M.N.Srinivas and his study of Rampura
...ot receive sufficient importance was the inter-dependence of castes in a village both for ritual occasions as well as day-to-day happenings. There were certain individuals belonging to a particular caste who provided services for those belonging to another caste. E.g. the carpenters repairing the tools of the peasants. For these services the carpenters were paid a fixed amount of paddy every year. Earlier in Rampura, it was customary for 2 families, one belonging to the higher caste and one to the lower, to be associated in a master-servant relationship. The servant was called the ‘halemaga’ of the master. This is similar to the Jajmani relation system. This servant had special services to perform, especially during ritual ceremonies and for performing them, they were paid in paddy every year. Earlier entire sub castes occupying a very low position were attached as halemagas to higher-ranking sub castes. At times a sub caste might claim another higher than its own as its ‘halemagas’ in order to boost its social status. Another type of solidarity in the village, besides kinship, caste and village was of sub castes. The sub castes in the village were further divided into the Nadu(s) and the Desha(s). Hierarchy was an integral part of the village social life. In this respect, the concept of dominant castes is interesting. In Rampura, the dominant castes were the Okkaligas. A dominant caste was one, which could secure for itself secular powers, numeric predominance, land ownership and later these castes also managed to acquire political power. If these castes could combine this with a somewhat high ritual rank then their position was further strengthened. Thus we observe that the idea of hierarchy was derived from the ‘Varna’ model. In the context of Rampura, the ‘shudras’ are a blanket term comprising of several jatis, ranging from well to do castes to peasant castes. [A jati is a sub caste, within a caste there may be several sub castes, the numbers for this differ from region to region.] Hierarchy of castes were also derived from the occupations of castes. Usually castes practicing manual labour were ranked lower. Sanskritization, a term coined by Srinivas himself, was also present in this village. Every caste tried to bring about a change in their status and to do this they adopted a more sanskritized way of life. Lower castes emulated the lifestyle of the higher castes. Usually it was not only the Brahmins who were emulated but also the locally dominant caste. In the case of Rampura, people emulated the headman who was an Okkaliga. However even here only the well off could emulate him for his wealth put him beyond the reach of some. The headman in turn emulated the lingayats when it came to religious ceremonies, because they were ritually ranked higher to the okkaligas. Caste courts also known as ‘gadis’ played an important role in the social life in Rampura. Despite the presence of an alternative legal system these caste courts the caste courts wielded a lot of authority. Caste courts decide on issues of disagreement among caste members. They lay down rules of law and order and also hand out punishments to those who break the rules. The severest punishment is that of excommunication a person and for minor offences, a person might be asked to apologise and give a feast to his caste members. Between 1948 and 1952 the village of Rampura experienced a series of changes with changing trends in social, political, economic and cultural ideas. By studying the changes in technology, economy, politics and state we can gain a brief idea about the political organization in Rampura. * TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES In 1952, Rampura had taken a few steps in the new direction. The village witnessed a series of changes in technology, right from the household machinery to public infrastructure. There were two rice mills, two buses and a “complete” middle school. It was an incomplete middle school in 1948 and the village children who wanted to take the lower secondary examination, had to go to another village, or get private tuitions. Plans were ready for constructing a hospital. The number of buses on the Mysore-Hogur route had been increased and many village youth were studying in high schools or colleges. The women of Rampura were relieved with the changing technology when it came to household activity. For grain grinding, the pestle and mortar were used. This was a very boring and painful daily chore for the women. It took very long for grinding grain in this manner. In 1948, there were 5 sewing machines in the villages. Tailoring as an occupation did not involve a loss of status, presumably because it meant working with a machine and required new skills. Tailoring cut across differentiation based on caste and sex, and in addition, it made manual labour, when accompanied by new skills and machines, respectable. With respect to public transport the changes brought with them greater efficiency in transport which stood in glaring contrast to the prevailing conditions before independence. Before World War I, the principle means of transport was the bullock-cart. Grain, goods and human beings were usually transported in open carts drawn by pairs of bullocks. It was a slow mode of travel. In 1948, inter-village roads were in a wretched state. They could be used properly only in the dry seasons. In 1952, there were gleaming new buses. Several new landowners in the area had become owners of the new buses and lorries, and in a few villages, several men had come together to start ‘co-operative bus services’. The new enterprises not only taught new skills and changed the pattern of life of those involved in them, but also their outlook in significant ways. By 1952, many of those who never dreamt of owning even a cycle were going in for motorcycles and the richer few for cars. Among the several changes that had occurred between 1948-1952, was the availability of electric power. There was also progress in public health. * ECONOMIC CHANGES Among the various offices, that of the village accountant was an important one. The village accountant’s duty was to compile Harvest Scheme Lists, prepared as part of rationing system introduced in World War I. The village accountant was Bhatta, who was regarded as well off, with income from his priestly duties, his land, and the interest he earned on the money he had lent to people. The hierarchy ...