In the 1840s, the British Raj built a 2,300-mile-long hedge across India. It was a living wall of thorny bushes, guarded by thousands, designed to enforce the hated salt tax. But the hedge was also an ecological wonder—a man-made barrier that reshaped landscapes and lives. In this episode, we explore how the hedge worked, who built it, and why it collapsed. We meet the 'Customs Hedge' or 'Inland Customs Line', the salt tax it protected, and the imperial logistics that kept it alive. We also uncover the human cost: the families torn apart, the smugglers who braved thorns and disease, and the colonial surveyors who mapped every mile. Finally, we ask: what does this forgotten wall tell us about the British Empire's control over land, labor, and resources?
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