About The Book
The fact that a third reprint of this complete edition of the Abbe Dubois’ Hindu Manners Customs and Ceremonies has been called for within a period of a few years is sufficient proof of the high value which is still attached to the Abbe’s observations and of the wide popularity which his work still enjoys. It was stated in my Preface to the first edition:- The impression may be felt in many minds that a book written so long ago can be of little practical use at present; but the fact is that the Abbe’s work composed as it was in themed of the people themselves is of a unique character for it combines as no other work on the Hindus combines a recital of the broad facts of Hindu religion and Hindu sociology with many masterly descriptions at once comprehensive and minute of the vie in time of the people among whom he lived for so many years. With any other the Hindus such a work would soon grow out of date; but with them the same ancestral traditions and customs are followed nowadays that were followed hundreds of years ago at least by the vast majority of the population.
Not only in India but also in the United Kingdom and the Colonies as well as in several countries of Europe and in the United States of America reviews and notices of the work have appeared; bearing invariable testimony to the conspicuous merits of the Abbe’s work. I may add that it formed the subject of the annual address of a learned President of the Royal Historical Society and of the Presidential Address at an annual meeting of the Hindu Social Conference by the late Mr. Justice Remade the famous Marietta Brahmin leader of Bombay; and it also furnished a text for some observations in an important speech delivered in Bombay by the late Viceroy and Governor-General of India Lord Curzon.
About The Author
Abbé J.A. Dubois (Jean-Antoine Dubois 1765–1848) was a French Catholic missionary and scholar best known for his extensive work in South India during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was a member of the Missions Étrangères de Paris and arrived in India around 1792 where he spent over three decades living among and studying the people particularly in the regions of Mysore and Tamil Nadu.
Dubois is most famous for his seminal ethnographic work Hindu Manners Customs and Ceremonies first published in English in 1816. This comprehensive account provided detailed observations of Hindu social structure religious practices caste systems festivals and daily life. While some modern scholars critique his Eurocentric and colonial lens the work remains a valuable historical source due to its depth and firsthand insight.
Fluent in local languages like Tamil and Kannada Dubois immersed himself in Indian culture to better understand and engage with the communities he served. Despite his missionary background he often expressed admiration for Indian traditions and advocated adapting Christian teachings to fit local customs rather than imposing European norms.
Publisher : Winsome Books India; New edition (30 August 2006)
> Language : English
Paperback : 854 pages
ISBN-10 : 9788188043453
ISBN-13 : 978-8188043453
Item Weight : 680 g
Dimensions : 13.5 x 4.1 x 20.8 cm
Country of Origin : India