Introduction to Indian Society

Randhir Kumar Gautam , Gandhian School of Democracy and

Socialism , ITM University Gwalior
 Unity and Diversity

General view of India Ethnic Plurality

Linguistic Plurality
Social structure , values , Beliefs and norms
Religious Plurality

Caste Diversity
Socio-cultural dynamics - Buddhism , Jainism , Islam and Christianity

Impact of Modern West on Indian Society

UNITY AMIDST DIVERSITY
1. Agriculture being the predominant occupation of India 2. Indian Constitution and its
uniqueness 3. Parliamentary form of government providing for federal structure 4. Unified
judiciary 5. Bureaucratic defence structure 6. Educational system 7. Unified transportation and
communication 8. Industrialization and urbanization 9. Cultural heritage 10. Common value
system 11. Secularism 12. Language 13. Religion
There were six major racial elements in the population of India

Negrito, Proto-Australoid, Mongoloid, Mediterranean, Western

Brachycephals, and Nordic.

 What defines Indian Society ?

India India India India India India

Values Food clothes National symbols Language literature Art & Architecture Music Dance

Festivals . . Society , Family and Religion Harmonious

Marriage
Indian culture is influenced by its unique geographical features. India is a
peninsula with five geographical divisions and these are:

i) The mountains of northern India which are mainly the Himalayan mountain

range.

ii) Northern plains in the river valleys of the Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra

iii) The Central Indian plateau India is a multi-cultural society and is a fine
example of diversity and unity in
iv) The South Indian plateau and Cultures.

v) The Coastal regions

 Indian v/s Western

What is not Indian ?

What is western ?
What is universal ?
The Indian Parliamentary Committee on Value Education in February 1999
identified five core universal values as: (a) Truth ) Righteous conduct (c) Peace (d)
Love and (e) Non-violence.
 SOCIETY IN ANCIENT INDIA
The earliest men lived in relatively small bands who formed different tribes on the
basis of family and blood ties ( Kinship )
Their life was simple and their economy consisted of seed and root gathering, of
hunting and fishing. They were religious people in their outlook and believed in
mythological gods and goddesses

Network of relatives within which individuals possess

Kinship
certain mutual rights and obligations.

Two or more people related by blood , marriage ,or adoption .

Vedic period:

Varnashram system, under which men were classified into four broader classes
(varnas) according to the nature of functions to be performed by them. These four
classes were (i) Brahman (the scholarly class performing religious rites and
teaching), (ii) Kshatriya (the ruling class responsible for the administration and
defence of the kingdom), (iii) Vaishya (the trading class that carried trade and
agriculture), and (iv) Shudras (the servants and slaves for menial work)
4 Stage of Life

a) Brahmacharya Ashram
b) Grihastha Ashram
c) Vaaprastha Ashram
d) Sanyasa Asl)ram
Post-Vedic period:
In the post-Rigvedic period, the varna ashram system acquired the form of
caste system based on the element of birth.
Through myths, rituals, and superstitions they befooled the people and collected
money in the name of propitiating the angry gods, curing the incurable diseases,
and bringing health and happiness in the family
The Aryan religion lost its purity and degenerated into dogmatism, fatalism,
supernaturalism, animism, and ritualism
Lord Mahavira and Lord Buddha propagated their faith known as Jainism and
Buddhism, respectively, in the sixth century BCE.
 Mauryan age:

The Mauryan age (321 BCE–185 BCE) marks a new era in the ancient Indian history. For
the first time, political unity was established in India under a king— Chandragupta Maurya.
According to Megasthenese, Mauryan society was divided into seven classes of (i)
Brahmans and philosophers, (ii) farmers, (iii) soldiers, (iv) traders and artisans, (v) herdsmen
and hunters, (vi) junior offi cers, and (vii) king’s ministers, advisors, and judges. Th e people
led an honest life. They were people of good conduct. Slavery and sati systems did not exist.
However, polygamy was practised, and girls could be purchased to serve as wives.
 Post-Mauryan age:
Mauryan period from 200 BCE–300 CE saw the rise of many states all over the
Indian subcontinent.

Manusmriti was written during this period. Efforts were made to

reinforce the Varnashrama system of Hindu religion.
Intercaste marriages, child marriage, Anuloma and Pratiloma
marriages were prevalent during the post-Mauryan period
 Gupta period

The advent of Gupta dynasty marks another landmark in the development of Indian society. It
ruled the country from 335 CE to 467 CE. The Gupta period is called the golden age of Indian history.
The caste system took deep roots. The Brahmans were considered the purest and most
respectable caste. The priestly functions could be performed by them only. However, there was
flexibility in the matters of marriage, occupation, and food.
The joint family system was an inseparable part of Indian social life
The women occupied an honourable position

The slavery system also existed, though only under exceptional circumstan
Fa-Hien visited india
.

After the end of Gupta period, India fell prey to foreign invasions
that destroyed its unity and created chaos and turmoil all around,
and the Indian society got afflicted with numerous social evils.
INDIAN SOCIETY DURING THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD
The Muslim rule in India affected Indian society in several ways-

The society became divided into three main groups-

a. Kings, nobles, and high men formed the upper class.
b. Middle class, which consisted of traders, officers, etc
c. They were poor people who worked hard to earn their livelihood
The position of women deteriorated. Purdah system, child
marriage and sati system became common features.

Varna ashram system of ancient Hindu society

degenerated into caste system
.
The mingling of the Hindu and Muslim cultures led to the growth of new religious movements,
and new styles in arts, achitecture and music. (Urdu Language, an amalgam of Persian words
and Indo-Aryan grammar, became the court language of the Moghuls

The Bhakti movement, propagated by the exponents like Meerabai. Chaitanya. Ramanuju,
Vallabhacharya, Kabir and Guru Nanak, was greatly influenced by Islam. It emphasised simple
devotion and faith and protested against the domination of priests and upper castes. While the
compositions of Kabir are a contribution to Hindi literature, Guru Nanak preached in the Punjabi,
language and Meerabai's Bhajans are in Brij bhasha of Mathura. Bengali literature was enriched

by Chaitanya and his followers of the Vaishnava cult. Tlre Indo-Islamic architecture got amply
reflected in the monuments like qutub Minar and the exquisite forts of the Mughal emperors.
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Religious toleration and communal unity

The ideas of Sufism and Bhakti movement

The Mughal rulers made great contribution in the cultural field. Urdu was born as a
language which was a mixture of Persian and Hindi languages. This brought
mutual interaction between the Hindus and the Muslims who also adopted the
style of dress, food habits, and other family pursuits of one another, music became
an intermixture of Indian and Persian styles and developed in various forms like
Thumri, Khayal, and Ghazal.
 INDIAN SOCIETY DURING BRITISH RULE
The British entered India as traders, but soon became its ruler.

Traditionally different religions have existed in India in peaceful coexistence . The secular
nature of indian society was well acclaimed worldwide till the British policy of 'Divide and Rule'
and the partition of the country led to various communal tensions.

Before 1857, the year of First War of Independence, popularly known as the Great Indian
Mutiny or Sepoy Mutiny , the British Government did some commendable work in the fields of
social reforms.

Rural Conditions During British Rule

Development of Modern Institution ( Through the Process of Modernization , Westernization )

INDIAN SOCIETY DURING THE POST-INDEPENDENCE PERIOD

Freedom movement professed high ideals regarding social regeneration

(i) social justice,

(ii) economic equality,

(iii) secularism,

(iv) Democracy,

(v) National integration, and

( vi) Rural development.

T.K. oommen rightly said
The social formation of the Indian society is the end product of a long historical process. The more
important elements which moulded the process are: one, the Aryan invasion estimated to have occurred
about 3 500 years ago which brought Hinduism, the caste system and Sanskrit to the Indian
subcontinent. Before this intervention the land was occupied by pre-Aryan adivasis (early settlers) and
non-Aryan Dravidians; two, the emergence of Hindu protestant religions such as Jainisrn and Buddhism,
some 2600 years ago; three, the advent of christianity in the first century and Islam in the 7th century.
These were pre-colonial and preconquest intrusions which occurred through immigration and the
conversion of local upper castes; four, arrival of tinyimmigrant religious communities such as Jews,
Zorastrians, and later the Bahai's; five, Muslim conquest ofNorth India which began in the Sth century
and continued till the 18th century turning the Indian subcontinent into the largest Muslim congregation in
the world; six, the emergence ofyoungest Indian religion, Sikhism, nearly 45O years ago with ptrnjab at
its epicentre; seven, western christian colonialism which started in South India and gradually spread to
the rest ofthe subcontinent.
GLOSSARY

Brahman: Highest of four main divisions (Varnas) in Hindu society; Jati devoted to
learning and priesthood.

unity in diversity: Expresses the opinion that India can remain a strong and unified
country while retaining its cultural diversity

Endogamy: The permissibility of marriage only within a specified group; exists in

conjunction with exogamy.

Gunas: Three basic properties: sattva (purity), rajas (passion), and tamas
(darkness).
 Continues —
Industrialization refers to sustained economic growth following the application of innate
sources of power to mechanized production. Industrialization is not only a mechanical
process. It is a social process as well. It affects the socio-cultural environment somewhat
subtly and it produces far-reaching consequences in various spheres of social life.

Religion: A more or less coherent system of belief and practices concerning a

supernatural order of beings, forces, places or other entities

westernization characterises the changes brought about in Indian society and culture as
a result of 150 years of British rule, and includes changes occurring at different levels
including technology, institutions, ideology, and ritualues
.

Thanks