: What the letters from colonial India’s first archaeologist to his assistant reveal about his work #IndiaNEWS At its height, the British empire covered about three-fifths of the subcontinent; the

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What the letters from colonial India’s first archaeologist to his assistant reveal about his work #IndiaNEWS
At its height, the British empire covered about three-fifths of the subcontinent; the rest was ruled by Indian princes. The colonial stereotype of the “ignorant natives� was extended to these princes, in spite of the fact that some of them had readily agreed to take measures to preserve the historical heritage in their domain, often in collaboration with British officers. The nature of the political relationship between the British and the princely Durbars varied from state to state, and the Political Agents and archaeologists played important roles in the interface with them. The Maharaja of Dhar agreed to contribute toward conservation work at Mandu, Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior toward the Jaina buildings in the Gwalior fort, and the Nizam of Hyderabad toward the Ajanta caves. Shahjahan Begum (r 1868-1901), the ruler of Bhopal, was a cultured and learned woman whose scholarly interests were reflected in the book she wrote in Urdu on the history of Bhopal. The book included a description of the ruins of Sanchi and the Begum contributed financially toward the conservation work at the site. Her successor, Sultan Jahan, continued to provide substantial financial support for the work and it is for this reason that John Marshall’s volumes, The Monuments of Sanchi, are dedicated...Read more

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