Read Book Online : http://www.archive.org/stream/imperialgazettee01hunt#page/n7/mode/2up

Download pdf Book : http://ia311024.us.archive.org/2/items/imperialgazettee01hunt/imperialgazettee01hunt.pdf

Cast in the mould of the administrator-scholar, Hunter also wrote some standard biographies of the time under the 'Rulers of India' series

A bit of personal trivia. Some years back I read the online version of one of the Gazetters of the Bombay Presidency which had a detailed description of my caste (Madhva brahmin). It was full of generalizations that were overwhelmingly positive. And that made me feel that an "insider" had written it. See this:http://tinyurl.com/2bdq5wp That led me to another rare book, 'The Indian forester' and I sent that to my brother who to our delight found a mention of my great-grandfather in one of the 'posting announcements'. http://tinyurl.com/2ufz99v

Arun, It's great to find your forebears ideas, thoughts and beliefs in books. Often these can really illustrate their lives in ways that even drawings and photos can't. I would encourage others of you to look in these sorts of books because I know from studying similar books like William Logan's Malabar Manual published in the 1880's that quite large sections, forming whole Appendices were written by members of the Menon family. Logan credits then in the book. With these large gazetteers the sheer level of detail is often so much that several people must have often worked on them at once. Some sections of the Malabar Manual appear to come in chunks from earlier official files, and other bits from Wilk's History of South India. So if you are aware that your gt... grandfather was a Sub-Collector or a Zamindar in a District it is well having a look on Google Books. Quite a lot of the EIC soldiers and officials wrote memoirs, and although they are often hard to read with modern sensibilities, if you can get over the tone and the endless catalogue of hunting anything that moved from Pindaris to Tygers, you can often find really interesting accounts of visits to local dignitaries and communities. I have been surprised by just how many people from Kerala which I have studied in detail, can be linked to events as far back as 1795, and before quite possibly. Nick Balmer

An inspiring historian you are Nick! : )

"People from Kerala ..linked back to events as far back as 1795." If you mean people ' from' Kerala ( i.e. the officials etc. of the Raj, who served there ) .as opposed to people 'of ' Kerala ..then you 're probably right .

Hello Jaacob, I am sorry if I have caused confusion here. As a result of my posting blogs with accounts of events in Kerala in the period between 1795 and 1840 with names of Indian's involved in those events, I have received emails and had quite a bit of correspondence with people living today who are direct descendants of the people mentioned in my blogs. These range from the Pazhassi Rajah, Chemban Pokar and the family that ran the bakery that made Victoria Sponge Cake in Tellicherry, Calicut, and Cochin. I also heard from the Mousa family who were major merchants on the coast, and who are still in business today. Nick Balmer

The Imperial Gazeteers (aslo the various District Gazeteers and The Himalayan Gazeteers) are an invaluable contribution to understanding India made by EIC pioneers (and quite a few army men and foresters). Most of our present "heaven born" could do well by making such in depth studies of the areas under their charge when they serve as collectors (I hate that term - the Brits had nothing equivalent "back home" - and wonder why, in a soverign democratic republic we have to retain this punitive and, frankly, abhorent term). Be that as it may, these Gazeteers (along with the detailed "Floras" by pioneer foresters) are still being reprinted and serve as 'oracles'.

Hello Nick...no problem ..actually I was trying to get it as clear as possible. Kerala is a very large ( or should I say a very 'long' place ) . The areas you speak about i.e. the Malabar region ..were part of the Madras Presidency . And hence had rather robust ties to the Brits ..were more " British' than the rest. For those in the central and southern part , it was a completely different 'ball game'. They were well and truly in the economic 'backwaters'..something that holds true to this day ! As for the 'wretched' Syrian Christians there ..it was even worse ...not only had their 1500 year old traditions been wiped out by the Portuguese marauders ..they had to struggle against discrimination by the others , and of course the Brits. J.

Hello Jaacob, I don't think the Syrian Christian's had much trouble from the Brit's, apart from being the subject of intense curiosity. I cannot speak for the entire period, but the 1820 to 1830 period many of the Brits in the area including Babington, John Munro and my 4 x gt uncle Thomas Baber were very interested in their liturgy. Like many Brits at this period they were very interested in religion, belonging to a much more religious ear than the one their parents came from. They hoped that the very isolation you mention in Kerala and especially the great distance in time and distance from the Middle East would have kept the Syrian Doctrines "uncorrupted" by later influences. I believe John Munro established a training college for the Syrian's near Trivandrum granting them land for the purpose. Relationships between the Anglican British and the Catholics who were often Indo Portuguese was some times more tense. The Anglican's weren't above trying to turn Catholics into Anglicans. They were also a bit jealous of the Catholics success in winning Indian converts. It had been East India Company policy not to upset the religious applecart by allowing in missionaries. Because the British public opinion in Britain and India was split on this, some did get in, before the UK Parliament over ruled the EIC Directors. Clergymen and missionaries began to turn up in numbers, but their success was really limited as most Indian's didn't really want to convert, and those who did were generally what was referred to as Rice Christians, because some misfortune like famine had generally have had to have happened before they would leave the bonds of their existing families and society. There is a huge amount on Google Books on the rights, wrongs, for and against, and the limited success of missionaries in India during the period discussed. Nick Balmer Nick Balmer

Hello Nick . 1. " (Syrian Christians ) being the subject of intense curiosity by the Brits'' . In all my 50 and odd years of being steeped in the lore and traditions of our Syrian Christians ..I have to say , this is the first I've heard of it ! 2. "Rice Christians ." As the g x3 and g x2 ...of the earliest Anglican priests , on the paternal side ...and the g x2 of a Syrian Orthodox priest , on the maternal...I can attest to that . If you must know , the Malayalam expansion of the acronym C.M.S is quite a bitingly sarcastic one ! 3. "their success was limited' .. Many a Keralite old timer ...has told me that such converts were held in contempt by both the traditionalists ..and even more so by the Brits ( who could hardly countenance such 'natives' sullying their Churches and Cathedrals !) Yet ,ironically , do you know why quite a number Syrian Christians ended up far wealthier than the Hindus ..? Well ,perhaps you could figure that one out .... J.

Hello Jaacob, Here's a good example from the Reminiscences of Colonel James Welsh which describes the College John Munro supported; pages 225 onwards... I do not know the origin of the College at Cotyam, or when it was founded ; but it is one of the most interesting Institutions in the East. The Syrian Church, to which it belongs, has been established ever since the persecution and dispersion of the Christians at Antiocb, from whence they emigrated; and it is an extraordinary fact, that in this Heathen country, where the basest superstition prevails, and where the Natives are taught nothing but vice and obscenity, the most tolerant spirit has always prevailed. So much so, that even Jews, original Christians, and Roman Catholics, have alike found a kind reception, and a secure asylum. The number of Syrians in Travancore is variously stated ; since they are not confined to one spot, but scattered in communities, all over the country. Though I believe that the greatest number is assembled at and about Cotyam, which is the only public seminary for the education of their Priests. Having, therefore, paid more than one visit to this sable University, I shall now endeavour to collect into one view the result of all my observations. This College, erected on a fertile spot, close to the southern bank of a beautiful rivulet, which, taking it's rise in the mountains to the eastward, runs into the broadest part of the back-water, about eight or ten miles below, and nearly opposite the entrance of the Alepie canal, is an extensive square building of some antiquity, with little in the exterior appearance to recommend it. Like many Eastern caravansera, it has a wide court in the centre, and rises on all sides to two stories of excellent but rude masonry. I am not certain as to the number of apartments, but they are very numerous, in which students of different languages, and different classes and degrees, are assembled for education: these, I think, occupy the whole of the first story. On the second story is a Library, containing two thousand two hundred and fifty elegantly bound volumes, on Theology, Astronomy, Mathematics, History, and, in short, every other science in the English, French, Latin, Greek, Syriac, Hebrew, Malyalum, Persian, Arabic, and German languages ; as well as a repository of scientific instruments, containing globes, orreries, telescopes, an electrifying machine, air-pump, magic-lanthorn, microscopes, &c., all of which are of the best quality. The Professors, or Gentlemen of the Mission, have rooms upon this floor, in which to examine the students, &c.; and the present establishment consists of three English gentlemen, all, I believe, ordained, Messrs. Fenn, Bailie, and Baker; with a very clever young man named Ryan, as a Greek and Latin tutor, and various Native assistants. In the same compound the English gentlemen have lately built a small Chapel for their own use, of the simplest and most modest construction, but perfectly adapted to the purposes of so small a congregation, consisting generally of their own families, and a very few of the students, who are proficients in English. At a short distance, and separated by a rude wooden bridge across a branch of the river, stands the Syrian Cathedral and the Metropolitan's house j both well-built, and neatly finished buildings; the .house being in imitation of those generally built by European gentlemen in the East." There are lots more accounts like this available. The book is available at the following URL http://books.google.com/books?id=bXNCAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA350&dq=James+Welsh+reminiscences+vol+ii&hl=en&ei=bbFJTN-lCNCl4QbWqvSZDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Thanks Jaacob and Nick for this excellent 'discussion' ! The perpetual unraveling of history....I suppose.

Hello Nick..Thanks for the extract ..greatly enjoyed reading it. I'm not too sure which college Col.Munro is referring to ..there could be two possibilities ...both of which are still around in the Kottayam of today . The first is the C.M.S College situated on a hill ..with an incomparable view of the surrounding tropical landscape ..Believe it or not , one of it's alumni went on to become President of India ( K.R. Narayanan 1997 -2002) .President Narayanan was a fellow diplomat and a good friend of my late cousin's . The second could well be the Syrian Orthodox Seminary , located just down the road, but on the banks of the River Meenachil ( referred to in "The God of Small Things' ) . Despite living in its vicinity , the only time I visited it , was with my mother in 1966 ..when we called on its Bishop in Charge ( who had been a junior of my now late father's at Presidency College , Madras, in the mid 1930s ) . Perhaps you should make a trip to those parts ..Kottayam has quite a few such giant seminaries and very old Orthodox and Anglican Cathedrals and Churches. An added incentive ..the world famous backwater resort of Kumarakom is just about 14 kms away ...

Hello Jaacob, I might be able to work out the location of the buildings for some other stuff I have. I will write a "discussion" on my blog about this area in the next few days, and I will put some other material I have on the people associated with this era and area. Do you come from the Trivandum area. It would be really great to work with you using your local knowledge to inform my search. You mention the Narayanan family. Do you know Professor M.G.S Narayanan, the eminent professor history at Calicut University? I was fortunate enough to be given an introduction to him when I was in India a few years ago. He took me to he campus and introduced me to several of the senior staff there. Unfortunately my time there was limited, but we have such a fascinating conversation. We were ranging around multiple periods, themes and topics. Before I went to India I had transcribed over 500 pages worth of documents from the 1795 to 1830 period by and about T H Baber's activities and reports on Malabar. They were full of names of places I couldn't find, and castes, social practices, beliefs etc. etc. which had names that I had no understanding or knowledge off. In some ways it was like reading all of those wondrous names and places in Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. He helped me enormously in an hour or so, patiently explaining what many of the names and words meant before taking me off to the university bookshop and pointing me in the right direction. I staggered out with a pile of the most useful books that have since afforded me many happy hours of reading. I am hoping to go out to Kerala again next January. Time and distance is always the challenge. I want to do a really serious field walk and survey of the town and fortifications around Tellicherry, Mahe and some of the locations north of Cannanore towards Mt Dili where I think there are early 18th century fieldworks and structures survive. I also want to follow my gt ... uncles route from 1823 route Beypore to Ooty. I have a really detailed description of the route written by him, and it is so accurate that I can trace it on Google Earth. In his 1823 report he records the changes in the villages forest and cultivation he saw since 1803 when he first travelled much of this route. I want to rewrite it. I think it is potentially quite an interest thing to use the very detailed colonial records to plot climate and man made change. This is already being done using the wind and weather observations from East India Company ships, and I believe it could be extended to EIC Records. I want to test this theory. Besides it is a good excuse to be a Mad Dog and an Englishman, out in the early morning sun. Sadly this isn't going to leave much time for going south. Did you see the post on India Britannica about the slendid official residence near Quilon that survives at Kollam. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392910&op=1&o=global&view=global&subj=150649025410&id=100000097583493#!/photo.php?pid=392920&op=1&o=global&view=global&subj=150649025410&id=100000097583493&fbid=141980855815166 Apparently it is an official guest house. It is the sort of place I would love to stay at just for the experience. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392910&op=1&o=global&view=global&subj=150649025410&id=100000097583493#!/photo.php?pid=392921&op=1&o=global&view=global&subj=150649025410&id=100000097583493&fbid=141980922481826 It is probably not far from the college we have been discussing. Nick Balmer

Hello Nick.. If that is the Quilon Residency , then I've stayed there . It was years ago, in mid 1969 , when I'd accompanied my late father , in his official capacity as the Chairman of the Cashew Export Promotion Council and the Indian Spices Board. It was a marvelous place ..chock a block with colonial era antiques , writing desks and old lithographs . The bedroom suites were gigantic ..with massive doors over 20 ft tall . Years later on my own official trip to Jaipur , I stayed at the Jaipur residency , that had just been converted into a 3 star hotel. The 'atmosphere' was quite similar to the Quilon Residency , where I'd stayed years back. As in the other case I had the entire place pretty much to myself ! To answer your question ..no I am not from the Trivandrum area , but from Kottayam . And yes I've made quite a few trips to Calicut to conduct a course at the Inst. of Management there. J.

Jaacob, There turns out to be a great deal about Quilon and the Kottayam College and the Syrian Church. Some of it is too long for a blog. Here for instance is an account of a visitation to Travancore and the surrounding districts by the Bishop of Madras George Spencer, D.D The pages from 80 onwards are particularly from your area. It describes the same building at Kollam you stayed in. Nick Balmer