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What are the criticisms that have come up against Sanskritization?

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The concept of Sanskritization as propounded by M.N. Srinivas has been severely criticized by many. Here some of the criticisms. 

a) Sanskritization exaggerates the upward mobility of the lower castes. Sanskritization tried to say that it will help the lower caste to reach the higher steps of the Jati ladder. But it did not bring any structural change. It brought some changes in the position of some people. They made their position better by keeping themselves within the framework of their Jati. In other words, the inequalities still continue. 

b) Sanskritization viewed the lifestyle of the higher caste as superior and that of the lower castes as inferior. Therefore it was natural for the lower castes to imitate the superior lifestyle of the higher castes. 

c) Sanskritization tries to justify a system based on inequality and exclusion. It speaks as if there is nothing seriously wrong with untouchability and purity-pollution concepts. With such an attitude, a society with equality is unthinkable. 

Here is the concept of a low caste person regarding purity- pollution: 

“Although goldsmiths are a higher caste than us, our caste-laws prohibit us from accepting food or water from them. We think that goldsmiths are very greedy and to dig out gold they can even wash human excreta. Therefore, although they are of a higher caste, they are more impure than us. We don’t accept any food from even higher caste people who do dirty jobs.” This shows how discriminatory feelings change lives of people. What is seen here is not to bring out a society with equality but to prolong the attitude that accepts discrimination and exclusion. This is an anti-democratic viewpoint. 

d) As a result of Sanskritization’s low caste, people accept the conventions and rituals of the higher castes. This results in the isolation of girls and women, dowry stem and discrimination against other castes. 

e) Critics also point out that as a result of Sanskritization, the special features of Dalit community and culture have been destroyed. For example, the value of the jobs done by the lower castes was reduced. Such jobs were pictured as shameful. Their traditional knowledge in local medicine and herbs, environment, agriculture, animal husbandry, artisanship, etc. was presented as useless in an industrial age.

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