Growse in Context

Authors

  • Margaret H. Case

Keywords:

Frederic Salmon Growse, Vraja, Mathura, Ramcaritmanas, Tulsidas, Hindi-Urdu debate, John Beames, colonial India, cultural preservation, Indian craftsmanship, indigenous architecture, Govindadeva temple, Vrindavan, Mathura museum, British administration, local artisans, Seths of Mathura, Gosvami Purushottam Lal, public works, Indo-European design, translation, colonial patronage

Abstract

This paper explores the career and cultural contributions of Frederic Salmon Growse, a British civil servant deeply involved in the documentation and preservation of Vraja heritage. Known for authoring Mathura: A District Memoir and translating Ramcaritmanas into English, Growse also championed indigenous architecture, artisanship, and Hindi over Urdu in colonial administration. Despite tensions with contemporaries like John Beames, he collaborated with local patrons and artisans to restore temples, build infrastructure, and establish the Mathura museum—efforts that reflected his deep respect for Indian culture and aimed to preserve Vraja’s sacred and artistic legacy.

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Published

1994-10-20

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (1994): Conference (Winter)

Section

Articles