The Travelling AYAHS OF THE RAJ

SEVERAL PROJECTS ARE MAPPING THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEYS OF SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN WHO WERE EMPLOYED AS AYAHS WITH BRITISH AND EUROPEAN FAMILIES IN THE 19TH CENTURY

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THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION around the adventurous women who travelled to India from Britain in the 19th century to seek a suitable spouse or to explore the region. However, little is known about another group of travelling women-the ayahs, who worked for British and European families. These women embarked on journeys across various landscapes and territories of the Empire, encountering multiple geographical, social, and economic conditions.

During the colonial period, the term "ayah" referred to the caregivers responsible for looking after children in European households in India. The British mistresses, also known as "memsahibs," depended greatly on these women, who also carried out additional duties. The ayahs from the subcontinent, a mobile workforce, played a significant role in the Empire's story.

MISSING STORIES

However, finding information about these travelling women and their stories is challenging. While working as a Research Assistant for the project "Ayahs and Amahs: Transcolonial Servants in Australia and Britain 1780-1945," Avantika Binani discovered these women merely appeared as insignificant characters in the broader colonial discourse, often spotted lingering in the background of a royal painting or nursing a toddler.