Times and places

In this book, I discuss possible sites of interaction and change in a diverse and divided environment, colonial Calcutta, choosing examples mainly between 1780 and 1830. 1 The place and period connote Indians and Europeans together in a newly growing town. A common way of looking at their situation is as an encounter, making difference the theme. But there are underlying questions about the kinds of meeting that occurred. Either people are aware of difference but assume similarities, or they are aware of similarities but assume difference; responses vary. The British came to India with preconceptions about themselves and about India but, contrary to some accounts, these were neither uniform nor fixed between individuals and in history. The British could be receptive to and appreciative of Indian ways, or hostile and dismissive. The same was true, in reverse, of Indians. It is not wise to generalise.