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8 Vintage Postcards From The Ravi Varma Press, Karla, 1904a
8 Vintage Postcards From The Ravi Varma Press, Karla, 1904
Gallery

8 Vintage Postcards From The Ravi Varma Press, Karla, 1904

8 Vintage Postcards From The Ravi Varma Press, Karla, 1904

8 Vintage Postcards Published by the Ravi Varma Press, Karla, 1904 These are eight rare original vintage postcards published by ....read more

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devmaster2025-04-17T05:19:54+05:30
Ulsoor Lake In The Late 19th Century, Bangalore, 1900 Postcard1
Ulsoor Lake In Late 19th Century, Bangalore, 1890 Postcard
Gallery

Ulsoor Lake In Late 19th Century, Bangalore, 1890 Postcard

Ulsoor Lake In Late 19th Century, Bangalore, 1890 Postcard

Ulsoor Lake In Late 19th Century, Bangalore, 1890 Postcard A 1890 postcard of the Ulsoor Lake during the late 19th ....read more

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devmaster2025-04-14T03:20:57+05:30
Beautiful Chowringhee Road In Colonial Era Calcutta, 1930 Photo1
Beautiful Chowringhee Road In Colonial Era Calcutta, 1930 Photo
Gallery

Beautiful Chowringhee Road In Colonial Era Calcutta, 1930 Photo

Beautiful Chowringhee Road In Colonial Era Calcutta, 1930 Photo

Beautiful Chowringhee Road In Colonial Era Calcutta, 1930 Photo A 1930 photo shows a beautiful Chowringhee Road in Colonial-Era Calcutta ....read more

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devmaster2025-04-14T03:24:08+05:30
Nizam's Hyderabad The Third Dominion, 1947 Map1
Nizam’s Hyderabad The Third Dominion, 1947 Map
Gallery

Nizam’s Hyderabad The Third Dominion, 1947 Map

Nizam’s Hyderabad The Third Dominion, 1947 Map

Nizam's Hyderabad The Third Dominion, 1947 Map A 1947 map of the dominions of India and Pakistan with Nizam's Hyderabad ....read more

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devmaster2025-04-14T03:26:26+05:30
Horse Drawn Tram & Advertising In Bombay Street, 1900 Postcard1
Horse Drawn Tram & Advertising In Bombay Street, 1900 Postcard
Gallery

Horse Drawn Tram & Advertising In Bombay Street, 1900 Postcard

Horse Drawn Tram & Advertising In Bombay Street, 1900 Postcard

Horse Drawn Tram & Advertising In Bombay Street, 1900 Postcard A 1900 advertising postcard with a view of horse-drawn tram ....read more

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devmaster2025-04-14T03:29:24+05:30
The Forgotten Fountain of Crawford Market Bombay, 1874 Print1
The Forgotten Fountain of Crawford Market Bombay, 1874 Print
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The Forgotten Fountain of Crawford Market Bombay, 1874 Print

The Forgotten Fountain of Crawford Market Bombay, 1874 Print

The Forgotten Fountain of Crawford Market Bombay, 1874 Print An 1874 print of the forgotten fountain of Crawford Market in ....read more

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devmaster2025-03-21T23:03:00+05:30
Brand New Empire Theater In colonial Bangalore, 1935 Photo1
Brand New Empire Theater In Colonial Bangalore, 1935 Photo
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Brand New Empire Theater In Colonial Bangalore, 1935 Photo

Brand New Empire Theater In Colonial Bangalore, 1935 Photo

Brand New Empire Theater In Colonial Bangalore, 1935 Photo A 1935 photo of the brand-new Empire Theater in colonial Bangalore ....read more

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devmaster2025-04-14T03:31:48+05:30
The Parsis In British Era Bombay, 1812 Print1
The Parsis Migrate To British Era Bombay, 1812 Print
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The Parsis Migrate To British Era Bombay, 1812 Print

The Parsis Migrate To British Era Bombay, 1812 Print

The Parsis Migrate To British Era Bombay, 1812 Print An 1812 print of a Parsi family in British Era Bombay ....read more

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devmaster2025-04-14T03:33:33+05:30
Farewell Ceremony At Gateway of India Bombay, 1925 Postcard1
Farewell Ceremony At Gateway of India Bombay, 1925 Postcard
Gallery

Farewell Ceremony At Gateway of India Bombay, 1925 Postcard

Farewell Ceremony At Gateway of India Bombay, 1925 Postcard

Farewell Ceremony At Gateway of India British Era Bombay, 1925 Postcard In 1925, a farewell ceremony for a viceroy was ....read more

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devmaster2025-03-19T10:50:02+05:30
Madras Central Railway Station And Electric Tram, 1930 Photo1
Madras Central Railway Station And Electric Tram, 1930 Photo
Gallery

Madras Central Railway Station And Electric Tram, 1930 Photo

Madras Central Railway Station And Electric Tram, 1930 Photo

Madras Central Railway Station And Electric Tram, 1930 Photo. A 1930 photo of the Madras Central Railway Station with an ....read more

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The First Oleograph Published From Raja Ravi Varma Press 1894

past-india.com

This site illustrates an amazing past India through the collection of antique and vintage Raja Ravi Varma oleographs, art, old photos, old postcards, old prints, maps, plans, books, etc, relevant mainly to India.

The collection gives an insight of what India looked like in the past and how it evolved since then. Few may know that there were trams in Bombay (Mumbai), Madras (Chennai), Delhi, and Calcutta (Kolkata).

The tramway first began with horse-drawn trams, switching later to electric trams during the early 1900s. It was in Madras that the electric tram was first introduced in India. The collection contains a rare 1880 Calcutta Tramways proposed route map of the city’s horse-drawn tram.

That the Taj Mahal was camouflaged to protect it against potential German and Japanese air attacks during World War II. The collection also includes a glass slide of the first steam paddle ship, “Enterprise,” that sailed from England to India in 1825.

An 1880 photo shows an almost barren landscape of Haji Ali and a semi forested Worli in the background. There are many more photos of Bombay, Madras, Calcutta, bangalore, etc. An article in a 1791 London newspaper reports on the 3rd Anglo-Mysore War. Another newspaper from 1792 reports the defeat of Tipu Sultan. There are photos and prints of India’s aviation from 1913 to the 1940s. Photo of the first train travel from Bombay to Thana.

However, the jewel in the crown of this collection is the rare Raja Ravi Varma’s “Birth of Shakuntala” oleograph or chromolithograph of 1894. This was the first oleograph that was published from the newly opened Raja Ravi Varma Fine Arts Lithograph Press (FAL press) in 1894. It also has the distinction of being the first oleograph that was produced in India.

As the saying goes- “seeing is believing” and hope you enjoy going through this collection. Please write to us at: info@past-india.com

Popular & Rare

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Past India

You can scroll down from the home page or go to the main categories shown on the top yellow band with drop downs of sub-categories (the "Art & Raja Ravi Varma Collection" does not have sub-category). Check out each category and subcategory for an interesting collection of art, photos, postcards, prints, maps, books, etc. These depict varied subjects of an amazing Past India that we may have forgotten; from people on the streets to spectacular events like Delhi durbars to farewell ceremony at Apollo Bunder, from Taj Mahal to Gateway of India, from residential to commercial areas, from exterior to interior of homes, glimpses of British and Indians daily life, India's early aviation from 1911 to 1940s, and so on. This site also includes a photo of "Charlie Chaplin" with his autographed sign on the back. Check also Raja Ravi Varma’s portrait photo, oleographs. Ravi Varma's wife's photo, etc. Additionally there are photos, postcards, prints on the Indian railway, vintage motor cars, old maps of India, old books, etc. Just like the saying goes "A picture is worth a thousand words" likewise the case with this site. The scans displayed are only from our personal collection and not from any other source unless otherwise specified.

Contact us:

info@past-india.com
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