Indian Society

Indian society is not simply a conglomeration of......Ethnicity, religion and language are the socio-cultural aspects of our society as well as its living forces...

Indian society is not simply a conglomeration of various ethnic, religious, linguistic, caste and regional collectivities. It is also quite complex in terms of differentiation in each one of the collectivities and their historical and socio-cultural specificities. Indian society is a panorama, to a large extent of a unique one, which has absorbed diverse languages, cultures, religions and people of different social origins at different points of time in the past. These diversities are specific in patterns of life, styles of living, land tenure systems, occupational pursuits, inheritance and succession rules. The British rule in India accentuated some of these socio-cultural and economic differences. The idea of unity is inherent today in Indian constitution which pronounces values of secularism, socialism and democracy as it main ideals.

Indian society witnessed change due to foreign invasions, migration, natural calamities, struggle for power, and policies of the Mughal and the British empires. New forms of social and economic disparities have emerged in the post-independent India due to lack of ‘distributive justice’. The development programmes have helped the traditionally better off more than those who were downtrodden and who genuinely needed social and economic betterment. 

The scheduled castes, the scheduled tribes and the other weaker sections of society have been benefited a lot in the fields of education and employment. They are today socially more awakened than what they were before independence, but the more needy and the deserving have been much less benefited than the better off from among their ranks. India is a plural society both in letter and spirit. It is rightly characterized by its unity and diversity, so it is rightly said a society having unity in diversity and diversity in unity. A grand synthesis of cultures, religions, and languages of the people belonging to different castes and communities has upheld its unity and cohesiveness and despite foreign invasions, and the Mughal and the British rule. 

National unity and integrity have been maintained even though sharp economic and social inequalities have obstructed the emergence of egalitarian social relations. It is this synthesis that has made India unique mosaic of cultures. India fought against the British raj as one unified entity. Foreign invasions, immigration from other parts of the world and the existence of diverse languages, cultures and religions have made India’s culture tolerant, on the one hand and a unique continuing and living culture, with its specificity and historicity, on the other.

Despite of so diverse in nature, India is united in all its historical and cultural facets. Today India is a secular state. It has one constitution and uniform rule of law for all its people living in different regions, speaking different languages, and believing in different religions and faiths, today people of different faiths comes together to participate in administration, politics and public life. Ethnic, linguistic and religious diversities do not hinder the realization of the common national goals.

Besides the Indian Constitution, the five-year plans, the spread of egalitarian values, a central government and a common body of civil and criminal laws strengthen India’s unity and plural character. Distinctions based on caste, race and creed are no longer the basis of special powers and privileges. The weaker sections of society have been granted special concessions and avenues for elevation of their depressed status and position. Besides the legal provisions, various social movements and actions by the non-governmental organisations created socio-political awakening among the deprived sections and victims of atrocities and exploitations.

Ethnicity, religion and language are the socio-cultural aspects of our society as well as its living forces. At times they are used to promote narrow parochial ends posing a threat to national integration. Ethnic conflict, communalism and language disputes have occurred from time to time.

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To know more you can visit these significant topics:
The Development of Literacy and Schooling, Commensality, Indian State, State, Religion, Marriage, kinship System, Social Institution, Types of Marriage, Family, Community, Indology, Social Movement, Bride Wealth (Price), Nation State

Reference:

• K. L. Sharma, Indian Social Structure and Change.

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