Colonial and Post-Colonial India novels

[asdf76]

Hi guys
For a school work i have to write a project on three book and most importantly compare them. So I thought of novels which are set in India during British Raj.
Till now i have found A passage to India. Since it resolves around rassicme and the impossibility of indian- british friendship, I am looking for 2 more novels with the same themes.
do you have any sugguesston for me? That would be great !

Thanks in advance
asdf76

[prendrelemick]

Check out Kim, by Rudyard Kipling.

[Whifflingpin]

Try "Sea of Poppies" by Amitav Ghosh

[lupe]

"Heat and Dust", by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala; an excellent description of India society during British Raj, and a fascinating story...

[blazeofglory]

Salmon Rushdie is unbeatable

[Phaedra's Love]

"Heat and Dust", by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala; an excellent description of India society during British Raj, and a fascinating story...

I thought of that one as well, but I didn't like it at all! The Nawab is quite a character though.

[wessexgirl]

What about The Jewel in the Crown by Paul Scott? Or the Booker winning The Siege of Krishnapur by J.G.Farrell?

[JBI]

Columbia university has put out a number of big publications in recent years, I think I'll check some out when I have time, though I confess I read Indian texts more for Sanskrit religious texts than for contemporary works.

[PSRemeshChandra]

the novels Coolie and Untouchables will most suit your purpose.

Since you are interested in the colonial and post-colonial India novels and other useful books, it would be good for you to go through the following authors and books of that times.

A Passage To India, E.M.Forster. Novel.
The Wonder That Was India, E.L.Basham.
Autobiography Of An Unknown Indian, Nirad C.Chowdhury.

Bankim Chandra Chatterji's novel Ananda Madtam.

R.K.Narayan's novels set in the imaginary town of Malgudi just like Thomas Hardy's Wessex: Swami And Friends, Bachelor Of Arts, The Financial Expert, The Guide, Waiting For The Mahatma.

Mulk Raj Anand's novels: Coolie, Untouchable, The Woman And The Cow.

Raja Rao's novels: Kanthapura, The Serpent And The Rope, The Cat And Shakespeare.

[KilgoreT]

Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie is the story of India's independence (although a good deal of the book takes place still under British rule). Not sure if it is exactly what you are looking for but it has several interesting parts regarding British/Indian relationships and the maturing Indian state.

[kelby_lake]

I agree about Jewel in The Crown. It's part of a trilogy.

[aliengirl]

Hi guys
For a school work i have to write a project on three book and most importantly compare them. So I thought of novels which are set in India during British Raj.
Till now i have found A passage to India. Since it resolves around rassicme and the impossibility of indian- british friendship, I am looking for 2 more novels with the same themes.
do you have any sugguesston for me? That would be great !

Thanks in advance
asdf76

As you have decided to work on novels set in India during British Raj 'Kanthapura' by Raja Rao and 'Waiting for Mahatma' by R.K. Narayan would be the best in my opinion. Both the novels have similar themes and hence you can compare them easily. You have already chosen 'A Passage to India'...a great choice.

Good Luck! :)

[kasie]

I agree about Jewel in The Crown. It's part of a trilogy.

There's 'fourth' part, an independent novel that picks up on a couple of minor characters in Jewel, called Staying On - it relates what happened to the couple when they decided to stay in India after the Raj ended. It's a touching story, showing how a British couple who had devoted their whole life to India felt when they became 'redundant' yet felt they still belonged in the country they loved.

Rumer Godden writes about the India of the Raj: Kingfishers Catch Fire is set in Kashmir - I have wanted to go there ever since I read it. Black Narcissus was made into a rather sensational film - the book is much better, imo - and the prequel, In This House of Brede, while set in England, explains how the situation in Black Narcissus came about and depicts how people felt about 'service ' in the Raj.

btw - thank you, PSRemeshChandra, for that list of recommended authors - just what I have been looking for!

[kelby_lake]

The film of Black Narcissus is brilliant :D