Social History of Chhattisgarh (An Old and Rare Book)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

This study on "Social History of Chhattisgarh" is a pioneering and valuable work on this subject, because no one attempted up to now to survey the Social history of this region, interpreting them in terms of an explicit clear cut theory. Some political and dynastic histories of Chhattisgarh have been published, but there is no comprehensive social history of the Chhattisgarhi speaking people including that of the tribes inhabiting this region. For this reason this is a contribution to the historical and social studies of Chhattisgarh.

This book is based upon a wide and quite intensive knowledge of the primary and secondary sources. Besides, the author has more or less kept himself abreast of the latest investigations. Many may think that progressive approach is not the appropriate tool to reduce historical facts to order and make them coherent, but only the prejudiced will hold that the progressive analysis does advance our understanding of history. There is no doubt this is a scholarly work throwing much light on the social history of Chhattisgarh.

Hira Lal Shukla received his M.A. (1962) in Sanskrit and Ph.D. (1964) in Sociology of Sanskrit Literature. He continued his studies and obtained M.A. (1967) in Linguistics and Ph.D. (1974) in Socialinguistics. He received his D.Litt. (1978) in social history of Tribal Bastar. He is now Professor and Head of the school of comparitive languages and culture at Bhopal University. He is founder-editor of Psycho-Lingua (1970). His numerous publications include books and articles as well as many volumes which he has edited. His major fields of research are cultural history (1974, 1978, 1981), social history (1969, 1971, 1976) and Sociolinguistics (1974, 1981, 1982, 1983).

There is a growing body of research in historical writings throughout the country into the problem of the general regularities and concrete ways of transition from one socio-economic formation to another. Interest in this subject springs from various circumstances, the chief of which appear to be two: first, the struggle to fill the Indian historical process, and second, the urgent need in this context, which cannot be understood without the use of all modern methods of research.

Accordingly, one will readily understand the dissatisfaction with what has been done in this field up to now. Indeed, the rapid spread of more precise and objective methods of analysis has led to a review and even to the elimination of many well established views and conceptions. This applies not only to the works of writers of early generations, but even to the conceptions expressed in earlier works by scientists still alive. Some of my own earlier works have had to be reappraised as well.

This book is a continuation of my study of Chhattisgarh which I began over 15 years ago with a work on folklore. Here I have chosen for my study the region which today is called Chhattisgarh and which was known as Dakshina Kosala in ancient times.

**Contents and Sample Pages**