Caste Class Continuum in Bangalore: A Colonial Legacy

Abstract

Colonial legacy is almost visible in all walks of life in all the imperialised social structures across the globe with no exception to India, which has had a long history of over three centuries of foreign rule. The geographical and socio-economic structure of Indian society has ever since witnessed dramatic changes. A society which weighed heavily in terms of its culture and tradition saw sweeping pragmatic changes brought forth through external sources. Fortunately or unfortunately internal factors also played a major role in accelerating this change. 
The impact of which is experienced even to this day. One such impact was seen in the system of social stratification. The so-called ‘Caste ridden Indian society was liberalised through the colonial legacy’. Which means to say that India was existing without a proper social structure; the European imperialists were great enough to assume the role of a global saviour and were here to emancipate and ensure egalitarian power to all the citizens. Having done this they administered a new system of stratification namely class into the Indian social structure. This as a colonial legacy is carried on to this day. The striking feature of introduction of this system was the concept of caste class continuum. A colonial form of social differentiation thus emerged. Even more evident was the nature of changes that took place in the nature and forms of mobility of different castes. 
The concepts of Sanskritisation and dominant caste as mentioned by Prof. M N Srinivas is seen as a consequence of such influential forces. The concepts of universalisation and Parochialisation too can be seen as examples for changing the nature of Indian Society. 
The process of change has been influencing society not only as a whole but also in parts. 
This article is concerned in bringing to light the factors that contributed to changes in one of its parts, that is Bangalore and how it got into the process of caste class continuum.