· Dumont, Louis, Hierarchy and Marriage Alliance in South Indian Kinship, Royal Anthropological Institute, London, 1957.
This work, by a very influential author, is a description of the exchange and marriage that manifests itself between three different groups in South India.
· ------Contributions to Indian Sociology, Mouton, Paris, 1959
A useful synopsis of all of the current (in 1953) research on Indian Sociology. There are also suggestions offered for further research.
· -----Homo hierarchicus: An Essay on the Caste System, Trans. Mark Sainsbury, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
A classic work on hierarchy in the social and religious structure of India. This work has been extremely influential in the field and has subsequently spawned a great deal of scholarship.
· Hanchett, Suzanne, "Recent Trends in the Study of Folk Hinduism," Journal of Indian Folklorists, (Mysore) 1,1, (1978).
This is an interesting piece of work that looks at the anthropological research done on Hinduism and deconstructs the methodological premises which underlie them. She breaks the research into three main categories including sociological, concept-oriented and structuralist.
· Lannoy, Richard, The Speaking Tree: A Study of Indian Culture and Society, Oxford University Press, London, 1971
This text, which has been controversial, is both interesting and provocative. The work looks at polarities as a source for social organization. It also looks at the concept of play and conflict as they are manifested in festivals. Some of the issues addressed are: monism, asceticism, individualism, and many other theological and sociological conceptions.
· Lewis, Oscar, Village Life in North India: Studies in a Delhi Village, University of Illinois Press, Urban 1958.
An interesting study of patterns of social and religious stability and change in a North Indian community. There is an interesting account of the interplay between the so-called great tradition and folk religion.
· Singer, Milton, When A Great Tradition Modernizes, Praeger, New York, 1972.
This work is a collection of essays which cover a range of issues. It looks specifically at the role of ancient and medieval tradition in modern city life. Written by one of the most important Indian social scientists, the text is an essential read for anyone interested in modern India. A classic work in some scholars estimates.
· Tyler, Stephan, India: An Anthropological Perspective, Goodyear Publishing Company, Pacific palisade, 1973.
This book presents an overview of many crucial issues central to Hinduism organized in a structuralist approach. The author discusses such crucial issues as Puja, "the Feminine Principal," Pre-Aryan civilization, bhakti and asceticism.
· Pocock, D.F. Mind, Body and Wealth: A Study of Relief and Practice in an Indian Village, Rowman and Littlefield, New Hersey, 1973.
The text is written in an inviting style and is full of information about religion and social life. The text considers two major religious groups and their relationships with their gurus. This work is a very readable text which I would recommend.
· Wewiebe, Paul B. and G.N. Ramu "Caste and Religion in Urban India: A Case Study," Contributions to Indian Sociology, 9,1 (1975): 1-17.
An interesting study based upon field work which looks at the religious attitudes and caste relations among groups in South India.