The Great Hill Stations of Asia

By Barbara Crossette

Book Overview

For the European and later the American colonial soldier, the civil administrator and his clerk, the merchant, the missionary, and the families who followed them east of Suez, daily life was less a matter of advancing the glory of God or empire than a battle for survival against sunstroke, dysentery, cholera, malaria, and a host of other unnamed deadly fevers as well as little-examined, vague indispositions that in hindsight would probably be diagnosed as clinical symptoms of depression. Later, medical scholars coined a phrase for it: "tropical fatigue." Pity John Ouchterlony. By the time they brought him to the healing hills, it was too late. On April 29, 1863, Lieutenant Colonel Ouchterlony of the Royal Madras Engineers died of "jungle fever brought on by exposure while in the execution of his duty," says a memorial plaque--one of many--at St. Stephens Church in Ootacumund, a British colonial town in the Nilgiri Hills of southern India. Others were luckier. They got to Ooty in time and survived the perilous East, at least for another season, by rising above its pestilential lower reaches. On litters, in chairs, on ponies, by foot if they were able, Europeans in Asia nearly two centuries ago began climbing into the hills in search health, relaxation, and sometimes their sanity.They called the refuges they created--little European towns carved from rocky mountainsides or nestled in the meadows of high plateaus--"hill stations." Colonialism came and went, but the hill stations remain. They are no longer European, but most have not lost their unique appeal. After all, the plains still fry in the sun and the cities of Asia have only grown larger, noisier, and more polluted. New generations of Asians are rediscovering hill stations and turning them into tourist resorts with luxury hotels and golf courses. Hill stations still cling to their history, and the story they tell reveals a lot about how colonial life was lived. They also have a future, if environmental damage and overpopulation do not destroy the forested hills and mountains that gave them their spectacular settings and pleasant climates.Hill stations began to appear, albeit at different times in different places, when the era of initial exploration and conquest was waning, wives and families arrived in substantial numbers, and life had become a bit more routine. By then, colonial societies could take stock of their longer-term needs and, regrettably, look for ways to build walls around themselves to shut out native populations. Through the age of European mercantile empire building and colonialism that began with the turn of the sixteenth century, hill stations were largely a nineteenth-century phenomenon. Most were established between 1820 and 1885, though the Dutch were early with Bogor in Indonesia and the French came later with Dalat in Vietnam and the Americans with Baguio in the Philippines. The British themselves built a second generation of hill stations after World War I in southeast Asia.In early 1997, Barbara Crossette set off on a journey of several months to see Asia anew through its great hill stations, moving from mountain to mountain from Pakistan, across India, to Sri Lanka, Burma, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. A year earlier, Crossette had made a trip to the highlands of Indonesian Sumatra, the land of the Minangkabau and Batak people, where the idea of this kind of journey came together.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0813333261
• ISBN13: 9780813333267
• Release Date: March 1998
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

TEA LOVERS -- You NEED this book!

Do read the rave reviews below, but know firstoff that for climatic reasons the hill stations largely coincide with the famous TEA PLANTATION DISTRICTS of the East -- the chapter on the near-mythical town of DARJEELING alone is worth this book's bargain price. But there are also first-hand reports (the well-traveled author is the New York Times UN Bureau Chief) on the history and current condition of: five other such towns in India; Pakistan's fabled Simla; Shri Lanka (the "Ceylon" of the British Raj); mysterious Burma; Indonesia and Malaysia; Viet Nam; and more! All tea lovers the least bit interested in the knowledge and culture of tea will love this comprehensive survey; EVERY tea house owner should have one, and a spare for the shop's library -- but chain it to the reading desk!

Colonial Remnants in Tropical Asia

I dislike the tropics. The endless heat and humidity and the lack of variety in the weather is deadening to the spirit. So it was to the Western colonialists in Asia -- and even more so in the days before air conditioning. They sought a refuge in the cool hills to escape the heat and the disease of the lowlands. Barbara Crossette writes of the hill stations to which the colonialists escaped. Some of them are storied: Simla, the hot season capital of British India; Darjeeling with its tea plantations and marvelous view of Kachenjanga, the world's third highest and most scenic peak; the high, cool tea country of Ceylon; the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia; and Baguio, the American hill station in the Philippines. In all, the author describes briefly about 20 hill stations in eight countries. "Hill Stations" covers the history and the current atmosphere and flavor of the stations, based on her visits. Most of the old Colonial watering holes have been taken over by local tourists rather than affluent foreign colonists --and ease of access and population pressure has made them tacky with high-rise development and "tourist" attractions. But, all can be forgiven for the blessed relief the hill stations offer from the heat of the plains and the glory of their scenery. Crossette has written an interesting book that may whet your appetite to visit and learn more about the hill stations. Smallchief

An enchanting book offering history and comtemporary news

Ever since I learned about this book on Booknotes I have wanted to read it, but never had the time until now. I enjoyed the book a great deal. I had no idea what Hill Stations were, was pretty vague on the colonial history of India, nor have I been able to clearly understand the cultural transitions since independence and partition. My sense of the British and American exploits in southeast Asia prior to the Second World War are even more slight.The Hill Stations were places the colonists (particularly the British) built up in the mountains to get away from the heat and disease of the tropical lowlands. They tended to live lavishly and in the case of Simla, built the summer capital there. This book is a wonderful introduction to that history in Pakistan, India, Sri Lank, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.Since the end of the colonial period these stations have been taken over by the governments in some cases and in others by private enterprise. The author visited all of the stations she talks about in the book and gives us very interesting observations on what has been kept intact (if decayed) from the former times (including bad cuisine and slow service in one station) and what has been modernized and to what effect. In almost all cases the vastly increased domestic populations have led to more building at the expense of the local flora and especially the fauna. I think the saddest visit she describes is the military ruination of Burma (now Myanmar) by its removal of history, education, and learning from its population. Just hideous, but unfortunately, far from unique. The detail and personal experiences of this tragedy add to the value of the really marvelous little book. If you know about these places from your own experience you may or may not like what the author has to say. I came to this book completely ignorant of these places and may still be. However, I enjoyed the tour this book gave me and I think it taught me a great deal. The author provides a nice bibliography for further reading and an index

good collection

Hill Stations are an interesting topic of colianialsm in Asia. Hill Stations are interesting because it is where westerners tried to maintain their lifestyles in Asia and taking in Asian populations in the schools. Also, the differences in different colonies is interesting to see. In places like South Asia, Hill Stations you saw a mix of them because they had Westen missionaries and Western traders while in the Phillipeans you saw the only American Hill stations and they were mainly missionaries.

An engaging and informative narrative of S and SE Asia

Crossette's narrative of her journey to a selection of Asian hill stations is much more than just a personal travel journal. She provides an entertaining mix of history, politics, religion, and native lore. The stories in the book are not limited to the hill stations alone, but concern the entire regions South and Southeast Asia. Her descriptions of the unpleasant lowland cities and some distinctly Asian traditions are particularly engrossing. This is a great book for someone who would like an introduction to the area delivered in an easy-to-read format. Those who are already familiar with hill stations and the history of the region may find the book dull. The book is written from an Anglo-Western perspective, with a chapter of rather surprising American flag-waving at the end. Americans will be delighted and surprised by accounts of historical figures' visits to the area, such as Mark Twain's trip. Brits, I assume, will already have some knowledge of the area, its history, and famous characters. The average American will get a thorough introduction to Asia's culture and history and most will be surprised by how interesting it is. On the negative side, I found the meandering writing style a bit disruptive. Crossette jumps from travel journal to political commentary to regional descriptions without smooth segues. While the material is compelling (to someone interested in the region), the inconsistent style gives the book a choppy feel which detracted from my enjoyment. Overall, I recommend The Great Hill Stations of Asia for anyone interested in learning about South and Southeast Asia from an unusual and insightful perspective.