1 INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
2 The Census of the Panjab Province was carried out in 1881 by Mr.
3 (afterwards Sir Denzil) Ihbetson of tlie Indian Civil Service and his Report
4 on the Census was published in 1883. The Eeport has always been recognised
5 as one of the most reraarkalde official publications in India, and a work of
6 the greatest value both from the a<lministr»tive and from the literary and
7 scientific point of view. It at once attracted widespread attention, more
8 especially in view of the copious information which it provided regai'ding the
9 people of the Province, and a separate volume was issued in 188.3, under the
10 title of " Panjab Ethnography " which contained a reprint of those portions
11 of the Report which dealt with the Religions, the Languages, and the Races,
12 Castes and Tribes of the people. The number of copies published, however,
13 both of the Report and of the Etlmography, was comparatively small and they
14 are now difficult to procure outside Indian official circles. There are at the same
15 time indications of a continuing demand for the Report, and more especially for
16 the ethnological portion of it, and to meet this demand the Piuijab Government
17 has determined to undertake the issue of the present volume.
18 This volume reproduces a portion only, — I)ut that is the most important
19 portion,— of the original Report, namely the chapter on the Races, Castes and
20 Tribes of the Panjab. The chapters on Religion and Language, which formed
21 part of the ''Ethnography " published in 1883, though valuable and interest-
22 ing, have neccssaiily lost something of their original importance owing to the
23 progress made in scientific enquiry during the last thirty years, Imt the chapter
24 on the Races, Castes and Tribes still contains much valuable information that
25 cannot be obtained elsewhere, and this cliapter must always command attention
26 and respect for its vigorous and comprehensive treatment of the subject. The
27 figures are, of com'se, out of date and the territorial boundaries of the Province
28 and districts with which the chapter deals are now considerably altered. There
29 are also, no doubt, points on which later investigation suggests modification of
30 the facts and opinions originally given, but it has been thought best to repro-
31 duce the chapter as it stands, without any attempt to annotate it or bring it up
32 to date It is believed that in this way the wishes of most readers will best be
33 met, and it is felt that by this com-se the volume will best fulfil the further
34 object which the Government of the Panjab has in view, namely, the per-
35 petuation of the memory of the original writer.
36 There are so many still alive to whom Sir Denzil Ibbetson was personally
37 known that anything like a complete description of his career in this introduc-
38 tion is unnecessary, but it may not be out of place to mention a few of its