Author: George F Atkinson
Publisher: Rupa
Year: 2005
Language: English
Pages: 155
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8171675735
Description
It is not, as the title suggests, a cookbook. It is a hilarious peep into life in a fictional mofussil of the Bengal province and is a must-read for anyone wanting to familiarize themselves quickly with the social milieu unique to those times of British landing in India..
Curry and Rice is not, as the title suggests, a cookbook. It is a hilarious peep into life in a fictional mofussil of the Bengal province. It is a very credible caricature of the social life of a motley bunch of ‘firangees’ including judges & magistrates, colonels, missionaries, padre, doctor and their colorful spouses and families. The book is a hugely entertaining account of their daily routines.
In attempting to set up home away from home, these men and women gave a whole new meaning to their typical social customs like tea and dinner parties, theatricals, ball room dancing, match making exercises, pig sticking and hunting events, band music, albeit in nineteenth century British India. Their attempt to recreate the English way of life, especially social life aided by the delightful presence of the Indian native as the nuwab, cloth merchant, gardener, orderly, cook et al really adds to this anecdotal tale about the goings-on in ‘Our Station’.
‘Curry and Rice’ is a must-read for anyone wanting to familiarize themselves quickly and effectively with the social milieu so unique to those times. It must have been a God-send for any Britisher landing in India, unaware of the peculiarities of this land and its people. And the book retains that flavor and relevance today as ever before.
Contents
Our Station
Our Judge
Our Judge’s Wife
Our magistrate’s Wife
Our Colonel
Our Colonel’s Wife
Our Padre
Our Joint Magistrate and Collector
Our Mall
Our German Missionary
Our Doctor
Our Doctor’s Wife
Our Invalid Major
Our Spins
Our Band
Our Races
Our Coffee-Shop
Our Bath
Our Sporting Griff
Our Moonshee
Our Burra Khanah
Our Pack of Hounds
Our Ball
Our Tiger-Shooting
Our Stage-Coaching
Our Agriculturists
Our Nuwab
Our Theatricals
Our Bazar
Our Bed Rood
Our Travelers Bungalow
Our Cook Room
Our Cloth Merchants
Our Pig-Sticking
Our Garden
Our Farm Yard
Our Wedding
Our Departure for Home