India in 1872: As Seen by the Siamese

The foreign accounts of India—the Greek, Chinese, Arab and European are well known. The book presents, for the first time, a hitherto unknown account of India as given by the Siamese (Thai). An attempt has been made to delineate the rare insights in Indian history as gleaned in course of extensive travels of the Siamese delegation in India under the leadership of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1872. In the first part of the monograph, ten independent chapters offer an in-depth critical study of the Siamese perception of post-mutiny India. The global contexts and the unprecedented nature of this journey are focused in the first two chapters. The following chapter presents a micro-history of India for forty-seven days in 1872 when the Siamese delegation visited seven cities of India. Indian and British impressions about the Siamese King, diplomatic nuances, the war game in Delhi, the royal Siamese researches on 1857, encounters with Buddhist India form the subjects of successive chapters. Chapter 9 probes into the intellectual history of India and Thailand, making an attempt to link the Young Bengal movement with the Young Siam. In the concluding chapter, the effects of Indian journey on Siam have been briefly discussed. In the second part, twelve separate sections provide contemporary newspaper materials and archival sources including Major Sladen’s Report which enable the readers to visualise the significance and magnitude of Siamese perception of India. The monograph is an indispensable work for every one interested in the study of nineteenth century Indian history, society, religious and cultural conditions and intellectual horizons. It also sheds new light on the beginnings of Indo-Thai diplomatic and cultural relations.