Socio-Cultural History of an Indian Caste

The study of micro level cultural transformation within the macro cultural complex of Indian Society is of paramount importance to modern Indian Sociology. The earlier studies of various castes of Hindu society laid more emphasis either on ethnographic descriptions or on the extent of acculturation. The present trend is to isolate the factors that operate at the micro level for cultural transformation. In this direction the author makes a beginning to isolate these factors which is turn lead to cultural transformation in economic, social and occupational patterns of the caste Vaishya in Andhra Pradesh. Broadly speaking this book seeks to present a vivid picture of present day ‘Vysyas’ as a community and its changing role as a component of Hindu society. The book deals with the social structure of the Vysyas in India with special reference to the State of Andhra Pradesh. It delineates the origin, growth and development of the community to the present status. The author has endeavoured to throw some light as outlined above on various aspects like social, economic, political, and religious by examining them from diverse angles in an analytical way with emphasis on their changing pattern. This is a significant addition to the very little literature available right now on this particular caste, though this has been a micro study conducted in the three districts of Andhra Pradesh (Ananthapur, Warangal and Srikakulam). The conclusion drawn are equally applicable to the entire nation. This book is quite useful to the ethnographers, scholars, and students of the faculties of Sociology and Social Anthropology and also for the general perusal of the community by journalists and other academic elite.