Salient Features Of Indian Society

By Author: Current Affairs Review
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This topic, Salient Features of Indian Society, is mentioned in the syllabus of General Studies Mains Paper 1 of Civil Services Examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). While starting the topic, lets make certain things straight. What do we mean by ‘salient features’? Well, most of the materials available, whether online or otherwise, try to point out the unique features of Indian Society. Sorry, the dictionary meaning of ‘salient’ is most prominent or defining. That means, by ‘salient features’ we are looking at the defining features of Indian Society.
Question is, what are these features, which seemingly define Indian Society or are the ‘Salient Features of Indian Society’? The answer is that there is not one but at least eight such features. What are these? Let’s list them first. These are:
A. Caste System
B. Patriarchy
C. Family as the basis
D. Dichotomy between tradition and modernity
E. Mutual respect and tolerance
F. Dichotomy between inclusion and exclusion
G. Community centric life rather than individualism
H. Unity within ...
... diversity
1. Geography
2. Ethnicity
3. Culture
i. Language
ii. Dressing style
iii. Food
iv. Traditions
Let’s elaborate them one by one.
1. Caste System
This is perhaps the most famous and important feature of Indian society. Not only is it practiced across the length and breadth of Indian Society, but in a sense, it is also unique. Though the British colonial masters of India, tried to draw a parallel between the Indian system and the Portuguese system of Casta, and subsequently number of Indologists also drew comparison, but there are certain essential differences between the two.
The Indian Caste or Varna System, is a socio-religious system of hierarchically dividing and structuring the society. The system has its origin in Rig Veda, X Mandala, Purush-Sukta. According to the scriptural description of Varna System, the society is to be divided into four Varnas (Castes) of Brahmins (Priestly class), Kshatriyas (Warrior class), Vaishyas (Common agrarian or business class) and Shudras (servers of the society). Originally, the system was conceived as non-permanent hierarchical structuring based on perceived differences of division of labour. Subsequently, it became a hereditary system of permanent categorization of people. In fact, a new fifth category also emerged, not-mentioned in the scriptures, called Ati-Shudras or untouchables, who are even lower than the Shudras.
Within the Varna (Caste) System, there are Jatis, to further categorise people. The common idea is, Jatis are sub-categories within Varna, and hence are also called as Sub-castes by some. But the problem is, Jatis are not concretely categorised within the Varnas. They are more fluid in concept. And the same Jati can be part of two different varnas in two different regions. This fluid nature of the Jatis created the biggest difference between Portuguese Casta System and Varna System in India, which was over-looked by most of the early scholars.
By the way, the most prominent aspects, which came to our notice are (a) the socio-religious hierarchical division of society and (b) the notion of untouchability, whereby scores of people were excluded and exploited by the people of upper Varnas.
2. Patriarchy
This is one universal feature of Indian society. Yes, we know that many would frown-upon and say, that there are the Nairs of Kerala and number of other tribes in the North East of India, who are matriarchal. Wrong. Matriarchy, means authority (archy) with women. This has never been the case in any of these societies. All these societies are matrilineal. That means, property and lineage is drawn from the mother’s side.
Say for example, among the Nairs of Kerala, the family system was called Tharavad, and the authority in a Tharavad always lay with the brother of the lady who owned the property, known as ‘Karnavan’. So authority among the Nairs, remained with a man only. Similarly, among the Khasis of Meghalaya, property use to pass from the mother to the younger daughter. And the husband of the younger daughter, after marriage use to come and stay with his in-laws. In the house of the in-laws, he was given the training of looking after the property by the father-in-law and subsequently he replaces the father in as an authority over the property, while the property remains in the name of his wife.
This way, starting from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Arunachal Pradesh to Rajasthan, across the length and breadth of the country, there is not a single society, whom we may refer to as matriarchal. That’s why, it can be easily concluded that patriarchy is an universal phenomenon in India.
3. Family as the basis of society
Within Indian societies, family has been given a special place. If we follow the scriptures, especially the two mythologies, they are the stories of two families, ie. Ramayana is the story of Surya-vansh, arguably Raghu-vansh (vansh means family). And Mahabharatha is the story of Chandra-vansh, subsequently divided into Kauravas and Pandavas. Similarly, the scriptures also tell us that an individual can always be sacrificed for the sake of a family, depicting the relative significance accorded to a family as against an individual.
Even if we look at the administrative system, the largest administrative unit in ancient India was Mahajanapadas, below them were Janapadas, and the smallest of these units, for the purpose of tax collection was Kula (family), headed by a kulapati. Additionally, none among us can ignore the significance of family in our life, starting from socialisation to building the value system to fulfilling all the ritualistic aspects to recognition in society, all are fulfilled within family only.
4. Dichotomy between tradition and modernity
This is a unique feature of Indian society. Primarily, this point is about the ability to adapt, inherent in Indian society. Change is the only constant in any society. Every society is changing. Especially since 1991, introduction of New Economic Policy (NEP) and globalisation starting in India, the rate of this change fastened. The major impact of this change, as visible today, is modernisation of Indian Traditions. There has been rise of constitutionalism. People are more aware today of their rights and the political scenario. The fruits of development, in the forms of scientific and technical developments are shared by more and more people.
Today, there is hardly any difference visible among the youth from any corner of India. The general attire of the boys today in any urban center like Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata or Mumbai are a pair of jeans with T-shirts and sneakers. Their favourite choice of food is pizza or burger from popular joints like McDonalds and KFC.
This, however, does not mean that India is today forgetting its roots, it’s culture. Even today, during any ‘puja’ or ‘Eid’, the traditional dresses are given primacy. Although the popularity of food joints like Pizza Hut Delivery or Café Coffee Day are rising, the popularity of Sagar-Ratna, Udupi Café or other traditional food joints are not decreasing.
There is a flip side of this feature as well. In-spite of rise of the constitutionalism and sense of rights in one section of the society, the extra-constitutional mechanisms like khap-panchayats still dominate a section of the countryside.
5. Mutual Respect and tolerance
India is a land of plurality and diversity. People belonging to all the major world religions, starting from Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity, along with Jainism and Judaism are found in India. In fact, how many minor religions are practiced in India, there is hardly any study on that readily available right now. Similarly, plurality in terms of ethnicity and linguistic groups can also be seen.
Given this diversity, number of constitutional and political experts opined in 1947, that making of a unified constitution of India would be extremely difficult and within 10 years, the country would slip into military rule.
However, for centuries, the country has maintained this nature. In fact, for this matter, the Jews only from India cannot complain about any form of persecution. There is even an African community called Siddis, found in sections of western parts of the country, who have gradually been Indianised. And Indian culture is known, across the ages, to embrace all the people coming from outside, and took them with in it’s fold. Other than the British, whom-so-ever came from outside, stayed back and gradually became Indian. Whether that be Huns, Shakas, Kushanas or any other group.
How could this happen? The most basic reason behind this, is a unique Indian way of life, which is properly depicted in the Sanskritic sloka ‘Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava’, meaning “all the ways lead to the same goal”, which is generally mis-understood as “all the religions are same”. Now, whether mis-understood or correctly, the basic essence of the sloka is the same. There by, I’m looking at a society, which has generally been teaching it’s people to respect each other’s way of life. The result of this, was seen in the unity of 1857 revolt, shown by both the Hindus and Muslims, which shook the then colonial masters and made them adopt the policy of ‘divide and rule’ vigorously.
6. Dichotomy between inclusion and exclusion
In respect to certain aspects like ‘inclusion’ and ‘exclusion’, Indian Society is truly dichotomous. On one hand, we do see the notion of inclusion in Indian society, when we see one invader after another being welcomed and ‘Indianised’ within this society. Whether that be Kushanas, Shakas, Hunas or Turks, Pathans and Mongols, etc.
Simultaneously, we also see, that different sections within Indian Society, starting with the untouchables (the ati-shudras), women, shudras (other backward classes), being totally discriminated against and in a sense being excluded from most of the rights and privileges, whether social or religious, available to the forward sections of the society.
Hence, it is here, that the dichotomous nature of Indian Society, especially the exploitative nature inherent, becomes clear.
7. Community centric life rather than self-centric life
Life of a common man in Indian Society, has always been dominated by the need and demands of the community at large. The dictums of the village panchayat, caste rules and regulations, the religious sanctions have always been regulating the lives of the people in India.
So much so, that if we look at the temples or mosques in rural India really closely, certain aspects of this community centric lifestyle becomes absolutely clear to us.
First of all, all the temples or mosques would have an adjacent water body, and the way the temple or the mosque would be built that the two would act as a unique mechanism for rain-water harvesting, and the water of this water body would be kept separate, which the people of the village would use only in dire circumstances, like drought, epidemic of cholera, etc.
Secondly, all the temples, gurudwaras and mosque would be invariable built on an elevated platform. The height of the elevated platform would be so, that in case of flooding, flood water would not be able to reach that height. Additionally, people would donate upto the maximum limit of their capabilities, to the religious institution. Even religion would sanction this behaviour. Say for example in Hinduism, it is said that the more you donate in this life, the more wealth you’ll have in the next life. Now Hinduism believes in after-life and rebirth but what about Islam or Sikhism? In Islam as well, it is sanctioned that at least 10% of the income of a person should be donated voluntarily as Zakat, or religious alms. Similarly, in Sikhism, people do ‘karseva’ (voluntary service) in the gurudwaras and donate freely so that ‘langars’ (free meal services) can be run there. All these lead to (a) collection of provisions for the people of the region, which are used at the time of emergencies like natural calamities. Simultaneously, the high platforms of temples, gurudwaras and mosques are used to provide refuge to people during flooding and other natural disasters. We need to understand here, that we are looking at a society, where central authority, most of the time was not strong, and people at local levels only create provisions to meet these exigencies.
Now, as for the concept of Unity within Diversity, the topic has been mentioned separately in the syllabus of Indian Society in General Studies (GS) Mains Paper 1 of UPSC. Hence even we would prefer to discuss the topic in the next issue, which we’ll present you with, next week, along with a few questions of previous years papers.

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urrent Affairs Review is an online magazine, dealing with Current Affairs, an integral part of the syllabus of civil services examinations in the country, both at the union level, as well as in the states. The magazine attempts to prepare, the recent incidents, which are significant from the point of civil service examination, in printed format as well as in an audio/audio-visual(AV) format. The magazine has been designed in this format primarily to make it easy for the aspirants to grasp the basic essence of the significance that these issues may have for them in the course of preparation. We all know that, current affairs is a sections, which causes the triggering of questions in these examinations, especially the Civil Service Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for the coveted All India Services and the 24 allied services. Often than not, it has been noticed that questions, both in preliminary as well as in mains of the coveted central civil services examination triggered (I mean, were asked) primarily because of an incident which may have had happened in the immediate past.