cover image: Crime and Religious Beliefs in India

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Crime and Religious Beliefs in India

1931

The worship of earth-mothers and the conception of nature in the birth of the seasons ; the folk-lore of the agricultural sections of the people who believe that the fertility of the soil depends on the periodical marriage of the eartgoddess with a male consort—usually rain —has found its natural qxpression in sacred prostitutes whose duties are to serve the Gods and to reproduce in their own l [...] "Moreover it is known that the criminals include all castes and classes from the Pathan and the Punjabi Mussulman to the Hindus of the United Provinces and the Central Provinces as well as the Nepalese. [...] Whatever the origin of the practice in ancient days of the dedication of women as devadasis in Hindu temples it is unfortunately the case that the practice has now degenerated mainly into a method of initiation of young women to a life of immorality and prostitution. [...] To show -that public opinion is in favour of the abolition of the system and in response to the appeal of several men and women associations and hundreds of enlightened members of the community of devadasis themselves I have brought forward this Bill." Following my intention of describing how certain religious beliefs and customs influence the minds of the ignorant masses I will now turn to a" [...] It is not enough to make the punishment of such crimes more severe but the law should be amended in such a way that persons who by giving shelter or otherwise facilitate the commission of the crime or the escape of the offender may be brought within the operation of the law.
history
Pages
240
Published in
India
SARF Document ID
sarf.146167
Segment Pages Author Actions
Frontmatter
i-ii Augustus Somerville view
Chapter I. Prostitution
1-12 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter II. Devadasis
13-26 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter III. “ Dope ” Traffic
27-44 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter IV. The Lure of China Town
45-55 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter V. The Origin of Opium
56-i Augustus Somerville view
Chapter VI. Worship of Rural Deities
63-72 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter VII. The Worship of Serpents
73-81 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter VIII. Devil Worship
82-96 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter IX. Haunts and Schools of Crime
97-107 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter X. Chore Hat or Thieves’ Market
108-124 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter XI. The Pilgrimage of Azir Ali
125-132 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter XII. Night Haunts of Calcutta
133-142 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter XIII. Religious Aspects of Crime
143-164 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter XIV. The Ganga Sagar Mela and Child Sacrifice
165-178 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter XV Tale of the Sakchilli
179-185 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter XVI. Quaint Tribal and Religious Customs
186-206 Augustus Somerville view
Chapter XVII. Human Sacrifice & Slavery among the Nagas
207-221 Augustus Somerville view

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