The number of micro-level social anthropological studies is continually growing. Many of these concentrate on what to the economist may appear odd aspects of society such as ritual and religion … and to which he pays little or no attention. For instance, an understanding of the complex of Hindu religious beliefs as they operate at village level … is directly relevant to the problem of developing India’s economy. This is but one of numerous examples which can be quoted to support the claim that development economists work in the dark unless they acquaint themselves with the relevant socio-political literature. (Epstein, 1973, p. 6)