“When the Sahib Hated Holi: Viscount Valentia’s 1803 Varanasi Journal”, DharmaDispatch, 10 Oct 2026.

“AT FOUR in the evening of March 7, 1803, Viscount Valentia sights Varanasi from his palanquin and was “highly delighted with the view of this seat of the Hindoo religion, covering the opposite concave bank of the river. The minarets were most conspicuous.” It had taken him exactly a month’s travel from Calcutta by river and road to reach the Avimukta Kshetra. Today, it is a drive of thirteen hours, a one-hour flight from Calcutta to Varanasi.

Valentia does not enter Kashi but bypasses its gates, crosses the Raj Ghat and two miles later, reaches Secrole (Sikraul), now part of the Varanasi Cantt area. He is as usual, comfortably accommodated in the bungalow of General Deare who is away on some official work. Dinner is awaiting him and so is Brigade-Major Maxwell.

Deare is absent the next day as well and Maxwell and Neave (a senior judge of circuit and appeal, and “agent to his Excellency the Governor-General”) fawn over Valentia. They have breakfast with him and wait on him and make arrangements “concerning my visits to the princes.” Valentia found the extensive fawning to be “most flattering.” Then he learns a valuable lesson in local etiqutte: “according to the custom…the stranger should pay the first visit.” However, back in Calcutta, Wellesley had instructed him otherwise: the East India Company was now the Master Race both in Bengal and the Upper Provinces. And so, Valentia politely declines the arrangements and instead, “expressed my wish to be introduced to the different gentlemen resident here, and I would certainly return their visits.” The night of March 8 ends with a lavish dinner party to which these gentlemen are invited….”

Read the full article at DharmaDispatch.