SANITATION, SOCIAL INEQUALITY AND URBAN LIFE IN COLONIAL DARJEELING

Abstract: Since Darjeeling was a colonial product, it formed part of British policy of imperialism, environmentally and physically fit for the European inhabitants. Since early days, colonial authorities recognized Darjeeling as a natural sanatorium where their sick soldiers could regain their health but over time with the growth of population, migration and tea plantations, the town became a centre of diseases where sanitation became a major concern. Therefore, this paper seeks to explore sanitary policy of colonial Darjeeling. It examines colonial sanitation and healthcare policies as social and political process rather than a genuine technical concern. It analyses municipal administrative policies which shaped urban life in Colonial Darjeeling. This research also highlights how the colonial sanitation and healthcare functioned as tool of social hierarchies, leading to class based segregation. Furthermore it explores the impact of these policies on natives, women and especially on tea labourers, revealing everyday inequalities. Keywords: Darjeeling, sanitation, indigenous, health, racial segregation. Title: SANITATION, SOCIAL INEQUALITY AND URBAN LIFE IN COLONIAL DARJEELING Author: Shakher Chettri International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online) Vol. 14, Issue 2, April 2026 - June 2026 Page No: 78-80 Research Publish Journals Website: www.researchpublish.com Published Date: 02-May-2026 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19978557 Paper Download Link (Source) https://www.researchpublish.com/papers/sanitation-social-inequality-and-urban-life-in-colonial-darjeeling