GRAHAM, Maria.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Journal of a Residence in India. First edition of this compelling travel narrative, in the original boards, and beautifully illustrated from the author's drawings. Covering "everything from flora and wildlife to Parsi theology and the daily routine of the Madras lady, it is a lively account of her stay in India" (ODNB). Lady Maria Graham (née Dundas, 1785-1842), a prolific author, traveller, and early art historian, made significant contributions to cross-cultural exchange between Britain and India during a critical period of colonial expansion. She accompanied her father, a naval officer, to India in 1808. During the voyage, she met her future husband, Lieutenant Thomas Graham, another naval officer. Her three years in India are documented in Journal of a Residence in India (1812) and Letters from India (1814), providing a vivid and nuanced narrative of Indian society, religion, and antiquities, particularly in Madras, Calcutta, and Ceylon. The present work includes "extensive descriptions and illustrations of her visits to the cave temples of Elephanta, Carli, and Canary, and the ancient city of Maliaballipooram" (ODNB).

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