William Crooke

William Crooke
William Crooke was a British administrator and ethnographer known for his extensive work on the anthropology and folklore of India. He served in the Indian Civil Service during the British Raj and became an authority on the customs, beliefs, and traditions of rural Indian communities. Among his most notable works are "The Tribes and Castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh" and "An Introduction to the Popular Religion and Folklore of Northern India." His writings have provided valuable insight into Indian society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Author's Books:


INTRODUCTION Very little is known about the authoress of this interesting book. She is reticent about the affairs of her husband and of herself, and inquiries recently made at Lucknow, at the India Office, and in other likely quarters in England, have added little to the scanty information we possess about her. The family of her husband claimed to be of Sayyid origin, that is to say, to be descended... more...

The Talking Thrush  CERTAIN man had a garden, and in his garden he sowed cotton seeds. By-and-by the cotton seeds grew up into a cotton bush, with big brown pods upon it. These pods burst open when they are ripe; and you can see the fluffy white cotton bulging all white out of the pods. There was a Thrush in this garden, and the Thrush thought within herself how nice and soft the cotton looked. She... more...