About This Work
A landmark work in Indian ethnography, The People of India represents the culmination of Sir Herbert Risley’s extensive research as Director of Ethnography for India and Census Commissioner for the 1901 census. The book provides a systematic analysis of India’s diverse populations, examining their physical characteristics, social organization, and cultural practices.
Risley’s work is notable for its attempt to apply scientific anthropometric methods to the classification of Indian races, identifying seven distinct physical types. Beyond physical anthropology, the book offers detailed examinations of the caste system’s origins, its relationship to totemism and tribal organization, marriage customs including hypergamy and polyandry, and the complex interplay between caste and religion.
The second edition, edited by W. Crooke after Risley’s death in 1911, includes an extensive biographical introduction and updated statistics from the 1911 census. While reflecting the perspectives of colonial-era ethnography, the work remains an important historical document for understanding how Indian society was studied and categorized during the British period.