Sanskritisation
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Sanskritisation (or Sanskritization) is a process through which individuals or communities belonging to certain castes and tribal groups adopt the culture, values, lifestyles, and ritual practices of the dominant upper castes, with the aim of attaining upward social mobility and an elevated social status within the hierarchical structure of caste system of India. The phenomenon bears resemblance to the sociological concept of "passing". The term Sanskritisation was popularised in the 1950s by Indian sociologist and anthropologist M. N. Srinivas.
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Article
9 sectionsContents
- Definition
- Development
- Examples
- Reception
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Sources
- External links
Sanskritisation (or Sanskritization) is a process through which individuals or communities belonging to certain castes and tribal groups adopt the culture, values, lifestyles, and ritual practices of the dominant upper castes, with the aim of attaining upward social mobility and an elevated social status within the hierarchical structure of caste system of India. The phenomenon bears resemblance to the sociological concept of "passing". The term Sanskritisation was popularised in the 1950s by Indian sociologist and anthropologist M. N. Srinivas.
Sanskritisation has in particular been observed among mid-ranked members within caste hierarchy. It is considered an aspect of the wider historical and cultural process of Brahmanisation, which is the assimilation or alignment of local and regional Indian religious traditions with Brahmanism, leading to the Hindu synthesis and the formation of Hinduism, through a syncretic blending of diverse beliefs and customs into the Brahmanical fold.