Caste, Power Dynamics and Social Capital: A Study of Vani Dominance in a Konkan Village, Maharashtra

This article discusses the findings of a qualitative study conducted in a village in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, where members of the Vani caste hold dominant positions in the village institutions. The study mapped the various dimensions of power relations, which are based on the higher social positions of certain groups in the caste hierarchy. From a theoretical perspective, this study strengthens the concept of caste and its link to Craig Jeffrey’s concept of social capital by examining how caste, particularly in rural India, shapes individuals’ social networks, opportunities and access to resources. In the global village of the twenty-first century, from the perspective of caste studies, the study suggests that even today the higher the social status of a caste group, the greater the power exercised by that group in the social, political and economic spheres. The different strategies used by the Vani caste to retain their power and dominance are discussed in this article.