Synopsis This is one of the most popular books published on Indian Anthropology. Originally published in English, it is now available in several Indian languages.

Beginning with a discussion on the origin and development of anthropology in India, it takes the readers into Indian prehistory. Taking up the issues of social change in India it describes and analyses various concept and theories dealing with social change in India viz. Sanskritization, Westernization, Modernization, Secularization and Dominant Caste. Understanding cultural process of Indian Civilization has always been an important issue. This has been undertaken by describing and analysing such concepts as 'Great and Little Tradition', Universa-lization and Parochialization, Folk-Urban Continuum and Tribe-Caste Continuum in simple language. Same treatment has been given to traditional Bases of Indian Social System under which concepts such as Purushartha. Ashrama, Rina, Varna and Jati, Dharma and Karma. Besides these a number of issues such as crises and issues in Indian anthropology, urban anthropology in India, Indian Museum and Museology have also been discussed.

Thus, the present book shall interest not only students of Indian society in sociology and anthropology and but also persons interested in Indian Society in general because of different reasons.