The Himalaya Club: and Other Entertainments from the Raj

by John Lang

'Mrs Merrydale went off with Lieutenant Maxwell, leaving her children under the care of the servants, until her husband came to take them away. Mrs Hastings, who used to bore us about the duties of a wife, carried off that silly boy Stammersleigh. These elopements led to two actions in H.M. Supreme Court of Calcutta...' Born in Australia in 1816, John Lang-novelist, newspaper editor and barrister, now best known for having defended the Rani of Jhansi in court against the British East India Company-spent a large part of his life in India, and died in Mussoorie in 1864. A keen traveller and observer of human nature, Lang was also a raconteur par excellence. 'The Himalaya Club and Other Entertainments from the Raj' brings together a selection of Lang's sketches of life in nineteenth-century British India-the scandals of the summer season in Mussoorie; a farcical court-martial conducted in the sweltering Indian summer; the curious case of an inebriated valet occupying Lord Jamleigh's bed in Bijnore; sundry diversions in Kussowlie and Simlah; and a hilarious account of Lang's drunken travels in the interiors of Kumaon with a party of Europeans. Writing with a storyteller's flair, extraordinary attention to detail, and with a waspish sense of humour, John Lang brings to life the early years of the British Raj as few other writers have.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Travel

152 pages, Paperback

First published May 7, 2015

About the author

Born in Australia in 1816, John Lang - novelist, newspaper editor and barrister, now best known for having defended the Rani of Jhansi in court against the British East India Company - spent a large part of his ife in India, and died in Mussoorie in 1864. A keen traveller and observer of human nature, Lang was also a raconteur par excellence.

His grave was found after much tribulations in the cemetry on Camelsback Road in Mussoorie by none other than the ace writer Ruskin Bond himself.

Reviews

[Vikas Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of writings brings together Lang's sketches of nineteenth century India with a clear bias towards the native Indians. The writings paint a picture of India that was terribly corrupt, had poor infrastructure and few enjoying the best of life. We also get to read humorous account of the eccentricities of the Brit posted here and the farcical proceedings of court martial and courts.

[Arup Guha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a splendid book. Very short but very sharp range of observations by an Australian staying and working in India during the bwitish raj. Incidentally he was also the lawyer of the rani of jhansi. This is not an ethnographic analysis, its one person’s view of a short period of his life in upper India. Its filled with amusing incidents and piquant observations. Life in shimla and musoorie, traveling in the himalayas, the amount of nature present in those days, life of administrators and military officers are some of the items covered. One recurrent theme is the lack of investment in India by the British which is considered frustrating by the lower British and the foreigners alike. Another remarkable fact in the book is the age and quality of military leadership in India, something soon to be tested in the 1857 war of independence. Highly entertaining read fit for all.

[Anshul · Rating 4 out of 5]

'A chhota peg of sinful delight'- as Jerry Pinto puts it

The Himalaya Club and Other Entertainments from the Raj is a collection of personal accounts by John Lang, an Australian novelist, newspaper editor and barrister during his sojourns in the mid 19th century.
As my own personal journey goes on to dig deep into the intimate lives of Raj, this one provided an excellent insight, extraordinary in details albeit filled with a humorous tone describing such a way of life in the upper province of British India— oh, and a foreword by Ruskin Bond (always as enchanting)

A rating of 4.25/5.0 for me.

[Pragya · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like reading stories from British India whether they are serious and historical or fun and entertaining. This book looked promising on the face of it. I hoped to find some interesting observation of the british high life in India by an english writer. The four short stories did surprise me at a couple of places where a British point of view of the Indian society clearly seemed very different from what I have usually read before by mostly Indian authors of the time of the Raj. But that was all there was to it. I found the narration tedious and boring and the topics uninteresting.

[DS Chauhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

"For young men were vitimized, two duels were fought, there were two elopements.Mrs Merrydale went off with Lieutenant Maxwell, leaving her children under the care of servants" - British Life in 1850's in the himalayas to escape the summer of plains.

[Soumya Kundu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caricature of British social life in India. Prose is tedious at times but there are some interesting and humorous anecdotes.

[GrabAsia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book on life in British India. The fictional stories appear very real.

[Amrendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This being a book on the Raj set in 1850s, essentially captures the life of the hill stations; Mussoorie where the Himalaya Club (still existing as a hotel, go surf) existed and Simla where the Governor General / C-i-C lived. The book tells of the club life - billiards, balls, dining etc. There are references to duels and elopements and attempts to curry favour with the Gov. General at Simla by the officers' wives. The chapter 'Military Matters' tells of a long drawn and tedious court martial proceeding on a trifle brawl between two officers.

In 'The Himalayas', the author, his German and French friend and a magistrate friend set out from Mussoorie to Almora with a retinue of 125 men and all camp bearings including tents and bedsteads. Reaching Almora after shooting game enroute, the author and the magistrate separate from the German and the French who venture further up, while the author and the magistrate visit another magistrate at Bijnor. There they witness court proceedings and spend a few days at the magistrate's bungalow. Finally, the author leaves for Ambala with the English speaking boy Shamshir. The book describs life in Ambala Cantonment - hot days, how ice is made, woes of a thick uniform coat in hot days and how young officers prefer to stay awake on cool nights.

The book is more of a narrative work that definitely wont please all as it lacks drama and a plot. However, for the readers in love with all things of the Raj, this book offers a novel take that is so unlike the more read Kipling and Corbett. And therein lies its beauty.

[Prachi Chitnis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book takes us back into the India of 1850s, when the Himalayas were virgin and unspoilt. I loved the descriptions of the people and the culture in the British Raj. John Lang makes an interesting allusion to using the lower Himalayas for tea estates. Equally interesting is the visit by Indian doctor, the visit of Lord Jamesleigh, the life in "Umballah" military station, the dry court proceedings.
It gives a first-hand view of how the Raj perceived India, and lived here.

[Divya Pal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quaint tales from the Raj. India seemed to represent intoxication, infidelity, indiscipline, ineptitude and indolence. The whimsical spellings of Indian cities are charming e.g., Umballah (interestingly the railway code for Ambala Cantt. Station is still UMB), Kussowlie (Kasauli), Simlah, Deyhra Dhoon, Demooltee (Dhanaulti), Bhagaruttee, Gungootrie, Teree (Tehri), Srinugger etc.

[Akhilesh Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked it a lot, mostly because of its British raj setting.