The term Sanskritisation basically refers to a process whereby people of lower castes collectively tried to adopt upper caste practices and beliefs, as a preliminary step to acquire higher status. This indicates a process of cultural mobility that began to take place in the early traditional social system/society of India. In the early Indian society some lower caste people began to follow the beliefs and practices of the higher castes particularly the Brahmin in order to raise their positions in the caste hierarchy. the example of this is the study of the Coorgs in Karnataka, where some lower castes, in order to raise their position in the caste hierarchy adopted some customs and practices of Brahmin and gave up some of their own which were considered to be "impure" by the higher castes. Such as they gave up meat-eating, drinking liquor and animal sacrifice to their deities. They imitated Brahmin in matters of dress, food and rituals. these people who started calling themselves "Amma Kodavas", became strict vegetarians like the Brahmin, began to wear sacred threads and arrange marriage from among themselves, on the model of the Brahmin. In fact, they started imitating Brahmin way of living in all possible ways. By, doing this, within a generation or so they could claim higher positions in the hierarchy of castes.
Sanskritisation has been a major process of Cultural change in Indian history, and it has occurred in every part of the Indian sub-continent. it may have been more active at some periods than at others and some parts of India are more sanskritised than other; but there is no doubt that the process has been universal.
Sanskritisation has been a major process of Cultural change in Indian history, and it has occurred in every part of the Indian sub-continent. it may have been more active at some periods than at others and some parts of India are more sanskritised than other; but there is no doubt that the process has been universal.