THE UNDERSTANDING OF RELIGION AS SOCIAL INSTITUTION; UNDER THE LIGHT OF SIR MOUNT STEWART ELPHINSTONE’S BOOK “HISTORY OF INDIA”

Abstract

M.S Elphinstone, the founder of British Historiography in India was a famous British diplomat. During his stay in India, he visited various parts of the country. He had taken a keen interest in society’s social and religious aspects. His compelled travel as “An Account of the Kingdom of Kabul and his famous writings “History of India” and “The Rise of British Power in the East” bestowed the historiography to a new trend in India. Elphinstone introduced new ideas and he promoted historiography based on regional identities. In India Elphinstone also discussed the various socio-political issues. He explained religion as a social institution and its connection with the other institutions of society. It affects the common life of the people because people always express their views in the light of religion. He argued that religion always influences the norms and traditions of society and it differentiates between right and wrong. When religion gains dominancy over the entire social institutions, it captures them and brings changes to society. Elphinstone point of view about religion is clearly in the social sense. According to him, religion passes through some evolutionary stages and he does not believe it is a permanent and solid thing. He says social needs also changed religion. As a religion, Islam is an important and universal religion in the world. It is thought a very important institution of human society. Islam influenced greatly the social environment of Indian society. This research paper highlights the concept of religion by Elphinstone in the light of his literary work “History of India”.