Dean Mahomed, a fascinating historical figure, was the first Indian to publish a book in English and established England's first Indian restaurant. The podcast explores his various careers and discusses the challenges faced by European soldiers in India. It also delves into his experiences as an outsider in his own home and his ambivalent relationship with the East India Company.
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Quick takeaways
Dean Mahomed became the first Indian to publish a book in English and established England's first Indian restaurant.
The Bengal army, trained using European methods, played a crucial role in the East India Company's colonization of India.
Deep dives
Life and Career of Dean Muhammad
Dean Muhammad, born in 1759, had a fascinating life with multiple careers. He became the first Indian to publish a book in English and established England's first Indian restaurant. Born into a changing power structure in India, Dean Muhammad's family had to navigate loyalty to the Mughal Empire or the East India Company. He joined the Bengal army and witnessed the company's efforts to seize control of India. The Indian soldiers, known as Sepoys, played a crucial role in the company's military presence. Dean Muhammad's journey with the army included periods of combat, interactions with European officers, and his own promotions.
The Bengal Army's Expanding Influence
The Bengal army, established by the English East India Company, grew in size and power. It became the largest of the company's three armies, with Indian soldiers recruited from different religious backgrounds. Indian infantry units were trained using European methods and weaponry, granting them an advantage in battles against other Indian armies. The Bengal army's expanding military presence allowed England to extend its control in India. However, this colonization and exploitation had complex consequences for Indians, including the ambivalent experiences of individuals like Dean Muhammad.
Dangers and Challenges in the Bengal Army
Dean Muhammad's time in the Bengal army was not without danger and challenges. The army faced resistance from local communities as they demanded taxes and provisions. Violent conflicts sometimes erupted, and soldiers faced risks during various campaigns. Dean Muhammad's personal account highlights instances of kidnapping and battles fought against previously supportive individuals. The army's presence, organization, and military strategies played pivotal roles in the East India Company's efforts to colonize India.
Dean Muhammad's Departure from the Army
Dean Muhammad's journey in the Bengal army eventually came to an end when his mentor, Godfrey Evan Baker, resigned after facing serious allegations. Rather than staying in the army without Baker, Dean Muhammad chose to resign as well. Their departure marked the conclusion of a chapter of their lives and led them to set sail for Cork, Ireland in 1784. The next chapter of Dean Muhammad's life would take place in Europe, as he continued to explore new opportunities and experiences.
Dean Mahomed was in northeastern India in 1759, and he had a life of unique experiences, starting with becoming part of the entourage of Anglo-Irish soldier Godfrey Evan Baker.
Research:
Bartlett, James. “Dean Mahomet: travel writer, curry entrepreneur and shampooer to the king.” History Ireland. Issue 5. September/October 2007. https://www.historyireland.com/dean-mahomet-travel-writer-curry-entrepreneur-and-shampooer-to-the-king/
Carpenter, Gerald. “The Travels of Dean Mahomet, The Travels of Dean Mahomet, a Native of Patna in Bengal, through Several Parts of India, while in the Service of the Honourable The East India Company. Written by Himself, in a Series of Letters to a Friend.” The Literature of Autobiographical Vol. 2. Diaries and Letters.
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Mahomet, Dean. “The Travels of Dean Mahomet: An Eighteenth-Century Journey through India.” Edited with an introduction and biographical essay by Michael H. Fisher. Berkeley: University of California Press, http://ark.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft4h4nb20n/
Mahomet, Sake Deen. “Shampooing, or, Benefits resulting from the use of the Indian medicated vapour bath, as introduced into this country, by S.D. Mahomed, (a native of India) : containing a brief but comprehensive view of the effects produced by the use of the warm bath, in comparison with steam or vapour bathing : also a detailed account of the various cases to which this healing remedy may be applied, its general efficacy in peculiar diseases, and its success in innumerable instances, when all other remedies had been ineffectual : to which is subjoined an alphabetical list of names (many of the very first consequence,) subscribed in testimony of the important use & general approval of the Indian method of shampooing.” Brighton, Casey & Baker. 1826. https://archive.org/details/b22374632/
Mixed Museum. “Sake Dean Mahomed and Jane Daly.” https://mixedmuseum.org.uk/amri-exhibition/sake-dean-mahomed-and-jane-daly/
Narain, Mona. “Dean Mahomet’s Travels , Border Crossings, and the Narrative of Alterity.” SEL Studies in English Literature 1500-1900, Volume 49, Number 3, Summer 2009. https://doi.org/10.1353/sel.0.0070
O’Connell, Ronan. “Sake Dean Mahomed: the Muslim trailblazer who opened London's first curry house.” National News. 2/6/2022. https://www.thenationalnews.com/travel/destinations/2022/02/06/sake-dean-mahomet-the-muslim-trailblazer-who-opened-londons-first-curry-house/
Panigrahi, Tanutrushna. “Revisiting the Narrative Powers of the Global South through The Travels of Dean Mahomet.” Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities. https://dx.doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v12n3.25
Satapathy, Amrita. “The Idea of England in Eighteenth-Century Indian Travel Writing.” CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture. Purdue University. Vol. 14, Issue 2, June 2012.
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