Question 1

Q1: Write a critical essay on sanskritisation.

Accepted Answer

The term 'Sanskritisation' was coined by sociologist M.N. Srinivas to describe the process by which a 'low' caste, tribe, or other group adopts the customs, rituals, beliefs, ideology, and lifestyle of a high, particularly a 'twice-born' (dwija), caste. This process is a significant form of cultural...

Question 2

Q2: Westernisation is often just about adoption of western attire and lifestyle. Are there other aspects to being westernised? Or is that about modernisat...

Accepted Answer

The notion that Westernisation is merely about adopting Western attire and lifestyle is a limited understanding of a complex process. While these external adoptions are a visible aspect, Westernisation, as defined by M.N. Srinivas, encompasses far deeper changes in Indian society and culture resulti...

Question 3

Q3: Write short notes on: - Rites and secularisation - Caste and secularisation - Gender and sanskritisation

Accepted Answer

- Rites and secularisation Secularisation is often understood as a decline in the influence of religion. However, in the Indian context, it has manifested in complex ways, particularly concerning rituals. While rites and rituals remain central to social life, many have undergone a process of secular...

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