Review - Ananda Ranga Pillai 'Pepys' of French India
By A. C. Banerjee
Summary
The review discusses Rao Saheb C. S. Srinivasachari’s book on Ananda Ranga Pillai, dubbed the ‘Pepys of French India’. Srinivasachari, an associate editor of the Journal of Indian History, synthesises material from the diarist’s private journals (1736–1761), letters and other contemporary records to create a continuous narrative of French India during the Carnatic Wars. The reviewer notes that the author provides a short biography of Ananda Ranga Pillai and enriches the text with a portrait of the diarist. Chapters outline the vicissitudes of French governors like Dupleix and Lally and include vivid accounts of sieges at Cuddalore and Pondicherry. The book also reproduces remarks by contemporaries such as Sir Shafaat Ahmad Khan, who commends the breadth and detail of the narrative. The reviewer praises the author for keeping the diarist’s observations as the core of the narrative while supplementing them with genealogies and notes from scholars. Although concise, the review highlights that the book contains an exhaustive index and a valuable map of Pondicherry, making it a useful reference for both scholars and general readers interested in colonial history of South India.
Conclusion
The reviewer commends Srinivasachari’s book for weaving Ananda Ranga Pillai’s diaries into a compelling history of French India. By supplementing the diarist’s narrative with scholarly notes, the work offers both an engaging story and a valuable resource for researchers of South Indian colonial history.