every ten years, the government decided, the houses of Indians would have to be numbered, to ensure no one was counted twice. But permanent numbering of Calcutta proved nearly impossible. Part of the problem was that no one could agree on what a “house” was. What constituted a home in Britain—a house or self-contained apartment—simply did not translate in India. Each room might contain a different family, and so would be given a different number. But what about a room divided by a rush mat between two families?
