FROM HIGHER CASTE TO LOWER CASTE: THE PROCESSES OF ASPRASHYEEKARAN

This book explores the under-researched concept of downward mobility in India, particularly focusing on groups and individuals from upper castes or tribes who break away from their traditional affiliations and voluntarily or legally integrate into lower castes, adopting a new low-caste identity. While studies on social mobility in India have largely concentrated on upward mobility, especially among underprivileged groups, this book sheds light on the reverse process of cultural integration that leads to downward mobility.

In particular, the author examines the phenomenon of Asprashyeekaran (reverse Sanskritization), where higher caste individuals or groups renounce their privileged positions and adopt lower caste identities. This social transformation, not commonly explored by sociologists or anthropologists, is studied in depth through examples of high-caste converts to the Bhangi community, particularly in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The book provides a comprehensive account of the processes, impacts, and trends of downward mobility and offers a fresh perspective on the dynamics of caste, identity, and social stratification in India.