M. N. Srinivas made a significant contribution to the sociology of religion in India by explaining religion as a dynamic social institution closely linked with caste, social stratification, culture, and social change. Influenced by structural-functionalism and intensive fieldwork, Srinivas rejected purely textual or philosophical interpretations of religion and emphasized the study of religion through empirical observation of everyday life. His village studies demonstrated that religious beliefs and practices could only be understood within their social context. One of Srinivas's most influential contributions is the concept of Sanskritization, introduced in his study of the Coorgs of South India. Sanskritization refers to the process by which lower castes seek upward social mobility by adopting the customs, rituals, beliefs, dietary habits, and lifestyle of higher castes, especially the twice-born castes. Religious practices such as vegetarianism, teetotalism, worship of Sanskritic deities, observance of purity rules, and performance of Vedic rituals become instruments of status enhancement. This concept highlighted that religion functions as a mechanism of social mobility and cultural transformation rather than merely as a system of faith. Srinivas also emphasized the relationship between religion and the caste system. He argued that caste hierarchy is reinforced through religious ideas of purity and pollution. Ritual status often determines social prestige, and religious practices contribute to maintaining social order. However, he also showed that caste positions