situation and home
situation) were separate spheres and had different standards of conduct and behaviour. For example,
they used western dress, spoke English, and followed western customs in the factory, while at home
they used Indian dress, spoke the local language and conducted themselves as good Hindus. This is
what Singer called ‘compartmentaiization’.
But Singer’s view does not give any new explanation. Individual’s behaviour varies from situation to
situation is a known fact. This does not mean that there is compartmentalization. In fact, there is a
continuity. Even Cohn feels that compartmentaiization in Indian society is not different from continuity
in the society. However, it can be accepted that in this continuity, there is conservative persistence of
tradition. It is an active, dynamic continuity. And Singer accepts this fact (1967: 68). People adapt to
new conditions.
Perception of the Concepts
The process of Sanskritization indicates:
1. a process of change;
2. upward mobility or aspirations of lower castes to move upward in hierarchy; and
3. attack on hierarchy and levelling of culture.
As regards attack on hierarchy, it is not only the lower castes but even the tribes and castes in the
middle regions of the hierarchy which try to take over the customs and way of life of the higher
castes. Thus, Brahmanical customs and way of life spread among all Hindus. Could this be called
attack on hierarchy and levelling of culture? Harold Gould (1961: 965) has described it not as a process
of cultural imitation per se but an expression of challenge and revolt against the socio-economic
deprivations. Some scholars hold that it was an attack on hierarchy but it did not succeed in levelling
of culture.
As regards the upward mobility, Yogendra Singh calls it ‘contextual specific’ connotation of
Sanskritization. This is because it explains the process of cultural imitation by lower castes of upper
castes, which could be Rajputs, Jats, Brahmins, Baniyas, etc. In some places, tribes are reported to
imitate the customs of the caste Hindus.
Lastly, as regards merely ‘the process of change’, Yogendra Singh calls it the ‘historical specific’
connotation of Sanskritization. In this sense, it refers to the process in the Indian history which led to
changes in the status of various castes or its cultural patterns in different periods of history. It is also
indicative of an endogenous source of social change.
Usefulness of the Concepts in Understanding Social Change

The usefulness of the concept of Sanskritization as a tool in the analysis of Indian society has been
described by Srinivas himself as “greatly limited because of the complexity of the concept as well as
its looseness” (Ibid, 1985: 44). We may also point out certain deficiencies in the concept:
1. Since the reference group is not always a Brahmin caste but in many cases it is the local ‘dominant
caste’ (which could be a Rajput, Bania, Jat, etc.), the context of Sanskritization varies not only in
each model (that is, Brahmin model, Rajput model, Bania model, etc.) but also within the same
model from region to region. According to Yogendra Singh (1973: 8), this introduces contradictions
in various ‘contextual specific’ connotations of Sanskritization.

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