Question

Novels were useful for both colonial administrators and Indians. Comment.

Answer 1

With respect to colonialism, it made them feel that they were part of a superior community of fellow colonialists. Colonial rule was considered important to make them civil as they were considered barbarians 

With respect to Indian colonists, the novels allowed them to explore their own identities and problems, their own national concerns. Novels in Indian languages made them able to explore the defects in their society and to suggest remedies.

Answer 2

(i) Colonial administrators found ‘vernacular  novels’ a valuable source of information on  native life and customs, i.e., :

(a) how people were dressed

(b) their religious worship

(c) beliefs and practices

(d) about domestic life

Such information was valuable to them in order  to govern the Indian society which had a wide  cultural variety. The novel contains the welldescribed  domestic life which helped the British  administrators to understand the beliefs and  practices.