Civilizing Mission and Colonial Lunatic policy:A Study based on British Malabar
Authors : Shaju Mon E. KAbstract
This paper attempts to look into the colonial lunatic policy and civilizing mission in India into the experience of British Malabar. In this paper, initially the attempt is made to understand the concepts of mad-business and developments of lunatic asylum in different perspectives and historic contexts. In Indian the concepts ‘lunatic asylum’ was introduced and controlled by the Christian missionaries. Later, during the time of Dalhousie, the British government changes their previous laze fair policy and undertakes the control of made business in India. During this time the British government established more lunatic asylums in different parts of India and appoints the medical surgeons and other government officials to drive the institutions. The history of the lunatic asylum of Calicut was not exempt into this. The lunatic asylum of Calicut was opened for the patients of British civil servants, especially British army. Later non-British and civilians were admitted. During the years of 1874 the British government ordered the Sanitary Commission, Commissioner of Police, the District Magistrates, the registered Medical Surgeons and Medical Officers were the official visitors of the lunatic asylums. The scholars observe that the appointment of the medical surgeons and other government officials did not signify the entry of medical science or supervision in to the house of madness, but that of the fixation of a particular figure or personality and power structure in practically. They were considered as the representatives of the scientific knowledge and this scientific knowledge was the by-product of the European enlightenment and renaissance. In these perspectives, through these lunatic asylums the Company government indirectly installed their socio-cultural predominance in India. And it is visible that the central theme of the lunatic asylums and the Christian Missionaries were parallel in its nature and principles. Both are intended to correct the human condition from savage mentality to gentle mannerism.
Key words: Lunatic Asylum- Civilizing Mission- Christian Missionaries- Mad business- Discipline and Punishments
