Description
This work contains studies of goddess worship in Bengal, caste, brahmanism and social reform, with descriptive sketches of curious festivals, ceremonies and faquirs. The object of writing this book was being to interpret, however imperfectly, the present day Indians to the English public, the author did his best to bring his readers into actual touch with contemporary India at various points, using his somewhat exceptional personal experiences in illustrating and elucidating the subjects dealt with, which have yet to be sought for, and do not come within the ken of Europeans in India whether official or nonofficial. Included in this volume are such legends and stories as seemed to throw light upon the habits or the mental peculiarities of the Indian people? The Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Animists, etc., inhabit India and Burmah made up a further total of about 22 millions. These notable statistics are enough to make it clear that out of the vast and profound ocean of Indian social and religious life, it was only possible for him to take just a few examples of what may be gathered in that obscure yet seductive region of investigation. The book contains numerous illustrations which taken from photographs and from drawings by William Campbell Oman.
