Description
Martial Races of India' Punjabi Musalman of the Indian Army, 1944 The martial races theory was based on the racist assumption that certain Indian peoples were more martially inclined than others. The geography and culture of these peoples supposedly had common characteristics, such as hilly and mountainous terrain, a basis as hunting or agricultural societies and a history of warfare. These groups were also said to be politically subservient and docile to authority. Most came from northern India, including the Moslems of the Punjab Castes. Unlike the martial races, the inhabitants of southern and eastern India were supposedly unwarlike, unfit for military services and prone to political agitation. This volume reproduces a portion only,—but that is the most important portion,—~of the original Report, namely the chapter on the Races, Castes system and Tribes of the Panjab. The chapters on Religion and Language, which formed part of the “ Ethnography ” published in 1883. though valuable and interesting, have necessarily lost something of their original importance owing to the progress made in scientific enquiry during the last thirty years, but the chapter on the Races, Castes and Tribes still contains much valuable information that cannot be obtained elsewhere, and this chapter must always command attention and respect for its vigorous and comprehensive treatment of the subject.