Popular Religion and Folk-lore of Northern India by William Crooke is a seminal work that explores the religious beliefs, practices, and folk traditions of the people in northern India during the British colonial period. Crooke, an ethnographer, offers a comprehensive study of the region's popular religions, including Hinduism, Islam, and various indigenous belief systems. He investigates the everyday rituals, deities, and saints worshipped by common people, emphasizing how these practices differ from the formal religious doctrines.
In addition to religious practices, the book delves into the rich folklore of northern India, including myths, legends, and superstitions. Crooke examines the significance of oral oral traditions, storytelling, and folk songs in shaping the cultural identity of the people. He also explores the role of saints, local gods, and spirits in the lives of individuals, highlighting the integration of folk beliefs into daily life. The book offers valuable insights into the religious and cultural fabric of northern India, reflecting both traditional and evolving practices.
THE Success of this book has been much beyond my expectations. That a considerable edition has been exhausted within a few months after publication proves that it meets a want.
I have now practically re-written the book, and have taken the opportunity of introducing a considerable amount of fresh information collected in the course of the Ethno-graphical Survey of the North-Western Provinces, the results of which will be separately published.
For the illustrations, which now appear for the first time, I am indebted to the photographic skill of Mr. J. O'Neal, of the Thomason Engineering College, Rurki. I could have wished that they could have been drawn from a wider area. But Hardwar and its shrines are very fairly representative of popular Hinduism in Northern India.
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Hindu (935)
Agriculture (118)
Ancient (1086)
Archaeology (753)
Architecture (563)
Art & Culture (910)
Biography (702)
Buddhist (544)
Cookery (167)
Emperor & Queen (565)
Islam (242)
Jainism (307)
Literary (896)
Mahatma Gandhi (372)
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