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  • Download Free the book on Charter Acts during the British Company rule from HERE
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  • Tuesday, August 11, 2009

    Define Caste

    Define Caste
    The Sociologists define a caste as follows:
    A caste is a hereditary, endogamous, usually localized group, having a traditional association with an occupation and a particular position in the local hierarchy of castes. The relations between castes are governed, among other things, by the concepts of pollution and purity, and generally, maximum commensality occurs within the caste.

    On spatial level, a caste is usually segmented into several sub-castes and each sub-caste is endogamous. This segmentation is probably the result of a long historical process in which groups continually fissioned off. As a result of this long process of development there has come into existence several cognate groups usually found scattered over a limited geographical region, each of which retains a sense of identity as well as its linkage with other similar groups. Hence, a perception that a caste has its limited social boundaries is limited view meant for a particular time and place only. It, under historic impact, keeps changing the social boundaries and even the spatial spread through the process of historic fission.

    Source:
    Srinivas M. N., Caste in Modern India and other essays, 1962, Media Promoters and Publishers Pvt. Ltd. Bombay, pp 2,3. Chapter 1, Introduction.


    Sanskritization

    "The caste system is far from a rigid system in which the position of each component caste is fixed for all time. Movement has always been possible, and especially so in the middle regions of the hierarchy. A low caste was able, in a generation or two, to rise to a higher position in the hierarchy by adopting vegetarianism and teetotalism, and by Sanskritizing its ritual and pantheon. In short, it took over, as far as possible, the customs, rites, and beliefs of the Brahmins, and the adoption of the Brahminic way of life by a low caste seems to have been frequent, though theoretically forbidden. This process has been called -'Sanskritization'.”



    Source:
    Srinivas M. N., Caste in Modern India and other essays, 1962,Media Promoters and Publishers Pvt. Ltd. Bombay, pp 42. Chapter 2, A Note on Sanskritization and Westernization. Quoted by M. N. Srinivas from 'Religions and Society among the Coorgs of South India, Oxford, 1952, p.32.


    Wednesday, June 17, 2009

    Dictionary of History of India

    I thank all the regular visitors to this blog.

    I have started a Dictionary of History of India. Making use of the label widget, it is being indexed and I believe it is turning out to be user friendly.

    I am using Sumit Sarkar, Bipin Chandra and five authors, Puri Chopra and Dutt, Majumdar Raychaudhari and Dutt, A. L Bhasam edited Cultural History of History, Kalisankar and Wikipedia for Modern India.

    For Ancient History, as it is with blog, I am using A. L. Bhasam, A. L. Srivastva, Majumdar, S. S. Sen and Singhal. I am also using Wikipedia and Banglapedia for the section.

    I have yet not written much on Medieval India. I will use J. L. Mehta, A. L. Sirvastva, Rizvi, Irfan Habib, and net for developing this period. There is a Digital Library for all the Persian, Arabic and Urdu writers for this period. It requires further reading but the syllabus of the civil service will definitely remain the main guide in selecting the terms for the dictionary.

    I believe that the dictionary may also be useful for the GS prelims as well as GS Mains paper A.

    I will definitely add to this blog but for the time being I am more concentrating on GS and Dictionary blog.

    For further enquiries, you are free to email me or contact me on 9815233050.

    Thanks

    Monday, January 26, 2009

    Shaddarshana or Six Doctrines of Hinduism

    The Shadhdarshana means the six Doctrines or the Six systems of Salvation or the Six Schools of Philosophies of Hinduism. They are as follows.

    Sr. noName of the DoctrineName of the Rishi/Apostle
    1Nayaya:AnalysisAkshapada Gautama
    2Vaisheshika: Doctrine of Individual CharateristicsUluka Kanada
    3Sankhya: The CountKapila
    4Yoga: Now Most popular in West as a school of physical discipliningPatanjali
    5Mimansa: EnquiryJamini
    6 Vedanta, also Uttara MimansaShankaracharya

    Dus Avataras of Vishnu

    The Dus Avataras of Vishnu means the ten incarnations of Vishnus as per Hindu religion mythology. They are given below

    Sr. no. Hindi Name Probable English Term
    1MatsyaThe Fish
    2KurmaThe Tortoise
    3VarahaThe Boar
    4NarasimhaThe Man Lion
    5VamanThe Dwarf
    6ParasuramaRama with the Axe
    7RamaRaghukul Prince Rama of Ayodhya
    8KrishnaKing Krishna of Dwarka of Vrishni Tribe
    9BudhaPrince Sidhardha
    10KalkinIn incarnation yet to come

    Saturday, January 24, 2009

    Vedangas




    Vedangas are treatises which form the part of Vedic literature. They are six. The etymological meaning of Vedanga means limbs of Vedas. It suggests that they are helpful in understanding the Vedas. It is written by an established scholar that ‘the study of Vedanga was necessary either for the reading, the understanding, or the proper sacrificial employment of the Veda.’ Hence, these six limbs or the six treatise or the six subjects are necessary for fully understanding the Vedas which are Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sam Veda and Atharva Veda.


    Further, R. C. Majumdar, specifically emphasis that they should not be taken as mere six books but the six subjects which are to be understood to appreciate the contents of the Vedas. It should be further remembered that they are treatises. It means that they are work of the intellect and memory of human beings. They are product of the use of human faculties.


    These six treatises are:
    1. Sikhsha (pronunciation)

    2. Chhandas (metre)
    3. Vyakarana (grammar)
    4. Nirukta (explanation of words; etymology)
    5. Jyotisha (astronomy {Kindly note, not the astrology as it is generally believed. That is other thing, that it is latter used for astrology far more than for executing Vedic ceremonies.})
    6. Kalpa (ceremonial).



    R. C. Majumdar has emphasised that
    the first two are considered necessary for reading the Veda, the two next for understanding it, and the last two for employing it at sacrifices.



    Therefore, it means that Sikhsha and Chhandas, that are metre and grammar are used for reading the Veda. They are used merely for reading. The Vyakrana and Nirukta, that are grammar and etymology, are used for understanding the Vedas. Finally, Jyotisha and Kalpa, that are astronomy and ceremonial involve the operational aspect, action aspect, the activity aspect of the Vedas.





    Source Used: Majumdar, R. C., ‘Ancient History’.



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