Colonization refers to the military, economic, and political control of one state by another. The mid 1800’s onward saw a large influx of British citizens moving to colonial India. During this time, it became extremely common for the children of British officers to travel to India with their families or even be born there. Though racial barriers existed between the children of British descent and the Indian citizens, most British children were raised by Indian ayahs (or nurses). Often the children raised by the ayahs grew close to Indian culture in some way, learning the language and mannerisms.
Living in India certainly impacted young Mary. After her parents passed away from the cholera outbreak and she is forced to return to England, we see the discrepancy between Mary and her native country. Throughout the show she speaks Hindi and is frequently visited by her ayah as well as a Fakir (a Hindu religious ascetic). The show paints a picture of how living in India for such a length of time affected children of the era as well as exploring the intersection of the two cultures that comes from this immersion.
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Check out these links for more information on Colonial India, Secret Garden the novel, and more:
Effects of Colonialism on British Children