Lectures on India

Caleb Wright

ISBN 10: 0371588936 / ISBN 13: 9780371588932

Published by HardPress, 2021

Seller Inventory # 26403589651

Synopsis:

Lectures On India by Caleb Wright is a mid-19th-century travelogue and ethnographic survey in which Wright, a missionary observer, presents his impressions of Hindu, Muslim, and tribal life in India. The volume comprises a series of lectures that describe the geography, peoples, and social customs of Hindustan (the Ganges basin), with particular attention to caste, marriage, women, and religious practice. The work combines observational detail—dress, dwelling, food, modes of travel, engravings of religious life—with critical commentary on Hindu religious institutions, such as the Shasters, the Thugs, and the Durga and Kali festivals. Wright juxtaposes Hindu beliefs with Christian reform aims, arguing that Christian education and morality offer improvement and emancipation, especially for women. The book includes vivid scenes of temple life, pilgrimages to the Ganges, and festivals such as Juggernaut and Durga, accompanied by engravings intended to illustrate the described customs. Though written with a missionary bias and overt critique of heathen practices, Lectures On India provides historical insight into 19th-century Indian society and religious life, as seen through the eyes of a visiting observer.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Lectures on India
Publisher: HardPress
Publication Date: 2021
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: New