The Magic Mountains: Hill Stations and the British Raj
- ISBN-10
- 0520201884
- ISBN-13
- 9780520201880
- Category
- Travel
- Pages
- 264
- Language
- English
- Published
- 1996-01-01
- Publisher
- Univ of California Press
- Author
- Dane Keith Kennedy
Description
Perched among peaks that loom over heat-shimmering plains, hill stations remain among the most curious monuments to the British colonial presence in India. In this engaging and meticulously researched study, Dane Kennedy explores the development and history of the hill stations of the raj. He shows that these cloud-enshrouded havens were sites of both refuge and surveillance for British expatriates: sanctuaries from the harsh climate as well as an alien culture; artificial environments where colonial rulers could nurture, educate, and reproduce themselves; commanding heights from which orders could be issued with an Olympian authority. Kennedy charts the symbolic and sociopolitical functions of the hill stations over the course of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, arguing that these highland communities became much more significant to the British colonial government than mere places for rest and play. Particularly after the revolt of 1857, they became headquarters for colonial political and military authorities. In addition, the hill stations provided employment to countless Indians who worked as porters, merchants, government clerks, domestics, and carpenters. The isolation of British authorities at the hill stations reflected the paradoxical character of the British raj itself, Kennedy argues. While attempting to control its subjects, it remained aloof from Indian society. Ironically, as more Indians were drawn to these mountain areas for work, and later for vacation, the carefully guarded boundaries between the British and their subjects eroded. Kennedy argues that after the turn of the century, the hill stations were increasingly incorporated into the landscape of Indian social and cultural life. Perched among peaks that loom over heat-shimmering plains, hill stations remain among the most curious monuments to the British colonial presence in India. In this engaging and meticulously researched study, Dane Kennedy explores the development and history of the hill stations of the raj. He shows that these cloud-enshrouded havens were sites of both refuge and surveillance for British expatriates: sanctuaries from the harsh climate as well as an alien culture; artificial environments where colonial rulers could nurture, educate, and reproduce themselves; commanding heights from which orders could be issued with an Olympian authority. Kennedy charts the symbolic and sociopolitical functions of the hill stations over the course of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, arguing that these highland communities became much more significant to the British colonial government than mere places for rest and play. Particularly after the revolt of 1857, they became headquarters for colonial political and military authorities. In addition, the hill stations provided employment to countless Indians who worked as porters, merchants, government clerks, domestics, and carpenters. The isolation of British authorities at the hill stations reflected the paradoxical character of the British raj itself, Kennedy argues. While attempting to control its subjects, it remained aloof from Indian society. Ironically, as more Indians were drawn to these mountain areas for work, and later for vacation, the carefully guarded boundaries between the British and their subjects eroded. Kennedy argues that after the turn of the century, the hill stations were increasingly incorporated into the landscape of Indian social and cultural life.
Get the book
Other editions
-
- 2022-03-25
- 280 pages
- Paperback
- Univ of California Press
-
- 2022-03-25
- 280 pages
- Paperback
- Univ of California Press
Similar books
-
Knoxville, Tennessee: A Mountain City in the New South
By William Bruce WheelerIn the early 1970s the Boeing Corporation had sent planners to the region for the purpose of building a new city , to be named Timberlake , near the Tellico ...
-
Britannia in Brief: The Scoop on All Things British
By Leslie Banker, William MullinsRobbie Williams Like Justin Timberlake, Robbie Williams got his start in a boy band then parlayed that success into something much bigger.
-
New England, 1999
By Wayne Curtis, Herbert B. Livesey, Marie MorrisFrost lived in a cabin on a farm across the road for 23 summers . ... but it's also open to the public at rates of about half what you'd pay at Killington .
-
Frommer's New England 2003
By Wayne Curtis, Marie Morris, Laura M. ReckfordYou'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert...
-
Frommer's? New England 2002
By Wayne Curtis, Marie Morris, Laura M. Reckford"Using the expertise of knowledgeable travel writers and editors, Frommer's New England is stuffed like a turkey, with slivers of information spilling out as soon as you open the cover.Even...
-
The Rough Guide to Peru
By Sara Humphreys, Steph Dyson, Todd ObolskyS/620 01 446 9414, HI Hostel Lima Casimiro Ulloa 328 hihostels.com; map. A great deal, this is the top-rated HI hostel in the capital.
-
Chicago - Frommer's Travel Guides
By Todd A. SavageThe most authoritative, easy-to-use guide a traveller can buy
-
French By Heart: An American Family's Adventures in La Belle France
By Rebecca S. RamseyIn a year or so, y'a.ll will move back home andTodd'll buy you some big house in Crawford Creek and you're ... But what is the deal with hotel rooms here?
-
Sons of Thunder
By James TimberlakeBook One: Sons of Thunder is the first of two books based on one summers 2000 mile trek across southern Europe.
-
Food Artisans of Alberta: Your Trail Guide to the Best Locally Crafted Fare
By Karen Anderson, Matilde Sanchez-TurriOwners J.P. Fortin and Danielle Black Fortin have a base camp and café in Capstone at Riverlands in Red Deer. Check them out at pursuitadventures.ca.