Rumer Godden's formative years were spent in India during the early 20th century, where her father worked for the Bengal Steamship Company, and the family frequently relocated throughout the Indian subcontinent under British colonial rule. As a precocious child, Rumer demonstrated an early aptitude for writing, penning her autobiography at the tender age of six.
As she grew older, Rumer became increasingly fascinated by the Indian people and their culture, particularly the Hindu religion, which she found to be refreshingly open and honest in its attitudes towards sexuality, a stark contrast to the more reserved and repressed views prevalent among the British at the time.
It was during this period that Rumer met Laurence Foster, a member of the Tollygunge club in Calcutta, with whom she embarked on a brief but intense affair. The couple eventually married in Calcutta Cathedral, but Rumer's happiness was short-lived, as their infant child tragically passed away just four days after birth.
Foster's frequent absences, spent traveling the country playing golf and polo, left Rumer to her own devices, during which time she opened a dancing school in Calcutta, admitting Eurasian girls, which ultimately led to her ostracism by the British expatriate community due to unfounded suspicions of the school being a front for a brothel.
This turn of events, however, granted Rumer the freedom to explore India, its ancient palaces, and temples, as well as to form meaningful connections with the local people. Her early literary endeavors, including the publication of "The Lady and the Unicorn" in 1938, tackled the sensitive topic of the maltreatment of Eurasians by both the British and Indian communities.
Rumer's subsequent novel, "Black Narcissus," published in 1939, delves into the complexities of British attempts to integrate into and understand Indian culture, foreshadowing the eventual end of British colonial rule in India. The book's themes and characters resonated deeply with readers, ensuring its enduring popularity to this day.
Tragedy struck again when Foster lost his fortune on the stock exchange, leaving Rumer to fend for herself. She and her daughter, Jane, fled to Kashmir, where Rumer miscarried during a treacherous hike in the hills. She collapsed, hemorrhaging severely, and was only saved by the swift actions of her Kashmiri guide.
The marriage to Foster eventually ended in divorce in 1942, and Rumer's health began to deteriorate due to the cumulative effects of typhoid and overwork. While convalescing in a mountain village, she became embroiled in the early stages of the pre-independence riots, which ultimately led to her decision to abandon most of her belongings and flee back to England.
Upon her arrival, Rumer was a shadow of her former self, weighing a mere 6 stone (84 pounds). However, she had managed to salvage the manuscript of her novel "The River," which would go on to become a beloved classic.
