Journals

ABOUT CHOWKIDAR

Chowkidar is the BACSA journal, published twice a year in Spring and Autumn. It contains lively stories about discoveries, family histories, research and adventures in exploring South Asia’s old European cemeteries. There is a ‘Can You Help?’ section for enquiries from readers and few questions go unanswered. Our wide range of members and their interests mean we can draw on a large fund of knowledge when it comes to Britons and Europeans who served, lived, loved and died during the ‘British Raj’ and before.

Our book reviews by specialists cover both mainstream and smaller publishing houses, including self-published books, with an Asian/Indian sub-continent theme that will interest readers.

The Hindustani word chowkidar means a watchman, and many old cemeteries in the East have someone who lives on site or nearby. Our journal reflects this, keeping a watchful eye open for the cemeteries themselves, but also exploring the lives of those who lie within. Illustrated with readers’ photographs, it is a 24-page, A5 publication, posted out to BACSA members.

Chowkidar has been published regularly since 1977 under the same editor, Rosie Llewellyn-Jones, an historian with a keen eye for interesting stories and anecdotes about the past. And a sense of humour.