174 SOCIAL SCIENTIST This group of women though powerless and degraded was potentially threatening, striking at the very roots of the strength of the British empire: the army. 1857 was a consistent reminder of Indian disloyalty and the need for a strong British army now seemed almost essential. After the Mutiny the strength of the British army was increased and British soldiers seemed less outnumbered; side by side the need to control both the army and the 'fallen* women increased. The Mutiny also necessitated control of all elements in Awadh since it was the focal point of rebellion. It then seems only logical that prostitutes, and other 'outcast* groups, like destitutes and vagrants, were sought to be efficiently regulated and controlled. The discussion that follows, focuses on the region of Awadh and the North Western Provinces from the passing of the legislation in 1868 till the end of the century. It seeks to emphasize that prostitution was affected both by immediate legislation and by the wider changes taking place in this region. The lack of a coherent narrative is due to the uneven and fragmentary nature of archival sources available. Though there is an abundance of work done on the region of Awadh and the North Western Provinces on a number of themes, none seeks to explain the institution of prostitution with reference to its regional peculiarities or the changes being brought about by colonial rule, whether subtle or apparent. Kenneth Ballhatchet's Race, Sex and Class under the Raj (1793-1905) focuses primarily on the working of the Contagious Diseases Acts, British policy, the institution of the lock hospitals and their relationship with the Lal Bazaars, racial attitudes, and also raises a large number of interesting questions. Though the first of its kind, it fails to highlight regional specificities and the regional implementation of the Acts as distinct from policy measures. Further, his emphasis is more on the Bengal, Bombay and Madras Presidencies, with only occasional references to the region under study.4 Veena Oldenberg's study. The Making of Colonial Lucknow 1856-1877, seeks to study the changes in Lucknow's political and social structures in the post-Mutiny period.5 She highlights the transformation of Nawabi Lucknow and the aftermath of the Mutiny where essential aspects of policy and legislation were safety, sanitation and loyalty to the British state. She points out how social disease was dealt with chiefly as a medical problem by the British authorities. She also traces to some extent the displacement of the old courtesan by a new kind of prostitute who could meet the demands of the new ruling elite. Significant questions, however, remain. What was the contemporary perception of these women? Who were the women who took to prostitution? What were the reactions of these women to British legislation?