India: A Sketch of the Madura Mission

India: A Sketch of the Madura Mission is a historical and missionary account written by Henry Whitehead (1853 -1947), an Anglican bishop and scholar of South Indian religion. The book outlines the history and development of the Christian missionary movement in the Madura (Madurai) region of South India.

Whitehead traces the origins of the Madura Mission to the work of early missionaries, particularly the Jesuit Roberto de Nobili in the 17th century, who sought to adapt Christian teaching to Indian social and cultural contexts. He describes the challenges missionaries faced, including language barriers, caste structures, religious traditions, and social customs. The book also discusses educational, medical, and pastoral efforts undertaken as part of the mission’s work.

Written from a colonial-era missionary perspective, the work reflects the attitudes of its time while providing historical information about Christian missions in Tamil Nadu and their interaction with local society and religion.