Document Raj – Writing and Scribes in Early Colonial South India

“Document Raj is an outstanding book. Bhavani Raman explores, with depth and insight, the ‘small’ world of the Tamil cutcherry in the early nineteenth century. However, by so doing, she opens up large questions about the colonial encounter in India, the transformation of knowledge and learning, and the nature of the bureaucratic state. She uses a wide range of sources, many in the vernacular and several not previously available in the public domain, and writes with elegance and clarity. The result is a major contribution that establishes a paradigm around which scholarly discussions are likely to take place for years to come.”

–David Washbrook, Trinity College, University of Cambridge (4/26/2012 12:00:00 AM)

“Document Raj breaks new ground in South Asian history. Raman’s imaginative investigations into the workings of the East India Company’s district offices in colonial Madras provide a powerful analysis of the critical role that scribal cultures played in enabling the Raj to operate as a vast writing machine. Original in its approach, this book will reinvigorate debates about the nature and consequences of colonial rule in the subcontinent.”–Dipesh Chakrabarty, University of Chicago (4/26/2012 12:00:00 AM)

“Document Raj is a novel and compelling analysis of the role paper played in the formation of the early colonial state in India.”
–Hayden J. Bellenoit “American Historical Review”