| |
The great central watershed which constitutes eastern part of punjab has ever been the battleground of india. The great aryan adnseythian swarms which in successive waves of migration left their arid plateaux for the fruitful plains of the land of the five rivers-from which punjab takes its name-the conquering armies of alexander, the peaceful chinese pilgrims in search of the sacred sciptures, the muhgammaden invaders who came, driven by the lust of territory, to found one of the greatest muhammaden empires the world has ever seen the devastating hordes led successively by tughlakh, timur, nadir shah and ahmad shah, the armies of babar and of humayun-all alike entered india across the wide plains of the punjab. Within the limits of punjab the hindu religion had its birth and most ancient and sacred literature in the world was written; a vibratn new race-sikkhism was born, developed into a military and political organization, and now flourishes in the prinvince. And if punjab is hisorically one of the most important parts of the Indian nation, so are its inhabitants who are no less diverse than its physical aspects. The complex social composition of the punjabis makes for a delightful study for the ethnologists. This unique and rare study of the punjabis provides a wealth of material which includes their historical and culture traditions, the customs, rituals and superstittions, their religion, cults and caste arrangement, festivals and social institutions. The punjabis is the first authoritiative and responsible book on the punjabi people, and as such fills a colossal gap in documenting this glorious race. It will be welcomed not only be the scholars but also lay readers interested in the punjabis. Total pages 1046. Bibliography, references, ISBN 81-7755-051-9
|
| |
Pages :
|