This book offers a fascinating panorama of the people of
India, their faiths, castes and communities, beliefs, traditions and practices —
a profusion probably unequalled anywhere in the world. The home of Hinduism,
Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, India also has a very large population of
Muslims. There are, too, different Christian sects, one of the oldest
settlements of Jews in the world, Zoroastrians and animists, together forming
the rich texture of Indian life and living.
Interestingly, the Hindu caste system has influenced the
people of other faiths in India. Thus, it is not Hinduism alone which has
various sects and subsects. Other religions also have a number of similar
groups, which is a unique feature of Indian society.
Here, then, is a rich introduction and handy reference to
the people of India — a mosaic of many hues.
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