Overview
This lecture provides an overview of the diverse racial, ethnic, religious, and linguistic elements of India, highlighting their classifications and unique features across different regions.
Racial Elements of India
- India is home to complex racial compositions, primarily Aryan (North) and Dravidian (South) strains.
- Several anthropologists (Risley, Haddon, Eckstedt, Guha, Ruggiri, Sarkar) proposed racial classifications based on physical features and geography.
- Common racial groups identified: Negrito, Proto-Australoid, Mongoloid, Mediterranean, Western Brachycephal, Nordic.
- Criticism exists regarding the accuracy and completeness of these classifications.
Ethnic Elements of India
- Ethnic groups are defined by a mix of biological and socio-cultural traits, including castes and tribes.
- Main components: caste (Varna, Jati), Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and various communities.
- Key features of caste: hereditary identity, endogamy (marriage within caste), hereditary occupation, hierarchy, purity/pollution, social restrictions.
- SC and ST groups are officially recognized and listed in the Constitution; they often engage in agricultural labor, artisan work, and service roles.
Linguistic Elements of India
- India has high linguistic diversity; 179 languages and 544 dialects (Grierson).
- Languages are grouped into four main families: Austro-Asiatic, Tibeto-Chinese, Dravidian, Indo-European.
- Dravidian family includes Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, etc.; Indo-European (Aryan) includes Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, etc.
- The Indian Constitution officially recognizes several major languages.
Religious Elements of India
- Major religions: Hinduism (80%), Islam (13.4%), Christianity (2.3%), Sikhism (1.9%), Buddhism (0.8%), Jainism (0.4%).
- Hinduism: belief in the eternal soul, reincarnation, over 80% of population.
- Islam: two main sects (Shia, Sunni), distributed in Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala, etc.
- Christianity: concentrated in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh.
- Sikhism: monotheism, rejection of caste, mainly in Punjab.
- Buddhism: non-violence, simple living, Hinayana/Mahayana sects, prevalent in Sikkim, Arunachal, Mizoram.
- Jainism: urban dwellers, emphasis on right actions, found in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Aryan — Ethnic group primarily found in Northern India.
- Dravidian — Ethnic group mainly in Southern India.
- Endogamy — Practice of marrying within a specific social group.
- Scheduled Castes/Tribes — Social groups recognized for affirmative action under the Indian Constitution.
- Austro-Asiatic/Dravidian/Indo-European — Main language families in India.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the different racial, ethnic, linguistic, and religious classifications discussed.
- Prepare for questions comparing and critiquing various anthropological classifications of Indian populations.
- Readings on specific regional distributions of languages, castes, and religions in India.