Insight Regarding Conversion and Social Change
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International Journal of Research and Review
Vol.7; Issue: 1; January 2020
Website: www.ijrrjournal.com
Research Paper E-ISSN: 2349-9788; P-ISSN: 2454-2237
Insight Regarding Conversion and Social Change
Amit Shindhe1, S. C. Natikar2
1
Research Scholar, Dept. of Sociology, Karnatak University, Dharwad.
2
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Sociology, Karnatak University, Dharwad.
Corresponding Author: Amit Shindhe
ABSTRACT industrial jobs, resulted in the reorientation
in the 0 way of life with some structural and
Religion is a matter of life and death. A man organizational changes too.
does not change religion as he changes his Since time immemorial they live in
clothes. He takes it with him beyond the grave. isolation, observing a totally different value
But today innumerable people are changing
system, culture and lifestyle, which have
their original religion and converting to other
religions. Majority of these are of deprived virtually remained unchanged since ancient
sections of the society, particularly Dalits and times. Their economy also been independent
scheduled castes. Most of the Dalits are of the wider economic system and mainly
embracing to Christianity. In the beginning, who depends on the forestry, livestock and
were despised by the Hindus as uncivilized, agriculture.
very backward group and looked down upon, No doubt, Christianity has been an
the Christian missionaries provided with important factor of cultural and social
essential educational and medical services, they change among the caste. After baptization
won over their confidence and affection. The the mentality of the aboriginals began to
sympathetic understanding shown by the change in an extensive way the value
Christian missionaries about the day-to-day
patterns of the indigenous way of life
problems and coming to their rescue and
assistance at times of need has had its impact. experienced a service confrontation with the
Many areas have come under the impact of new development thoughts and ideas
Christianity more readily than with Hinduism. resulting from the change of religion. The
In many areas the native religious beliefs and territories, where Christianity took a deep
practices of the areas continued hand-in-hand based and widespread role, become so much
with Christianity. influenced that the physical, as well as the
social setting of the 0 villages, developed. In
Keywords: Religion, Conversion, Christianity, course of time most of the schedule groups
Dalits came under the spell of the caste system
which resulted in the formation of a large
INTRODUCTION number of low – graded communities within
In fact, the problem of class the Hindu fold, many others have taken
uniqueness is not something new or a very shelter to Christianity and by this way, the
modern phenomenon. In one stage, caste despotic exercise of the power of the caste-
preferred to follow the upper caste. Hindus based society had been avoided. Thus
in the process of Sanskritization, giving up Christianity appeared as a protective force
many of their own traditional beliefs, values to these ill-fated people.
and customs just to include themselves in
the Hindu fold. Then with the rapids REVIEW OF LITERATURE
industrialization, caste faced a different type Danda (1988:327) says that, the
of identity crisis. Change in their traditional processes today are not exactly the same as
economic spheres because of adopting many
International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 415
Vol.7; Issue: 1; January 2020Amit Shindhe et.al. Insight regarding conversion and social change
they were immediately before independence and Naik (1951:427) have observed that “In
of the country, still it is a matter of Bengal and Assam the education of the
gratification that due to exposure to the dalits children has been partly taken up by
government sponsored programmes, the direct instrumentality of the state, but
particularly of education and development, chiefly by the missionary societies with help
the scheduled caste in India, instead of and encouragement from the government”.
feeling shy of or loosing their identity by Patel, Tara (1984:42) is also of the
way of absorption could become assertive opinion that upto the end of the 19th
about their right to maintain their century, the spread of education among the
independent cultural identity and at the 0 people was very insignificant and that too
same time become partner of the larger only at the primary level. Later on, the
national whole on equal terms. missionaries, with the support of the
In this regard Pati, R.N. and L. government, continued their efforts. While
Jagatdeb (1991) in their book demography most native states did not make any
in India, have opined that education is significant contribution towards the welfare
essential for the socio-economic of the aborigines, some of the advanced
modernization of all the societies. It is one native states, such as Baroda, opened a new
of the important keys, that unlocks the door vista in the area of education and welfare.
of modernization. Similarly Kamat A.R. (1981:1282)
The discussion of social change has opined that with the spread of education
among the schedule communities in India the Christian missionary influence became
will be incomplete without a discussion of predominant in certain regions while with
the role of Christian missionaries. The the growth of nationalist movement Indian
missionary effort in education, health and missionary influence became predominant
proselytisation, was an important agency of areas. Inevitably their land started the
starting for reaching social amongst them. process of consensus and conflict, of
As K.S. Singh (1978) has remarked, emulation of the dominant classes and of
“Christianity gave them an ideology created search for new self-identity.
a myth and a sense of history sharpened the Objectives
feeling of separateness and emphasized 1. The study aims at understanding the
identity”. perception of scheduled castes post graduate
Christian missionaries working in students towards process of conversion and
schedule areas were the first to start modern change in their social status.
formal education among them in 1831, 2. The study proposes to understand the
when the illiterate and ignorant folk was impact of conversion to enhance their status
found to be exploited in various ways by the in the society.
landlords, the moneylenders and non-caste. Importance of Christianity in Cultural
It was against this background that the work Change:
of the Christian missionaries comes as relief Christianity has been an important
to the caste. G.E.L. Mission, S.P.G. mission factor of cultural change among the caste
and Roman Catholic mission were some of since the British rule. Initially the
the important missions, which took a conversion begun at individual and family
leading role in educating the caste by level and was an uphill task. It is significant
opening hundreds of primary and secondary to note that during the process of conversion
schools in different schedule belts of the the choice fell on the numerically major
country. castes. Sahay, K.N. (1967) said that the first
Similarly the role of Christian impact of proselytization in the areas was
missionaries was also notable, which felt by the Khasis of Assam in 1813, the
brought about lot of changes among weaker Oraons of Chotanagpur in 1850 and Bhils of
sections and caste in this context Nurullah Madhya Pradesh in 1880.
International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 416
Vol.7; Issue: 1; January 2020Amit Shindhe et.al. Insight regarding conversion and social change
The impact of Christianity on the government. Various measures have been
castes of India has opened up a lot of adopted to help the castes of India in
changing situations. The converted caste developing themselves socially,
witnessed a rapid process of transformation. economically and educationally.
After baptization the mentality of the Recent-past the process of
aboriginals began to change in an extensive conversion among scheduled castes has
way the value patterns of the indigenous gradually increased. As a result they are
way of life experienced a severe beginning to enter the main stream of social
confrontation with the newly development economic, cultural and political life.
thoughts and ideas resulting from the Therefore here an attempt is made to
change of religion. The territories, where understand the process of conversion and its
Christianity took a deep based and wide impact on the status of scheduled castes.
spread role, become so much influenced that Social class and opinion regarding
the physical as well as social settings of the conversion to other religions, as far as social
villages developed there in faced thorough class is concerned a most of the upper class
change over. In course of time most of the respondents do not want to convert to other
schedule groups came under the spell of the religions. But among the respondents who
caste system which resulted in the formation have already decided to convert, most of the
of a large number of low-graded respondents belonged to middle and lower
communities within the fold, many other social classes. It shows upper class
have taken shelter to Christianity and by this respondents have been enjoying equal social
way the despotic exercise of power of the status with the mainstream of the society,
caste based society had been avoided. After whereas the respondents of lower social
getting lowly based position in the caste class have been experiencing inferiority
graded society many transformed schedule complex. Hence one may find differences of
groups had to face severe hardships created opinions concerning to conversion.
by the landlords in their large scale Reasons for conversion
malpractices of snatching agricultural lands The study revealed that conversion
from the grip of the so-called socially helps for attainment of higher social status
upgraded caste. They were faced to become in society. In most of other religions there is
daily wage earners under the disposal of caste based discrimination. Out of 150
these landlords. In this meagre income they respondents the respondents 37.3%(56)
hardly could escape from the greedy respondents have opined that so many
clutches of the money lenders. Christianity people convert to other religions to acquire
appeared as a protective force to these ill- higher status in the society.26.7%(40)
fated people in that specific situation of respondents have said that low caste people
degradation and oppression. and scheduled caste people convert to other
After the attainment of India’s religions due to practice of inequality of
independence the people of India have been Hinduism. In Hinduism the practice of
focussed in a different perspective. It has casteism is present even today 21.0%(32)
been felt by the national government that respondents have opined that the people
the castes of India are to be treated as the convert to other religions only due to
specific part and parcel of the traditional attraction towards other religions other
Indian civilization and as a necessary religions like Christianity are based on
consequence; they should be integrated with equality. Remaining 15.0% (22) respondents
the mainstream of national social system by have indicated that the people embrace to
means of directed developmental processes. other religions to remove caste stigma in
In order to protect the caste in the Hinduism.
transitional phase some constitutional safe- Thus the people of lower castes and
guards have been provided by the scheduled castes convert to other religions
International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 417
Vol.7; Issue: 1; January 2020Amit Shindhe et.al. Insight regarding conversion and social change
to enhance their social status, to come out of The feelings of respondents if they
clutches of Hinduism and to inculcate the convert to other religions, as it is already
principles of other religions. In this way it is clear that most of the respondents have not
clear that conversion is helpful to achieve interested in conversion to other religions.
higher social status. Further in the present These respondents have not given any
study an attempt is made to understand the response to the above question. Among
opinions of the respondents conversing other respondents 23.7%(35) respondents
changes after conversion. have opined that after conversion they feel a
Opinion regarding changes after sense of something new in future. They look
conversion, the data has clearly indicated forward in their life. 20.0%(30) respondents
that conversion definitely brings about have opined that after conversion they feel a
changes in the life of the converted people. sense of liberation from caste bindings and
But some respondents have not given clear casteism. 6.3%(10) respondents have said
opinion concerning the aspect. Among all that conversion helps one to achieve higher
the respondents 47.3(71) respondents have social status in the society. Remaining 2.7%
opined that no doubt conversion brings (04) respondents have opined that
about changes. But 11.3%(17)respondents conversion can bring about changes other
are of the opinion that conversion does not than the above. But 47.3% (71) respondents
bring any changes in the life of converted have not given any opinion. They are of the
people. But remaining 41.3%(62) opinion that conversion does not help to
respondents have no idea regarding achieve higher social status in the society.
conversion and results of conversion. Only self effort, good employment, proper
Thus from above study result it is utilization of government facilities can help
clear that conversion brings about lot of depressed class people to achieve higher
changes in the life of the converted people. social status.
Therefore further an attempt is made to
know the changes occurred after conversion. CONCLUSION
Changes occurred after conversion Thus the study has revealed that
the study has shown that from the conversion helps for attainment of higher
conversion one cannot be identified with social status in the society. It is because in
caste. But he is being identified by religion most of other religions there is no caste
but not caste. At the same time they can get based discrimination resemblance to caste
higher social status in the society. Among system of Hinduism. Therefore, the people
all the respondents, who have said that of scheduled castes wish to convert to other
conversion brings about changes, 29.7%(45) religions to enhance their social status to
respondents have opined that conversion come out of clutches of Hinduism and to
removes caste identity 13.0%(19) inculcate the principles of other religions. In
respondents have opined that conversion this way it is clear that conversion is helpful
provides higher social status in the society. to achieve higher social status.
4.7% (7) respondents have said that
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