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Sociology Terms

Great and Little Tradition

Last Updated

8th June, 2026

Date Published

28th May, 2026

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  • The ways of folks or unlettered peasants constitute the Little Traditions and that of the elite or the reflective few constitute the Great Tradition.
  • While the Little Tradition is often localised, Great Tradition has a tendency to spread out.
  • However, studies of festivals in India show that sanskritic rites (Great Tradition) are often getting added to non-Sanskritic rites (Little Tradition) without replacing them.