CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN INDIAN SOCIETY

 

CONTINUITY AND CHANGE

 

Indian society right from the pre-Vedic period to this day has continued its unbroken course and maintained its continuity. Historically speaking Indian civilization over five to six thousand of years has withstood declines and falls, stresses and strains, abbreviations and deviations. Through several world civilization have perished since they could not face the onslaught from different movements and invasions, Indian society and its culture with its assimilative, adaptive and adjusting powr and capacity and inherent vitality has continued its fundamental unity in its tradition and values.

On the one hand Indian society has maintained ethnic, linguistic, religious, education, social and cultural diversities on the other hand a society so diverse and ancient has been able to preserve its own forms and norms of continuity and change such as:  

1                    A sense of geographical unity from pre-Vedic to modern times: common country to love and sense of belonging to one motherland enjoins all the inhabitants of India, observe Dr. Radha Kamal Mukherjee.

2                    Love of the soil finds unique expression in all Indian Literature right from the Nadi Sukta of Rgveda and Prithvi Sukta of Athrva Veda to the folklore of the people.

3              The foundation of political unity lay in the concept of a well defined territory common motherland and above all a political consciousness of a kind. Though at times it was disturbed but could not be destroyed by the onslaught of different invaders and indigenous forces. Indian history has great examples of this political unity in ancient, medieval and modern period. Harshvardhan and Asoka, Akbar and the British testify to this political unity in its continuity and change.  

4                    Religious unity : The philosophical foundation right from Vedic traditions to the oral traditions as well as Bhakti and Sufism gave to Indian society tolerant synthesis and flexibility transcending different world religions in India.

5                    Common subsistence pattern: From Vedic times to this day agriculture has been the dominant pattern of economy.

6                    A common ideology and a search of Satyam, Shivam and Sundaram permeates Indian art, literature, music, painting and architecture.

Continuity in Social thought and Basic Values

In the history of human civilization Indian thought has the unique distinction in not only discovering relations of man to man, man to nature but also man to super nature –Atman to Parmatma : Basic values of Indian tradition.  

1    A universal and primary concern for almost preoccupation with matters of spiritual significance which has many ramifications

(a) belief in soul (Atman)

(b) belief in doctrine of Karma and rebirth

(c) basic concern with ultimate metaphysical perspective

2    Relationship of philosophy and life -truth to be known and realized

3    Ultimate goal of spiritual emancipation – Moksha

Indian religion is not a set of dogmas and doctrines. Aryan Dharma, Brahmanism, Vedanta, Jainism, Buddhism, Vaishnavism, Sikkhism, Sufism, Brahmo Samaj, and Arya Samaj have come out from the main stream of Hindu religious thought and Indian philosophy. Thus the basic structure and realities had made great and deep inroads into psyche of the Indian people and still continues to this day.    

Common denominators of Indian social structure

Varna, caste and class system – as a form of social stratification became one of the solid foundations of Indian society. However there was no caste system in Vedic era. There were classes. Caste system appeared much later and as a rigid and closed form constituted the basic feature of Indian society. With its origin in Hinduism it had it ramification and adoptions in other religious groups and communities such as Muslims, Christians and Sikhs. Caste has undergone different types of metamorphosis duiring thousands of years of Indian civilization and continues even today in different forms, facets and institutional framework. The continuation of caste and its uniqueness, its solidarity and organization, its vitality and above all its political overtones in a democratic society and polity may appear superfluous and redundant, dysfunctional and non-egalitarian yet it continues to function as an effective factor in our social and national life.     

Family: The Indian family was and still continues to be a joint one though its forms and functions have undergone changes over the last one thousand years. More profound changes have been brought through the impact of urbanization, industrialization, westernization and democratization through different legislations. Ashram Dharma, Brahmacharya, Grahastha, Vanprastha and Samnyas is an ideal type of scheme and was confined to twice born.

Status of Women: A woman was always minor e.g. as a girl under the tutelage of her parents, as an adult of her husband and as a widow of her sons. Her status was equal to Sudra in post Vedic era. She had right over her personal property in the form of clothing and jewellery (stridhana). Drastic changes have been introduced to improve the status of women through different legislations. Of course legal sanctions give only outer protection the real status of women has still to improve. Out of 49% women’s population more than 50% women are poor and exploited. More than 25% live as bonded labor in their homes or workplace. The history of women’s exploitation is history of all civilized societies. Only levels, degrees and dimensions of exploitation, subjugation and poverty differ from place to place and from time to time. What a torturous example of continuity is from Sati to Bride burning, from female infanticide to female feticide.

Rural background of Indian society      

Right from ancient and medieval time to the present day Indian population has been mainly rural with agriculture as the main occupation and basic subsistence. Indian society therefore presents a unique example of manifesting its rural base throughout its history for thousands of years. However Indian rural society has undergone tremendous change through major schemes and plans of economic and social transformation. Still the people of rural India shares many common values and personality patterns.  

Protests and Change:

Indian society has been continuously facing protests and change from Vedic times to this day. If on the one hand six philosophical systems e.g. Nyaya, Vaishesika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimansa and Vedanta were ushered in,  Buddhist and Jains rejected the Vedas.

Continuity and Change in political system:

Though ancient India might not have had a formal political philosophy in the modern sense of the term, yet the science of statecraft was very much developed and practiced. Dandniti (administration of force), Rajniti (conduct of King), Kautilya’s Arthashastra were all part of state craft on the control of state organization of national economy and conduct of war.

The term Republic has been used in ancient India. The ancient Indian kingdom was divided into provinces which were further divided into divisions and districts. Governors and Viceroys enjoyed judicial and administrative functions.  

King’s council, along with the district Governors and Viceroys administered the State. There were villages as well as the city councils which were engaged in revenue collection, in the maintenance of law and order under different Governors. There was a well organized taxation system. The ancient legal system of Mitakshara and Dayabhaga has greatly influenced the legal aspects of modern India. Administration of justice according to Dharma Sutras was done through a bench of magistrates which was preferred to a single judge to avoid bias and corruption and to maintain objectivity in rendering social and economic justice.     

There was a provision of secret service according to Arthashastra. There was also a military organization and techniques of warfare were also known.

In recent time unlike many invaders who came to India during different periods of history, the British were different and stayed in India for about 200 years. The exploited the people and tried to destroy the traditional basis of Indian economy and society.

During the freedom struggle, the ancient idioms and symbols were utilized by Gokhale, Tilak, Gandhi, Sri Aurobindo and Tagore. Truth and non-violence, the principles of ancient Hindu thoughts were unique weapons to fight against the powers and military strength of a mighty empire. The India’s civil disobedience movement for liberation of the country from foreign rule was a landmark in the history of World revolutions in France, America and Soviet Union. India’s philosophy of Vasudhev Kutumbakam and Sarva Dharma Sambhav had continued in Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha.  

Constitution making and Nation building:

The distinguished members of the constituent assembly in 1946 were inspired by these ideals by integrating the best ideas from ancient and modern India.

1        The ideals, symbols and philosophy, ancient heritage of India all reflected in our constitution for e.g.

(a)    The word REPUBLIC of India

(b)   The national Emblem of India: Sarnath Lion Capital of Asoka

(c)    Satyameva Jayate : Mandukya Upnishad

(d)   National flag: The centre Chakra or wheel which appear on the abacus of   Sarnath Lion Capital

(e)    National Anthem: Jana Gana Mana –composed by Rabindra Nath Tagore and first sung on Dec 27, 1911 during Calcutta session of Indian National Congress.

(f)    Vande Matram: Bankim Chandra Chatterjee inspires the people during freedom struggle. Tagore’s and Chatterjee’s  National Anthem and Song represents unique forms of continuity through the traditions and ethos of ancient Indian thought and philosophy.

2        Pattern of parliament form of government with its legislatures, executive and judiciary influenced by the British Parliamentary system of government.

3        The French, Canadian, Australian and American constitution provided a solid base of our constitution in regard to fundamental rights, centre state relations, presidential elections etc.

4        The preamble of Constitution reflects the tenets of French Revolution- Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.

5        Socialism:  An emphasis of socialist planning increase in the public sector and Nationalization of banks etc were considered to be fore runners to the establishment of a Socialist state. But the idea was killed by the mother herself- the creator and builder of a Socialist State in the world of Soviet Union. In India it is dead through miscarriage. Socialist planning could not achieve the desirable goals in the context of mixed economy.

6        Secularism: Indian philosophy and thought have always emphasized freedom of spirit. Hindu religion without fixed dogma has never been institutionalized in the way of Christianity and Islam have developed. Secularism is inbuilt in our thought process and in people’s psyche. This is evident when we have adopted national symbols, emblem, flag, anthem and calendar.