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Indian Journal of Research in Anthropology 12(1):p 33-38, January-June 2026. | DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/ijra.2454.9118.12126.3
Original Article
Impact of Conversion to Christianity: An Ethnographic Study on Lower Hindu Castes of Purba Medinipur, West Bengal
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Indian Journal of Research in Anthropology 12(1):p 33-38, January-June 2026. | DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/ijra.2454.9118.12126.3
How Cite This Article:
Soumi Dey. Impact of Conversion to Christianity: An Ethnographic Study on Lower Hindu Castes of Purba Medinipur, West Bengal. Ind J Res Anthropol 2026; 12(1): 33-38.Timeline
Received : October 28, 2025
Accepted : January 30, 2026
Published : June 30, 2026
Abstract
This study explores the socio-cultural implications of conversion to Christianity among lower Hindu castes in Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, through the analytical lens of Victor Turner’s Social Drama Model (1974). Employing an ethnographic approach, the research draws upon in-depth interviews, group discussions, and direct observations conducted between April and June 2024 with twentyfive individuals, ten of whom were interviewed intensively. Turner’s four-stage framework—breach, crisis, redress, and reintegration—serves as a valuable tool to interpret the transformative processes and tensions that accompany religious conversion. Findings reveal that conversion is not merely a shift in faith but a complex negotiation of identity, health, and community belonging. Health crises often act as the initial breach prompting individuals to seek spiritual alternatives, while the ensuing crisis phase exposes converts to social ostracism and familial conflict. The redress phase, marked by baptism and new ritual practices, facilitates social and emotional healing within Christian congregations. Reintegration, however, remains partial, as many converts oscillate between their former Hindu identity and newly adopted Christian practices to avoid social exclusion. The study highlights how conversion serves as both resistance against caste-based marginalization and a pursuit of spiritual and social empowerment. This research contributes to the anthropological understanding of religious change in India by demonstrating how Turner’s model can elucidate the dynamic interplay between faith, health, identity, and community in post-conversion life.
References
- 1. D. Hervieu – Leger (1999). Le pèlerin et le converti. La religion en mouvement, Paris: Flammarion.
- 2. Lacroix Roland (2016). Conversion to the Christian faith today. Pope John Paul II (Eds) The Person and the Challenges. The Journal of Theology Education Canon Law and Social Studies Inspired. 6(2):193
- 3. Kalluveettil, Paul (2003). Convertere as the Christian Ideology: A Study of Biblical Perspectives on Religious Conversion, Journal of Dharma, 28(1): 33-48
- 4. Oates, Wane E. (1973). Conversion: Sacred and Secular in Conversion: Perspectives on Personal and social Transformation. Walter Conn (Eds.) Alba House, New York, P.150.
- 5. Rambo, Lewis (1993). Understanding Religious Conversion, New Haven: Yale University Press.
- 6. Turner V.W. (1974).Dramas, fields, and metaphors: Symbolic action in human society, symbol, myth, and ritual. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Data Sharing Statement
There are no additional data available. All raw data and code are available upon request.
Funding
This research received no funding.
Author Contributions
All authors contributed significantly to the work and approve its publication.
Ethics Declaration
This article does not involve any human or animal subjects, and therefore does not require ethics approval.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Miss Arpita Samanta, Department of Anthropology, Vidyasagar University, Medinipur, who helped in data collection for preparing this article.
Conflicts of Interest
No conflicts of interest in this work.
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Cite this article
Soumi Dey. Impact of Conversion to Christianity: An Ethnographic Study on Lower Hindu Castes of Purba Medinipur, West Bengal. Ind J Res Anthropol 2026; 12(1): 33-38.
Licence:
Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)This license
enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any
medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as
attribution is given to the creator.
| Received | Accepted | Published |
|---|---|---|
| October 28, 2025 | January 30, 2026 | June 30, 2026 |
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/ijra.2454.9118.12126.3
Keywords
Religious ConversionLower Hindu CastesVictor Turner’s Social Drama ModelEthnographySearch for Similar Articles
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Timeline
| Received | October 28, 2025 |
| Accepted | January 30, 2026 |
| Published | June 30, 2026 |
licence
Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
This license
enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any
medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as
attribution is given to the creator.
