What was life like in British India?
There was a good and bad side both to life under the British Empire in India. From a historical point of view a very good portrayal of this time is well illustrated by the life of my Great Grand Father, Baba Shib Dayal Bedi. His life would actually exhibit the rise of Indians who actually were successful in the period of the British Raj after the first war of independence in 1857. He was born in a small village in United Punjab in 1874. His father’s name was Baba Ulaas Rai Bedi. They were descended from the linage of Baba Laxmi Chand, Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s youngest son. They held land holdings in the Village of Pousi which had been present since the time of Emperor Akbar some 250 years before. They lived in an ancient walled house, with extended family. My Great Grand Father who was very good in Farsi and Indian history finished his schoolings. At the age of 16 his father and mother passed away from illness which the local Hakim and Ved could not remedy. We have long believed this w...