Dalit groups often may reject the way of life of the upper castes. What is this process called?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → De-Sanskritisation
Option (1) De-Sanskritisation — Correct. De-Sanskritisation is the movement away from Sanskritic, upper-caste ways. In regions where the non-Sanskritic castes were dominant, it was their influence that was stronger; the anti-Brahminical movement tried to drop Sanskrit words, and in recent years Dalits now pride their identity as Dalits instead of imitating the upper castes.
Option (2) Re-Sanskritisation — Incorrect. The word would mean taking up upper-caste ways again, the opposite of rejecting them.
Option (3) Modernisation — Incorrect. Modernisation is a path of development in which technology improves and local ties give way to universal commitments. It is not a caste group turning away from upper-caste culture.
Option (4) Westernisation — Incorrect. Westernisation is the change brought about by contact with British rule and Western culture. Rejecting the ways of the upper castes does not mean adopting Western ways.
NCERT (2025-26): “Sanskritisation … Studies of different areas, however, show that it operated differently in different parts of the country. In those areas where a highly Sanskritised caste was dominant, the culture of the entire region underwent a certain amount of Sanskritisation. In regions where the non-Sanskritic castes were dominant, it was their influence that was stronger. This can be termed the process of ‘de-Sanskritisation’.…” “With the growth of the anti-Brahminical movement and the development of regional self-consciousness in the twentieth century there was an attempt in several Indian languages to drop Sanskrit words and phrases. A crucial result of the Backward Classes Movement was to emphasise the role of secular factors in the upward mobility of caste groups and individuals. In the case of the dominant castes, there was no longer any desire to pass for the Vaisyas, Kshatriyas and Brahmins. On the other hand, it was prestigious to be a member of the dominant caste. Recent years have seen likewise assertions of Dalits who now pride their identity as Dalits.” |