'It is the history of the whole monstrous institution in one volume…' states author and historian, William Dalrymple about his latest release, The Anarchy. This book looks at the sweeping story of the onset of colonialism across the entire region (South Asia) over two hundred years. If you want a fresh perspective to a history which has been “so muddied by Victorian and Indian nationalists” then get your hands on a copy for a refreshing insight on the age-old story.

Through his research, the author discovers that it was this money that later financed the conquest of British India, “through the loans they granted to the East India Company.” The Anarchy hits the stands across cities today. The book also takes a brutally honest look at the communities of traders and bankers who used the hundi system to facilitate the movement of money and revenue. The book talks about the degree to which the company was helped by the Marwari community of traders and bankers, especially the Jagat Seths who were Oswal Jain bankers from Jodhpur state,” adds Dalrymple. The degree to which it was facilitated by the Indian financial class, especially the Marwari bankers of Calcutta and Benares is what enabled it to take over. “There’s no way a bunch of foreign merchants with no military might could take over India. The narrative reveals that the history of the company was not only a story of conquest it also showcases the dark secrets that people preferred to overlook.

Book on the east india company