De-Sanskritisation and High Caste Converts Into "Bhangis"
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DE-SANSKRITISATION AND HIGH CASTE CONVERTS INTO "BHANGIS" SHYAMLAL Sanskritisation or the changeover from lower to higher castes has been popularly researched in India, but not its reverse, de-sanskritisation. This article studies the downward mobility of a population in Rajasthan, where individuals of upper castes or tribes broke away their affiliation with the parent group and culturally incorporated themselves, formally or legally, into the lower castes, acquiring altogether a new low caste identity — a phenomenon hardly reported by sociologists or social anthropologists. The de-sanskritisation of upper castes into the Bhangi caste ("bhangiisation") is the focus of this study, detailed by the author's personal field observation on the processes involved, the reasons for conversion, their religious background, their employment and so on. Actual cases of conversion are also discussed. Dr. Shyamlal is Professor and Head, Department of Sociology, University of Jaipur, Rajasthan. All available studies on social mobility are confined to upward mobility available to under-priviledged groups, most particularly the lower castes. During the fifties, sixties and seventies of the twentieth century, a number of social scientists — Srinivas (1952), Cohn (1955), Bailey (1958), Kalia (1959), Mahar (1960), Chanana (1961), Ram Ratan (1961), Gould (1961), Barnabas (1961), Patwardhan (1973), Shyamlal (1973) and a few others—have reported through their research studies, the change in the social structure and mobility pattern of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in various regions of India. The downward mobility, as it exists among the Hindus and non-Hindus, has not been studied by social scientists in general, and sociologists and social anthropologists in particular. Obviously, there is no sociological information on different aspects of downward mobility among the Hindu castes, particularly amongst the higher castes. The author's interest in studying the phenomenon of high caste Hindus converting themselves into the Bhangi1 caste evolved through his field experiences in Rajasthan in the early seventies and eighties2. The converted Bhangis of different castes were found living in Bhangi bustees and the spatial segregation of castes was not reflected in the physical structure and layout of the bustees. It was possible for any person to change one's occupational status without a corresponding change in the caste status. All the residents of the Bhangi bustees operated as a socially homogenous group in their bustees. Such social situations were first observed in Jodhpur and then in Chittorgarh and other towns in Rajasthan. Objectives of the Study Against this scenario, when conversion3 from a higher caste to the untouchable caste, and change of caste identity in some areas came to the author's notice, it was perceived as an important field of research so far unexplored by sociologists, anthropologists or ethnographers. The broad objectives of the present study are : (i) To study the cases of "bhangiisation" of upper castes (ii) To examine factors motivating de-sanskritisation from higher castes to lower castes (iii) To assess the process adopted in the conversion of high castes into Bhangis (iv) To analyse changes in the convert due to "bhangiisation". 274 Shyamlal De-Sanskritisation and "Bhangiisation" An attempt is necessary to analyse systematically two important concepts : de-sanskritisation and "bhangiisation". De-sanskritisation is the process by which a high or a low caste person or a tribal accepts the membership of an untouchable caste and thereby lowers his social as well as ritual position. Also lost is his previous identity over a period of time, say, in a generation or two. The process of de-sanskritisation also involves imbibing the customs and beliefs and adopting the way of life of an untouchable caste. Here the two levels of meanings which are implict in de-sanskritisation and which have been interchangeably used may be explained. We may term them as the "Bhangi caste specific" and "untouchable castes specific" connotations of de-sanskritisation. In the Bhangi caste specific sense, de-sanskritisation refers to the process by which an upper caste person converts himself/herself into the Bhangi fold and changes his/her status, customs, rituals and way of life in the manner of this particular caste (Bhangi). This is termed as "bhangiisation". It is indicative, in a definite sense, of the social mobility in the Bhangi untouchable caste of India and is specific in reference. In the untouchable castes' specific sense, however, de-sanskritisation denotes a contemporaneous process in which upper caste individuals convert in general, without any specific reference to any low castes or sub-castes. The nature of this type of de-sanskritisation is by no means uniform, as the untouchable caste into which the conversion has taken place will vary, reflecting the diversity found among the untouchable castes. This is borne out by field observations. "Bhangiisation" has two aspects : one may be called the "positional aspect" which involves "social falling" of the individual through the adoption of the customs and practices of the Bhangis. This process results in positional changes for the converting individuals. The other may be called the "occupational aspect" which involves accepting scavenging as a job by the converting individuals and gradually projecting a Bhangi image. It was found during our field work, that de-sanskritisation is not confined to Hindu castes only, but also occurs among non-Hindu groups, such as the Muslims of Jodhpur. Conversion to the "Bhangi" Caste in Rajasthan Among the Bhangis of Jodhpur, the begining of the de-sanskritisation process can be traced back to as early as 1880. De-sanskritisation first began among the Muslims through their contact with Bhangis in the nagar palikas of Jodhpur. Contact with the jamadar who used to be Muslim or high caste Hindu in the pre-lndependence era, led to close association between the Bhangis and upper castes. De-sanskritisation among the Muslims came initially through the Niwargar Muslims (Weaver caste). Later, it gradually spread through the high caste Hindu population, whom the Bhangis served under the jajaman-kamin relationship. The case of Asif Ali, a Muslim Niwargar of Ganglaw Talab, situated about 4 kms from Ghantaghar is particularly illustrative. Ali, posted at Ghantaghar, was serving as jamadar in a nagar palika in Jodhpur. He was a rich and handsome married young man of about 32 years of age. Sita, an un-married Bhangi woman, used to sweep the Ghantaghar area under his supervision. Sita fell in love with Ali. The Muslim Niwargars and Bhangis, being two separate caste groups, marriage between them is not permitted. The former are a respected group in Jodhpur and De-Sanskritisation and High Caste Converts 275 the latter are regarded as untouchables. When the Bhangis came to know of the illicit relation between Ali and Sita, they seriously opposed it and threatened to kill Ali. Ali not only openly admitted the fact of his relationship with Sita but defended his relationship with a lower caste woman. Ali accepted Sita as his wife in the presence of the Bhangis and converted himself to a Bhangi of the Chanwaria gotra. He and his wife Sita started living in Lakharon-ka-Bass, a Bhangi bustee. Nobody in the Muslim community was agitated about this marriage between a higher caste and a lower caste individual, a major reason being that, Ali himself openly accepted the woman belonging to the Bhangi caste. Ali became a first reference individual for Bhangis in Jodhpur. Ali and Sita had one son and one daughter, both not alive. At present, they have five grandsons. As stated earlier, de-sanskritisation is not confined to conversion to the Bhangi caste, but has also occurred among other lower castes and groups, such as the Bairwa of Sawai Madhopur district during the last fifty years or so. This usually results in upper caste persons undergoing de-sanskritisation and caste-wise lowering to a Bairwa, an untouchable caste. Thus in the de-sanskritisation of the upper caste persons there are both, a Bairwa4 and a Bhangi model. The process of de-sanskritisation began in British India. The Bhangis even converted a few upper caste Hindus in their early conversion phase, and gradually, these individuals became in integrated part of the endogamous unit of the Bhangi caste. On the basis of the foregoing account and field work done by the author, it can be said that there are concrete examples of conversion and changes of high caste identity from Brahmin Rajput, Bania and so on. The converts are broadly divided into three religious groups — Hindus, Muslims, and those belonging to tribes. The number of converts in the three groups is given below : Hindu Castes Brahmin - 4; Rajput - 3; Bania -1; Sunar - 2; Sindhi -1; Mali -1; Nai -1; Kalal - 1. Hindu Harijan Castes Khateek -1; Bhambhi - 3; Bargee -1; Dhobi -1; Keer -1; Sargada -1; Bansphore - 1; Vadi - 1. Muslim Castes : Bhistee - 3; Niwarghar - 1; Pinjara - 1; Sipahi - 1; Teli - 1; Tribes : Bhil - 4.' The incidence of conversion from upper caste Hindus was greater than from Muslims and other untouchable castes. A number of Bhangis of Jodhpur whom the author met emphasised the fact that it was the higher caste persons who, at several places and in greater numbers, were, for some reason or other, converted to the Bhangi caste, though they accepted, in principle that converts were also from Muslims. Though both the high and low caste Hindus considered themselves superior to the Bhangis under certain circumstances, they converted to the Bhangi caste. In the course of the author's field work, not a single case was reported where the converted Bhangis wanted to revert to their original caste. In any case, they could not do so as the concerned community had first ex-communicated and then refused them re-admission into their communities.