Life In The Mission, The Camp, And The Zenáná: Or, Six Years In India

“Life in the Mission, the Camp, and the Zenáná, Or, Six Years in India” by Helen Catherine Douglas Mackenzie (1819–1910) is a compelling three-volume memoir documenting her experiences as a missionary wife in 19th-century colonial India. The work offers rich, firsthand insight into British missionary efforts, life in military camps, and rare glimpses into the secluded lives of Indian women (zenána). Blending cultural observation, personal reflection, and social commentary, Mackenzie’s narrative highlights the challenges, hopes, and deep cultural encounters of her six-year journey.