ABSTRACT
Religious communities are invariably studied as social isolates, as they are often assumed to be. It is convenient to draw an investigatory boundary corresponding to the Institution’s walls, and to concentrate only on structures and relationships occurring within. However, in the case of Sarada Mandiram, it is vital to an understanding of the Institution to extend the enquiry further, to include the village in which it is situated, especially as it is ostensibly for the benefit of the local population.
