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D.P.MUKERJEE., (1894-1962), Duration Prasad, Mukherjee., Around the period of 1920s and 1950s, the department of, Sociology was quite functional in the Bombay and Lucknow, Universities. In Bombay the Sociology department was headed, by G.S Ghurye, while the Lucknow department had 3 important, persons i.e. Radhakumal Mukherjee,, D. P.Mukerjee and D.N Majumdar. Out of these, D.P Mukherjee, was perhaps the most popular and influential scholars of his, time. He came to be known not because of his writings, but, because of his speeches at, academic events and his association with the media., Dhurjati Prasad Mukherjee has a special place in, Sociology because of his understanding of the Indian social, reality rooted in the Indian tradition. He was equally interested in, finding out the ways of how to change it for promoting welfare of, the common people by adapting the forces of modernity to the, specific Indian tradition., D.P. Mukherjee was an economist, but he made significant, contribution to Sociology. He was greatly impressed by Indian, philosophy, ancient history, historical analysis and Marxism. He, gave special importance to the economic and cultural bonds of, Indian society. His work on Indian music, the sociology of, language, tradition and social order are noteworthy., LIFE SKETCH AND WRITINGS., D.P.Mukerjee was born in a middle class Bengali Brahmin family, in 1894. He was educated in Calcutta, but he spent most of his, life in lucknow., 1st he studied history but did his graduation in Economics.

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He was a founder member and the 1st President of the Indian, Sociological Society. He also represented India on the, International Sociological Association of which he became the, Vice President. For a brief interval, D.P. Mukherjee became the, Director of Information when the Congress assumed office in the, United Provinces of British India, in 1947, he was appointed a, member of the UP Labour Inquiry Committee., D.P.Mukherjee was a versatile scholar. He wrote on various, subjects. Most of his writings are in the form of essays. He was a, social scientist, novelist, library critic, music and art, connoisseur. He has written less but has given erudite lectures, on various topics. In his opinion, Indian art is based on spiritual, values and Indians have been admirers of such art and literature, only. Mukherjee died of throat cancer in 1962 his major works are, as follows., *'Personality and the, Social Science'., (1924), *'Basic Concepts in, Sociology'. 1932., * 'Modern Indian, culture'. 1942., * 'Tagore - A Study', (1943)., * 'On Indian History', (1945)., * 'Introduction to, Indian Music'( 1945)., * 'Problems of Indian, Youth' (1946)., D.P.MUKERJEE ON TRADITION AND CHANGE.

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As an Indian scholar D.P. Mukherjee felt that it was important to, study the Indian social tradition in order to understand the, society as such. The study of tradition does not have to be, related only to the past, but one need to study its sensitivity to, change also. Thus according to him, tradition is not only linked, to the past but also to the present. It evolves over time and, adapts to the changes taking place within a society., THE MEANING OF TRADITION., D. P. Mukherjee has based his interpretation of tradition on the, assumption that tradition is a social practice. It provides, standard and value to the behaviour of individuals. Its meaning, was to give continuity to get the real or imaginary practice in the, past. It includes religious methods and symbolic practices., For Mr. Mukherjee this study of tradition was not oriented only, towards the past, but also included sensitivity to change. Thus, tradition was a living tradition, maintaining its links with the past, but also adapting to the present and thus evolving over time., He believed that sociologists should learn and be familiar with, both 'high' and 'low' languages and cultures not only Sanskrit,, Persian or Arabic, but also local dialects., Mr. Mukherjee argued that Indian culture and society are not, individualistic in the Western sense., Indian social system is basically oriented towards groups,, sections or, caste-actions, not 'voluntaristic' individual action. Although, 'voluntarism' was beginning to influence the up urban middle, classes., Mr. Mukherjee pointed out that the root meaning of the word, 'tradition' is to transmit., Its Sanskrit equivalents are either parampara, that is succession, or aitihya, which comes from the same root of the itihas or, history.

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The most commonly cited internal source of change in western, societies is the economy, but this source has not been an, effective in India., Class conflict D.P Mukherjee believed has been 'smoothed in, and covered by caste traditions' in the Indian context, where new, class relations had not yet emerged very sharply., He concluded that one of the first tasks for a dynamic Indian, sociology would be to provide an account of the internal, non, economic causes of change., Mr. Mukherjee believed that there were 3 principles of change, recognised in Indian traditions, namely, Shruti,Smriti and, Anubhava., The most important principle of change in Indian society was, generalised anubhava or the collective experience of groups., Mr. Mukherjee emphasised that this was true not only of Hindu, but also of Muslim culture in India. In Indian Islam the Sufis have, stressed love and experience rather than holy text and have been, important in bringing about change., Indian context is not only where discursive reason (buddhi, vichar)is the dominant force for change, anubhava and, prem(experience and love) have been historically superior as, agents of change., Mr. Mukherjee's views on tradition and change led him to, criticise all instances of unthinking borrowing from Western, intellectual traditions, including in such contexts as development, planning., Tradition was neither to be worshipped nor ignored, just as, modernity was needed but not to be blindly adopted.