Imapact of Sanskritization and Westernization on India

Sanskritisation is a particular form of social change found in India. It denotes the process by which castes placed lower in the caste hierarchy seek upward mobility by emulating the rituals and practices of the upper or dominant castes. It is a process similar to passing in anthropological terms. This term was made popular by Indian sociologist M. N. Srinivas in the 1950s. This ambitious concept is again revolving back with the time in contemporary Indian society after the caste based policies, result was 'de-Sanskritization' it was no longer beneficial to be an upper caste and so attempts were made to re-claim any lower or backward caste ischolar_mains. Westernization is a process whereby societies come under or adopt Western culture in such matters as industry, technology, law, politics, lifestyle, diet, language, religion, philosophy, and/or values. Westernization has been a pervasive and accelerating influence across the world in the last few centuries. It is usually a two-sided process, in which Western influences and interests themselves are joined by a wish of at least parts of the affected society to change towards a more Westernized society, in the hope of attaining Western life or some aspects of it. The main purpose behind this paper is to analyze the impact of the "westernization" and "sanskritization" in the present modern Indian society.