A Joint Enterprise: Indian Elites and the Making of British Bombay

Preeti Chopra’s ‘A Joint Enterprise’ is thoroughly researched and well written. Preeti Chopra writes that Bombay was built and controlled by both the colonial rulers and the Indian and European mercantile. She writes that the Indian architects, engineers and craftsman played a vital role in Bombay’s architecture - yet their contributions have largely been ignored.There is a chapter devoted to Murzban, an Indian engineer who played a significant role in the design and/ or supervision of the construction of many of Bombay’s public buildings.She writes that by the end of the nineteenth century, the Europeans in Bombay had taken a back seat to the wealthy ‘natives’ in Bombay.The book covers much more than the building and architecture of Bombay. I learnt a lot about the history of the people who lived there and how things evolved and changed. I learnt about the various communities and their contribution.

The British colonial legacy in India is vast, both in its material content and in its cultural contact. Unfortunately, little research has been done regarding it. Ms. Chopra's book is a major effort to dissect the various cultural strands that interacted during the colonial period to produce the architectural products in one particular city, Bombay. She does a superlative job in differentiating the various parties involved and also in comparing the outcome in Bombay relative to other cities in India. It would be wonderful if similar books would be developed for the remainder of India.

It was received just as described by the store. Super neat without any highlights. I'm glad.