Cartography in Colonial India

This article examines some aspects of surveying and mapping in 19th century colonial India. It shows that the emergence of modern cartographic representation in India is intimately linked to the colonial project of conquest, rule and administration. After examining the early mapping efforts in the later half of the 18th century, the paper then focuses on the three major surveys the topographical, the trignometrical and the revenue surveys that were carried out, and which were all crucial to mapping India.