Indian Social Customs as Noticed by Foreign Writers Upto 750 A.D. (An Old and Rare Book)

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The book entitled "Indian Social Customs as noticed by foreign writers' upto 750 AD" is a research treatise which is an attempt to throw light on the pre- valent customs in ancient India observed by foreign writers. It is very interesting to note that every intricate social customs were not overlooked by them even to the extent of introduction of the art of writing to the worshipping of trees. All those customs were arrested in their eyes. The author tries to explain their observation in the light of the prescriptions laid down in Indian literature. Some times it is perceived that the observations made by the foreign writers' did not tally with the prescription of Indian literature since the customs were observed by such men who were not supposed to scrutinize those through Indian way of life. But the presentations of their observations through their eyes certainly evoke some amount of curiosity. The author has attempted to provide answers to the curiosities made by way of observation of foreign writers' upto 750 AD.

A study of the life of ancient India particularly of the period which covers mainly from the 4th century B. C. to the middle of the eighth century A. D. requires meticulous attention and careful research on the basis of original sources. The present work entitled 'Indian Social Customs as noticed by foreign writers up to 750 A. D. is an attempt made by the author to throw light on the prevalent social customs witnessed by the classical and the Chinese. suthors. All their observations do not in all cases appear to be correct, when compared with the prescriptions laid down in Indian texts; nevertheless their remarks contain certain valuable information regarding social customs prevalent in ancient India.

The period of my research work witnessed many of the basic features of Indian society including religion, literature, aesthetics, philosophy, ideals of art and statecraft to flower and crystallise. (The aspect of religion and literature has however not been taken up for discussion for obvious reasons). For this reason an analytical study of the foreign accounts in the light of knowledge derived from Indian sources has been attempted in order to gain a clear view of the Indian society in its most formative and fruitful period.

For arriving at satisfactory conclusions, the foreign accounts about India are not chosen as merely petrified bodies of observations without any contact with the antecendents and future possibilities. (In this dissertation the accounts of the foreigners have been as far as possible analysed and understood in terms of Indian lores and legends of earlier and contemporary age.) Although all possible and relevant sources have been tapped in order to obtain an accurate picture of the ancient social set-up, yet it may be said here that the materials on which a sound and detailed appraisal of ancient social life depends are quite scanty and scattered.

I have endeavoured to explore most of the relevant Indian sources primarily in order to find out the truths of foreigner's observations as to the nature of Indian social customs. In my opinion this type of work would be very useful in the field of further research work to be undertaken by enterprising workers in future.