Letter from Marie Seton to Ronald and Helene Moody, addressed from Bombay

Description

This letter mainly relates to Marie Seton's arrival in India and her impressions of Bombay. She reflects on Bombay, the people, attitudes, and customs there, including a reference to the celebration of the autumn festival in schools. She refers to Indian attitudes to Europeans and her own attitude to the Europeans she travelled to India with. Seton provides a reprisal of her encounter with the Nawab of Chhatari and her impressions of him. She also reflects on her experiences in Egypt and her father and mother's connections with the Raj (her father served in the British army in India). She briefly mentions Gandhi, Krishna Menon, and Tendulkar, and refers again to the celebration of the autumn festival in schools. She tells Moody more of her thoughts about the Nawab of Chhatari and the new Indian society, expressing regret that in India there is an apparent desire to tear apart men like the Nawab of Chhatari and Krishna Menon who 'is loathed and misrepresented' except by Nehru and Tendulkar (Gandhi's biographer). She states that she is able to function in India without important people pulling strings for her and gives details about her experience of living in Sushila's house.

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