Louis Dumont’s Sacred-Profane and Indian Beliefs on Auspicious-Inauspicious: A Comparative Sociological Analysis

Louis Dumont’s sacred-profane framework as he has elaborated in his book Homo Hierarchicus provides a fundamental understanding of hierarchy and purity within the Indian caste system. His analysis highlights how sacredness is associated with higher castes, particularly Brahmins, while impurity is linked to so called lower castes and marginalized groups of society. Parallel to his framework, Indian religious-cultural traditions emphasize auspicious-inauspicious beliefs which governs various life events such as marriage, childbirth, and death. These beliefs deeply rooted in rituals, astrology and symbolism influence social behaviour and reinforce societal norms. This research paper aims to compare Dumont’s sacred-profane dichotomy with Indian auspicious-inauspicious classifications to explore their structural similarities and differences by using a comparative sociological approach, this research paper analyzes textual sources, ethnographic accounts, primary data such as case studies to examine how these concepts shape Indian society. Findings of this research paper suggest that while both frameworks establish hierarchical structures, the sacred-profane dichotomy is caste-based and rigid, whereas auspicious-inauspicious beliefs are situational and flexible which allow ritualistic interventions to alter outcomes. The research paper contributes to the sociology of religion by demonstrating how these systems interact and evolve particularly in the face of modernization and socio-cultural changes.