“Colonial administrators found ‘vernacular’ novels a valuable source of information on native life and customs.” Prove the statement by giving three pieces of evidence.

1. The novels written in different Indian languages often contained descriptions of domestic life. The British, as outsiders, knew little about life inside Indian households and the novels therefore increasingly became a great source of information for the colonizers.

2. Information from these vernacular novels provided insights that were of immense importance to the colonial administrators. They depicted a large variety of communities and castes and the systems of governance that existed in ancient India.

3. Descriptions in novels with regard to the way people dressed, forms of religious worship, beliefs and practices gave the colonial masters a glimpse of the culture underlying the Indian society.

NOTE – The above-explained reasons played a crucial role in shaping British policies. They got a detailed insight into the culture, traditions, and way of life of the Indians through novels written by people from different walks of life. Some of the books were also translated into English, often by British administrators or Christian missionaries.