A better understanding of what India and the people who live in it are really like, seems to be the necessary preparation for sympathy and work of any sort connected with that country; and to help, in however small a degree, to bring about this end is the object of this book. I have had unusually favourable and varied opportunities for getting to know intimately the inner side of Indian life and character during a somewhat long residence in this country. The contents of the book are exceedingly miscellaneous because the daily experiences have been equally so. Everything that is told is the outcome of my own personal observations amongst a people to whom I am deeply attached, and I have taken the utmost pains to record nothing of which I was not sure, and to verify everything concerning which I was doubtful. The photographs were all taken by Brother Arthur of our Society. EDWARD F. ELWIN. YERANDAWANA, POONA DISTRICT, INDIA. * * * * * CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. INTRODUCTORY 1 II. INDIAN HOSPITALITY 11 III. THE INDIAN VIEW OF NATURE AND ARCHITECTURE 17 IV. INDIAN EMPLOYEES OF LABOUR 24 V. THE INDIAN POSTAL SERVICE 32 VI. INDIANS AND ENGLISH CUSTOMS 40 VII. INDIAN UNPUNCTUALITY 48 VIII. INDIAN POVERTY 54 IX. INDIAN ART 60 X. THE INDIAN VILLAGE 66 XI. INDIAN ENTERTAINMENTS 74 XII. THE CONVERSION OF INDIA 83 XIII. MISSION WORK IN INDIA 89 XIV. INDIAN MUSIC 98 XV. INDIAN MEALS 105 XVI. HINDU PHILOSOPHY 111 XVII. HINDUS AND RELIGION 117 XVIII. RELIGIOUS PHASES IN INDIA 124 XIX. GAMES IN INDIA 130 XX. INDIAN WRESTLERS 137 XXI. BOOKS IN INDIA 143 XXII. INDIAN PAGEANTS 151 XXIII. THE INDIAN CHARACTER 157 XXIV. RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY IN INDIA 164 XXV. WILD BEASTS IN INDIA 170 XXVI. SOME INDIAN ANIMALS 176 XXVII. THE INDIAN WORLD OF NATURE 182 XXVIII. INSECTS IN INDIA 188 XXIX. THE INDIAN ASCETIC 196 XXX. THE INDIAN WIDOW 204 XXXI. WRONGDOING IN INDIA 212 XXXII. PROPERTY IN INDIA 221