British Indian Interactions

Nainital In Himalayas

Attracted by exotic spices and jewels of India, the British arrived in India more than two hundred years ago. Thus began an exchange of cultures and civilizations that has changed the world ever since then. India lies at the extreme eastern end of the ancient Indo-European language speakers of the world, whereas, Great Britain and Ireland are at the extreme western end. Traditionally, India is also the eastern extremity of the Caucasian races while Great Britain the western one. Indians are however, a fairly even mix of three of the major races of our planet – Caucasians, Mongoloids and the Australoids (an ancient branch of the Negroid races that migrated eastwards out of West Africa) – with the Caucasian strain dominating in the north-west, the mongoloid in the north-east and Australoid in South – a mix that began in ancient times due to the fertile lands and moderate climate of India as described in another blog of mine:

 http://alienaccount.blogspot.com

After the British arrived in India, they stayed and ruled over the country for more than two hundred years. In this period perhaps the greatest cultural exchange of modern history began. The British breakfast and language has become a permanent part of many Indian households whereas the Chicken tikka and curry a part of many British dinners. British wear the Indian Pajama at night while many Indians wear the British trouser during the day. When Queen Victoria, inspired by the Himalayan goddess Parvati, chose white as the color of her wedding gown, that color became the color of wedding gown of most British women. This is described in more detail in my book – The Babaji Affair- and another blog.

It was not merely a mixing of cultures but also a physical one so that one of ancestors from my mother’s side seems to be of European origin  (A blue blooded Free Mason Britisher perhaps but a family secret locked in our DNA and family resemblances) whereas the British Prince William is a direct descendant of a feisty and pure blooded Indian lady, that perhaps gave Princess Diana, his mother, some of the gait and looks of the robust North-Western Indian rural lady. Today’s newspaper described that even Cameron is an Indian descendant. I had for long felt, by looking at him, that he bears a distinct resemblance to some from the Bengali community of North India, the same puffed up cheeks with which the Bengali round many vowels. There are numerous other famous and ordinary Indian as well British personalities with origins from each others country, that would be tedious to mention here.

Those who believe in spirituality, believe that many British who were born or died in India were reborn as Indians in Indian homes. Most certainly some behave as one, making someone (I forget the source) to remark that there are some Indians who are more British than the British. Some towns in India that came up during British times bear a distinct British Stamp. One of these is Nainital, the town of my childhood, on which I have an entire blog –
http://nainitalgoddess.blogspot.com

One of many stories of Anglo- Indian friendship here: https://twitter.com/BBCNewsAsia/status/679141858593771521