Spying for the Raj: The Pundits and the Mapping of the Himalaya

Stewart, Jules

ISBN 10: 0750942002 / ISBN 13: 9780750942003

Editore: Sutton, 2006

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Codice articolo S_406018724

Dati bibliografici

• Titolo: Spying for the Raj: The Pundits and the Mapping of the Himalaya
• Editore: Sutton
• Data di pubblicazione: 2006
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 0750942002
• ISBN 13: 9780750942003
• Rilegatura: paperback
• Condizione: Good

Descrizione articolo

Riassunto

From the early nineteenth century, Imperial Russian expansion threatened the increasing British dominance of India. In the 1860s, Captain Thomas Montgomerie hit on the idea of training natives from Indian border states to be surveyors, and have them explore the region covertly. Disguised as traders of Buddhist monks, the Pundits taught themselves to count their own paces and to walk at exactly 2,000 paces to the mile, whether uphill, downhill or on level ground. They were taught the use of sextant and compass, to navigate by the stars and to calculate altitudes by observing the boiling point of water. These loyal servants of the Raj, for personal prestige, the opportunity of employment or the sheer love of adventure displayed an extraordinary dedication to their British employers. Despite their precautions and tricks, some of them were sent back, imprisoned or tortured. Even so, they managed to map the Himalaya, Tibet and surrounding areas with remarkable precision, thereby helping the British to consolidate their rule in the Indian subcontinent.

Product Description

An exceptional copy; fine in an equally fine dw. Particularly and surprisingly well-preserved; tight, bright, clean and especially sharp-cornered. Literally as new.206 pages; Physical description. : xii, 206 p. , [16] p. Of plates : ill. , maps, ports. ; 24 cm. Subject: Brahmans - India - History - 19th century. Intelligence service - India - History - 19th century. Spies - India - History - 19th century. Espionage - India - History - 19th century. Himalaya Mountains - Discovery and exploration - British. India - History - British occupation, 1765-1947. Himalaya Mountains - Surveys - History - 19th century. Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 195-198) and index. Summary: A pundit (or pandit) is a Hindu Brahmin who has memorised a substantial portion of the Hindu scriptures. In the second half of the nineteenth century, however, the term was used to denote native surveyors, who explored regions to the north of India for the British Raj. The British initially sent army officers to map these countries, but the task was fraught with danger. In the 1860s, Captain Thomas Montgomerie realised that the solution was to train natives from Indian border states to be surveyors, and have them explore the region covertly. These men, known as pundits, were disguised as traders or lamas (holy men). This is the first book devoted to these servants of the Raj who managed to map the Himalayas, Tibet and surrounding areas with remarkable precision, thereby helping the British to consolidate their rule in the Indian sub-continent.