Centre for South Asian Studies

Description

Over the last decade or so historians have exposed the varied entanglements of animals and colonialism. But despite their ubiquitous presence in colonial India, the history of dogs remains largely unexplored. This paper examines how the British brought the trappings of Victorian dog keeping to India, including pedigree and pet dogs who they sought to adapt to the subcontinent. The British also imported anti-street dog attitudes and apparatus, unleashing round ups and culls of so-called ‘pariah’ dogs. They positioned them as living evidence of India’s supposed backwardness that needed careful management. Indians variously worked with and against the British, as dogs sparked conflict and exposed the extents and limits of colonial power.