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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, Lifestyle, and Ritual of the Dominant caste forward caste, with the aim of attaining Social mobility and an elevated social status within the hierarchical structure of caste system of India. The phenomenon bears resemblance to the Sociology 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 religions 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.
In a broader sense, Sanskritisation is
In this process, local traditions (little traditions) become integrated into the great tradition of Brahmanical religion, disseminating Sanskrit texts and Brahmanical ideas throughout India, and abroad. This facilitated the development of the Hindu synthesis, in which the Brahmanism absorbed local popular traditions of ritual and ideology.
According to Srinivas, Sanskritisation is not just the adoption of new customs and habits, but also includes exposure to new ideas and values appearing in Sanskrit literature. He says the words Karma, dharma, papa, maya, samsara, and moksha are the most common Sanskrit theological ideas which become common in the talk of people who are sanskritised.
The book challenged the then prevalent idea that caste was a rigid and unchanging institution. The concept of Sanskritisation addressed the actual complexity and fluidity of caste relations. It brought into academic focus the dynamics of the renegotiation of status by various castes and communities in India.
According to , a similar heuristic was previously described by Ambedkar (1916, 1917). Jaffrelot goes on to say, "While the term was coined by Srinivas, the process itself had been described by colonial administrators such as E. T. Atkinson in his Himalayan Gazetteer and Alfred Lyall, in whose works Ambedkar might well have encountered it."
Virginius Xaxa notes that sometimes the also use the term Kshatriyisation and Rajputisation in place of Sanskritisation.
Another example in North India is of Rajput. According to historical evidence, the present day Rajput community varies greatly in status, consisting of those with royal lineage to those whose ancestors were petty tenants or tribals who gained land and political power to justify their claim of being Kshatriya.
One clear example of Sanskritisation is the adoption, in emulation of the practice of dwija, of vegetarianism by people belonging to the so-called low castes who are traditionally not averse to non-vegetarian food.
One more example is of Hindu Jat in rural North India who did Sanskritisation with the help of Arya Samaj as a part of a social upliftment effort.
An unsuccessful example is the Vishwakarma caste's claim to Brahmin status, which is not generally accepted outside that community, despite their adoption of some Brahmin caste traits, such as wearing the sacred thread, and the Brahminisation of their rituals. Srinivas juxtaposed the success of the Lingayat caste in achieving advancement within Karnataka society by such means with the failure of the Vishwakarma to achieve the same. Their position as a Idangai has not aided their ambition.
Srinivas was of the view that Sanskritisation was not limited to the Hindu castes, and stated that the semi-tribal groups including Himalayas's Pahadis, central India's Gonds and Oraons, and western India's Bhils also underwent Sanskritisation. He further suggested that, after going through Sanskritisation, such tribes would claim that they are castes and hence Hindus. This phenomenon has also been observed in Nepal among Khas, Magar people, Newar, and Tharu people.
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