Reading Information

Bernard S. Cohn, Cloth, Clothes and Colonialism, Colonialism and Its Forms of Knowledge

Overview

This chapter discusses about how the British extended their colonial authority to how the Indians were supposed to dress. The British quickly realized that “clothes are not just body coverings and matters of adornment, nor can they be understood only as metaphors of power and authority, nor as symbols; in many contexts, clothes literally are authority (Cohn, 114).” For example, a king taking off his robe and putting it on another person of lower authority is equivalent to the king his power to the subject. Another instance was regarding the issue of foot wearing. F.J. Shore, a judge in India, complained that “natives of rank walk into the rooms of Englishmen with their shoes on (Cohn, 133).” Shore also instructs sahibs to explain to Indians that “you can either take off your shoes or your urban, but I must insist on one or the other mark of civility if you wish me to receive your gifts (Cohn, 134). Efforts to repel these unusual dress codes were futile, as Bengali officials unsuccessfully petitioned the lieutenant-governor to allow the uncovering of the head in official occasions and places.

The climate also played a significant role in changing the way how the British dressed. “From the earliest days to the present, Europeans have viewed the Indian environment as dangerous (Cohn, 155).” Everything from the heat, strong sun rays, humidity, and odors of urine and feces were especially concerning to the Europeans. The way the British initially dressed was ironic considering their concern for clean, fresh air. British men and women would wear tight-fitting jackets, trousers and multiple layers of clothing. It was always a question as to ‘how was it that Indians could live and work in an atmosphere so highly dangerous to Europeans? (Cohn, 156).” However, Dr. Jefferies’ book The British Army in India: Its Preservation by an Appropriate Clothing revealed that traditional British attire accumulate and trap heat in the head and torso. This was a big concern for the British Army, as they had to navigate through terrain with similar climate conditions. Research and theory eventually dispelled the myth that white troops would never be able to withstand the tropical environment “in the noonday sun without their pith helmets and specially designed heavy protective clothing (Cohn, 160).” As a solution, the British simply dressed down and got rid of the pith helmets. They were soon able to work under the sun just as long as their Indian counterparts.

Keywords

1. khadi: handspun cloth that is made using a chakra (spinning wheel). It has its origins in Bangladesh and India. It was a main source of income for a huge portion of the native population.
2. khilat: the symbolic transfer of power when a king takes his robes off and puts it on his subject.
3. pagri: an alternate term for turban. It is a headdress that is usually worn by men and symbolizes royalty.

Argument

“Europeans did not have to conform to Indian custom, but Indians had to conform to European ideas of what was proper Indian behavior (Cohn, 134).” Also, the British would redefine Indian customs and label any departure from those customs as an act of disobedience or rebellion.

Evidence

In this chapter, Cohn references to many primary sources to support his claim and arguments. For instance, he uses Flora Annie Steel’s recommendation on how to stay cool and healthy in the Indian climate.

Historiographical Debate

The author uses Dr. Jefferies’ The British Army in India: Its Preservation by an Appropriate Clothing to reinforce his theory on how the British analyzed and changed the way they dressed in response to the harsh Indian climate.  The author also draws upon surgeon James Johnson’s reaction when he saw a dandi (Bengali boatman) on page 130. The British were shocked by how underdressed the Indians were, and sought to redefine this. The author also uses James Forbes Watson’s opinion on page 146 to reinforce the idea that British efforts to get the native population to buy more clothing could economically help manufacturers in Manchester.

Contribution to Our Understanding of Colonial Rule

The assigned text helped reinforce the idea that although the British emphasized the importance of military and political influence over the region, clothing has also contributed towards the British efforts to establishing stronger colonial control. In chapter 3, the author talked about how the British were able to rewrite Hindu law in terms that were favorable to them, and later administered them to white judges. I also think the concept of modern colonialism/imperialism goes hand in hand with chapter 5. Under traditional colonialism/imperialism, the Chinese believed that their civilizations were self-evident and superior to others around them. “Only in modern colonialism did this kind of ethnocentric arrogance take an aggressive expansionist turn (Osterhammel, 16).” The British took this a step further and sought to redefine the way Indians dressed. This was a clear example of modern colonialism. However, “the British also knew the dangers of too rapid a move out of the feudal stage (Cohn, 122).”