Tracing a Forgotten Monument of British Colonial Oppression and Salt Taxation in Roy Moxham's Novel, The Great Hedge of India

Abstract

The present study examines the history and remnants of the Hedge of India, a 2,504-mile customs line established by the British to enforce the salt tax in the 19th century. The author's research, using historical records and maps, confirms the hedge's existence and details its evolution into a massive, labour-intensive barrier maintained by over 12,000 men. The article explains that the hedge was built to prevent salt smuggling into the Bengal Presidency, where the salt tax was particularly high. This tax had severe public health consequences, causing widespread health issues due to insufficient salt consumption. Abandoned in 1879, the hedge's physical traces were located by the author in the Agra and Jhansi districts, using historical maps, GPS technology, and assistance from local villagers. The search not only uncovers the hedge's physical remnants but also provides a deeper understanding of this overlooked symbol of British control and the lasting legacy of the salt tax on colonized India.