Women of the Raj : the mothers, wives, and daughters of the British Empire in India

In the nineteenth century, at the height of colonialism, the British ruled India under a government known as the Raj. British men and women left their homes and traveled to this mysterious, beautiful country–where they attempted to replicate their own society. In this fascinating portrait, Margaret MacMillan examines the hidden lives of the women who supported their husbands’ conquests–and in turn supported the Raj, often behind the scenes and out of the history books. Enduring heartbreaking separations from their families, these women had no choice but to adapt to their strange new home, where they were treated with incredible deference by the natives but found little that was familiar. The women of the Raj learned to cope with the harsh Indian climate and ward off endemic diseases; they were forced to make their own entertainment–through games, balls, and theatrics–and quickly learned to abide by the deeply ingrained Anglo-Indian love of hierarchy. Weaving interviews, letters, and memoirs with a stunning selection of illustrations, MacMillan presents a vivid cultural and social history of the daughters, sisters, mothers, and wives of the men at the center of a daring imperialist experiment–and reveals India in all its richness and vitality. The Apparent Glamour Of The Indian Raj Continues To Fascinate Long After The British Quit The Subcontinent. But Along With The Beauty Of The Indian Landscape And The Privilege Of Servants And Holidays In Hill Stations, British Women In That Vanished World Faced Challenges And Fears That Came From Being An Alien Ruling Minority. It Was Their Role To Support The Men’s Work, Raise The Children And Attempt To Replicate British Society Thousands Of Miles From Home. They Struggled In The Face Of Heat, Illness, Loneliness And Boredom As Well As Different Customs, Languages And Religions. The Distinguished Historian And Bestselling Author Margaret Macmillan, Drawing On Letters And Memoirs, Novels And Interviews, Brings Vividly To Life Their Experiences – Humdrum, Extraordinary, Light-hearted, Tragic – Through The Century Of The Raj, From The 1850s To Indian Independence In 1947. Margaret Macmillan. Previous Edition: 1988. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 289-305) And Index. The apparent glamour of the Indian Raj continues to fascinate long after the British quit the subcontinent. But along with the beauty of the Indian landscape and the privilege of servants and holidays in hill stations, British women in that vanished world faced challenges and fears that came from being an alien ruling minority. These women were at the heart of the imperial enterprise. It was their role to support the mens work, raise the children and attempt to replicate British society thousands of miles from home. They struggled in the face of heat, illness, loneliness and boredom as well as different customs, languages and religions. The distinguished historian and bestselling author Margaret MacMillan, drawing on letters and memoirs, novels and interviews, brings vividly to life their experiences humdrum, extraordinary, light-hearted, tragic at the height of the Raj, from the 1850s to Indian independence in 1947. Looking at Britain's involvement in India over three and a half centuries, but particularly the period of empire from the 1850s to 1947, the author recreates the role of the women of the Raj from their own letters and memoirs, from novels, and from interviews with survivors. The text is complemented by a wide-ranging selection of contemporary illustrations--Synopsis from Amazon UK site A new edition of this vivid cultural and social history of the daughters, sisters, mothers and wives of the men at the centre of a daring imperialist experiment, revealing India in all its richness and vitality.