The Indies were important because it is where they rescued the Parse woman and where the detective first spotted Mr. Fogg, whom he thought had stolen the fifty thousand pounds from an English bank.
Around the World in Eighty Days begins in London, England in the reform club. Phileas Fogg and his colleagues were discussing the news of a man who traveled around the world in eighty days. Fogg's colleagues did not believe that statement and started to discuss it with Phileas Fogg. Phileas later says that he could travel around the world in eighty days and establishes a bet with the men of twenty thousand pounds. Fogg goes home and tells his servant Passepartout, new at the time, to get his bags ready that they were going to journey across the world in eighty days.
Mr. Fix, an English detective, hears of a bank robbery in London, and sees the accused man to be Mr. Fogg. Just as Fix is ready to arrest Fogg, Mr. Fogg and Passepartout set off to Bombay, India. During this time in Bombay, Passepartout curiously enters an Indian temple, unaware that it is against English law to interfere with foreign religious customs. Passepartout and three priests get into a scuffle and Passepartout is kicked out of the temple. Passepartout then escapes safely with his master to Calcutta. On the way to Calcutta, Fogg soon learns that the railroad is not complete and that they must travel the remaining distance on foot. Fog cleverly purchases an elephant and hires a guide to take them to Calcutta. During their time in the Indian jungle, they come across a tribe of Indians who have kidnapped a woman and are going to sacrifice her. The three men decide to rescue the woman and wait until nightfall to commence the rescue. When day broke Passepartout cleverly switched places with a dead man and acted like he resurrected. He took the woman and set off like if he was alive again. After a long chase, the men were far from the Indians and could resume their normal peaceful journey.
