Sensing the landscape: Colonial transformations of smell- and soundscapes in the Nilgiri Mountains, South India

Abstract

The environmental history of South Asia has largely neglected sensory perceptions beyond eyesight in shaping human responses to the environment. This presentation examines the relationship between ecological change, smellscapes, and soundscapes in the Nilgiri Mountains, a region of montane subtropical forests and home to several indigenous communities that underwent massive ecological changes during the colonial period. The British introduced non-native botanical species such as tea and eucalyptus, and established botanical gardens, redefining not only the ecosystem of the Nilgiris but also local olfactory experiences; this reflected broader colonial ideologies of health, race, and morality. Simultaneously, increasing anthropisation, and infrastructure development also transformed the Nilgiri soundscape. The spread of non-native flora altered faunal distributions, inducing shifts in the sonic environment, while the construction of the railway and roads introduced new mechanical sounds that redefined the acoustic character of the landscape. By analysing colonial sources (travelogues, administrative records, ethnographic reports) and oral histories from indigenous communities, this presentation explores how landscape transformations were perceived through smell and sound. This research forms part of an ongoing study on the impact of landscape changes on the archaeological heritage of the Nilgiris.