Analyzing the Cultural Shift in South India

Abstract

Analyzing the Cultural Shift in South India: The Legacy of the East India Company. Anthropology seeks to understand human cultures and how they develop, to better understand the reasons behind cultural and value shifts in addition to realizing the diversity of societies both pre and post colonialism. This project aims to analyze the legacy of the East India Company in Southern India based on comparing evidence found prior to and after colonialism. The evidence includes ancient literature and artifacts, laws and archives from the colonial period, and modern societal rules and expectations. The main focuses of the research are (1) perspectives on sexuality and sexual orientation, (2) standards for modesty, and (3) the shift in the beauty standard. Utilizing the evidence, the presentation will compare and contrast society both before and after the colonial period to determine cause and consequences from the East India Company. The end goal of the project is to reveal the negative legacy of the East India Company, and how many aspects of South Indian Hinduism stem from values imposed onto society by the British. This project serves a larger goal to decolonize Hinduism and the view of Hinduism utilizing Orientalism by Edward Said. In the present day, many view South Indian culture as restrictive and conservative. The project aims to change this perspective, to demonstrate the versatility and liberal nature of South Indian Hinduism prior to colonialism. [Key words: orientalism, East India Company, colonialism, South India, Eurocentric, beauty, sexuality]