The Peoples of Bombay

Percival Strip and Olivia Strip, The Peoples of Bombay, Bombay: Thacker and Co., Ltd., 1944

48 including 15 colour plates by Rao Bahadur M V Dhurandhar; rexine binding
9.9 x 6.6 x 0.3 in (25.15 x 16.76 x 0.76 cm)

"BOMBAY with its cosmopolitan population which embraces not only types of men and women from all over India, but nearly all parts of the world, presents an ethnographical problem which the new-comer to its shores finds difficult of solution anal his inability to recognise the various castes, creeds and communities with which he is daily brought into contact in the course of his work or during his leisure hours, acts as a set-back to his interest in the various peoples he sees in their national dress and costumes or if his interest is awakened draws from him a query to which a spontaneous reply is often difficult. As an aid to a better understanding of this problem, this unostentatious work, with its faithfully portrayed characters which form its chief attraction, is published in the hope that it will supply a long-felt want not only to the new-comer, but may it be said, to many who have stayed for some time in the country and find themselves still at a loss to arrive at a full understanding of its ethnography.

In the descriptive matter which deals with each illustrated character the authors have made an effort to trace the origin, history, religion, commercial and other activities of the various communities represented, but in a limited work of this nature they have not been able to touch more than superficially on their different phases of life and activities and if they have erred on any material points, they crave the indulgence of the tolerant reader in a work which has for its aim no greater ambition, than just an effort to create an interest and supply the knowledge which has initiated the necessity for such a publication.

The authors are greatly indebted to the artist Rao Bahadur M. V. Dhurandhar, late Vice-Principal of the School of Art, Bombay, for his whole-hearted collaboration in this work and for the magnificent coloured illustrations which he has put up and which in their detail and perfect characterization of the different communities of Bombay have saved the author much trouble in handling it from a literary point." (Preface of the book)

This lot will be shipped in "as is" condition. For further details, please refer to the images of individual lots as reference for the condition of each book.