Author:

Bipul Mandal

Assistant Professor & Head
Department of History
Kaliyaganj College
Kaliyaganj,Uttar Dinajpur,WB
Email: bipulmandalklg@gmail.com

Abstract:

Social mobility is defined as a transition of individuals or groups from one position in the social hierarchy to another. However, according to Sociologist Andre Beteille mobility in a closed and stratified caste system is difficult. M. N. Srinivas, however, suggests that in such a situation an alternate method like Sanskritization are evolved to move up socially, albeit such method affects only the cultural aspects and not the structural aspects. Hiteshranjan Sanyal and Sekhar Bandyopadhyay have made a rational objective analysis of how dissident groups of castes of lower strata, such as the Rajbansis, Namasudras, Sadgops, Tilis etc. raised their status in the caste hierarchy and climbed up to the respectable nabasakha rank. Social mobility was a common phenomenon in colonial India. The socio-religious reform movement or Kshatriyasation movement of the Rajbansis may be divided into three phases or period. The first period was from 1891 to 1901, the second period from 1901 to 1918, the third period from 1919 to 1935 and after.

Key Words:Brahmanical Domination,Census,Kshatriyaisation,Nabasakha,Sanskritization.