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Translator’s/Editor’s Notes Preface 1. Ramabai’s lectures had a varied reception. Poona’s Kesari ornately eulogized “her own feats of bravery” as “hardly less important that those of the American women she describes” (Kesari, 28 May 1889; my translation). Bombay’s Indu-Prakash (10 and 17 June 1889) published an anonymous letter questioning the success of women’s education in the USA, and Ramabai’s response. Dnyanodaya reported the gist of her lectures and pointed out alleged errors (1 August, 8 August, and 22 August 1889). 2. For the U.S. census data and other factual information Ramabai has drawn upon Carnegie, who in turn acknowledged his reliance on Scribner’s Statistical Atlas as his principal source (Carnegie 1886: vii–viii). 3. This is most probably a reference to Gopalrao Joshee, who traveled around the USA from mid-1884 to September 1886, giving lectures on the glories of Indian culture and exposing the seeming de¤ciencies of American culture. The embarrassment caused to Anandibai Joshee and her friends, who had extended hospitality and ¤nancial help to both her and her husband, has been documented by Dall (1888: 136–43). 1. Voyage from Liverpool to Philadelphia 1. Rachel Bodley (1831–1888) trained as a chemist and botanist, and taught natural sciences before being appointed to the ¤rst chair of chemistry at WMCP. An active participant in several scienti¤c societies, she became dean of the college in 1874; and was awarded an honorary M.D. degree in 1879. Her questionnaire survey of WMCP graduates and their professional success, made in 1881, was hailed as the¤rst study of professional women in the USA. Bodley also had a special interest in medical missionary work (NAW I: 186–87). Bodley had written to Ramabai in late 1885: “My thought in inviting you to come to America early in 1886 has been that if the tidings might be sent to India that you braved a wintry ocean to witness Anandibai receive her degree as a Doctor of Medicine, you in a certain sense gave your sanction to her act and enfolded her and her work in your own future leadership” (Letters: 165). 2. Despite opposition from CSMV and Miss Beale, Ramabai decided as a matter of duty to go to the USA, “¤rst, because the kind people who have given every kind of help to my cousin to study medicine want to see me, and have invited me again and again . . . Secondly, if I do not go, I shall greatly injure the cause of my countrywomen , for those kind people will think it very rude of me and the interest which they take in my countrywomen will in some measure be lessened” (Letters: 163). 3. It is not clear whether the term “Hindu” here refers speci¤cally to the Hindu community or means Indian in general, as it did (and still does) in the USA. In this chapter Ramabai has used the words “Hindustan” and “Hindustani” for India and Indian. 4. The word used here is the Sanskrit jati, also used in Marathi, which embodies the concept of type or species and therefore has several connotations, including caste, class, community, tribe, race, and nationality. The meaning most appropriate to the context has been selected each time. In the present case Ramabai probably means “nationality” as well, which was covered by “race” in the nineteenth century English usage. 5. Throughout this chapter Ramabai interchangeably uses two Marathi words meaning “ship” or “sailing vessel,” and employs the equivalent for “steamboat” only for a boat on the Delaware, at the end of the chapter. The now prevalent Marathi word for “steamship” or “steamer” (literally “¤re-boat”), which was already in use then, appears in this text, except in chapter 9. 6. Such accounts appear in chapters 5 and 7. 7. The word used here is karnadhar, literally “helmsman.” 8. The word used here is ghataka, a unit of twenty-four minutes. 9. This is a Sanskrit quotation. 10. The word used here is the Sanskrit jivanmukta (one who is liberated from future births), which has a clear Hindu connotation. 11. Ramabai’s references to Anandibai in the present tense indicates that this portion of the text is dated prior to February 1887. The blood relationship between the two women was rather remote; Ramabai’s father and Anandibai’s maternal grandmother being cousins (Indu-Prakash, 5 August 1889). Anandibai and Ramabai had corresponded with each other in Bengal in 1882 (Dall 1888: vi–vii), but...

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