The Khasis

Gurdon, P. R. T. (Philip Richard Thornhagh), 1863-Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 522K words
Chapters: 53

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Khasis by P. R. T. GurdonAuthor: Gurdon, P. R. T. (Philip Richard Thornhagh), 1863-1942,Language: Khasi, Class: DS: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Asia, Release Date: Jun 30, 2004

Editor's review

The Khasis is P.R.T. Gurdon's ethnographic work on the Khasi people of Northeast India. A public-domain anthropological source, it is distributed free of charge by Project Gutenberg. The book covers Khasi social structure, kinship systems, customs and beliefs, and everyday life, and reflects the typical perspective and recording methods of colonial-era ethnography. Its value lies first in preserving early field observations, making it a useful reference for readers studying ethnic groups of Northeast India, the history of South Asian anthropology, and traditional social organization. Readers should appreciate the detailed descriptions of institutions and customs while remaining aware of the limitations imposed by the author's era, and should not treat the book's judgments as definitive conclusions about Khasi culture. The electronic edition facilitates searching for ethnic terminology and thematic passages and is well suited to comparative reading alongside later scholarship.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Anthropology and ethnology students who need early ethnographic material for coursework
Historians of South Asia or Northeast Indian ethnic groups seeking earlier field records
Serious readers interested in traditional social organization and customs
Readers who need public-domain ethnographic texts for textual analysis or translation practice

Not a good fit for

Casual readers looking only for light travel narratives and ethnic color
Readers expecting an account of contemporary Khasi life; the book was written long ago
Readers unwilling to question colonial-era ethnographic perspectives and inclined to accept them wholesale

Reading tips

Begin with the introduction or opening chapters to understand the author's scope and standpoint.
Compare the book's descriptions of institutions with later scholarship and flag judgments that may reflect the limitations of the era.
Make a small card for each ethnic term, recording the original name and explanation for easy reference.
Read thematically—for example, kinship systems and religious customs in separate chapters—rather than straight through.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a contemporary study of the Khasis?

No. It is an ethnographic record from an earlier period, reflecting the social conditions of the author's time and not the full picture of the Khasi today. Readers should treat it as historical material and use it alongside contemporary ethnographic research.

Can I read it without a background in anthropology?

Yes, but it requires patience. The book contains ethnic terminology and descriptions of institutions; readers without anthropological training may start with the introduction and conclusion, then read chapters of interest. Look up unfamiliar concepts in encyclopedias or introductory anthropology textbooks.

What should I pay most attention to while reading?

Be mindful of the author's colonial-era perspective. The book's judgments about customs and society carry the biases of its time; readers should distinguish factual description from evaluative statements and not take the author's conclusions as definitive about Khasi culture.

What reading approach suits the electronic edition?

It suits search-based reading. Readers can use keywords to locate topics such as kinship systems, religion, and village organization, or print chapters for note-taking. For research, record the edition information for citation.

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About the author

Gurdon, P. R. T. (Philip Richard Thornhagh), 1863- Author · British · 1863

P. R. T. Gurdon (Philip Richard Thornhagh Gurdon, 1863–) was a British colonial official and ethnographer who served in Assam, India. His representative work, The Khasis, examines a local ethnic group and records its social institutions, religious beliefs, and customs, standing as an example of ethnographic writing from British India. Works of this kind were generally based on the observations and inquiries of colonial administrators stationed in the region, combining compiled data with ethnographic description, and they are still consulted by those studying ethnic groups of northeastern India. Public information on Gurdon's life is limited, and only one of his works is held in this collection, so his scholarly background and later influence cannot be discussed in detail; readers may learn more through the specific contents of The Khasis.