A Major Activity Of The Sahitya Akademi Is The Preparation Of An Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature. The Venture, Covering Twenty-Two Languages Of India, Is The First Of Its Kind. Written In English, The Encyclopaedia Gives A Comprehensive Idea Of The Growth And Development Of Indian Literature. The Entries On Authors, Books And General Topics Have Been Tabulated By The Concerned Advisory Boards And Finalised By A Steering Committee. Hundreds Of Writers All Over The Country Contributed Articles On Various Topics. The Encyclopaedia, Planned As A Six-Volume Project, Has Been Brought Out. The Sahitya Akademi Embarked Upon This Project In Right Earnest In 1984. The Efforts Of The Highly Skilled And Professional Editorial Staff Started Showing Results And The First Volume Was Brought Out In 1987. The Second Volume Was Brought Out In 1988, The Third In 1989, The Fourth In 1991, The Fifth In 1992, And The Sixth Volume In 1994. All The Six Volumes Together Include Approximately 7500 Entries On Various Topics, Literary Trends And Movements, Eminent Authors And Significant Works. The First Three Volume Were Edited By Prof. Amaresh Datta, Fourth And Fifth Volume By Mohan Lal And Sixth Volume By Shri K.C.Dutt.

The Sole Objective Of This Encyclopaedia Is To Present The Descriptive Ethnographical Summaries Of 411 South Indian Dalit Castes Belong To Shudra Varna In Hindu Social Order. Here We Focus On The Ways Of Living Of South India Dalit And The Factor That Have Caused To Change Their Life Style. Summaries Of Each Entry Usually Provided Information On The Following Aspects: Physical Features; History Of Origin; Social Life; Rites And Rituals; Economic Activities; Administration And Justice; Religion And Culture; Inter-Community Relationship; Modernisation; And Bibliography. This Work Seems To Be As Informative As Possible Given The Limitation Of Space And Knowledge Of Contributors. The Task Which We Have Performed Here Is, No Doubt, Beset With Difficulties But We Shall Consider Our Labour Amply Rewarded If This Monumental Work Is Found Useful By Scholars And Readers Of Ethnic Study Of The Dalit Communities Of South India.

In this volume, sixty-eight of the world's leading authorities explore and describe the wide range of musics of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Nepal and Afghanistan. Important information about history, religion, dance, theater, the visual arts and philosophy as well as their relationship to music is highlighted in seventy-six in-depth articles.