Skip to content
Past-India Logo Past-India Logo Past-India Logo
  • Home
  • Art & Raja Ravi Varma Collection
  • Old India Photos
    • Bombay Photos
    • Delhi Photos
    • Madras Photos
    • Calcutta Photos
    • Bangalore Photos
    • Other India photos
    • Miscellaneous Photos
  • Old India Postcards
    • Bombay Postcards
    • Delhi Postcards
    • Madras Postcards
    • Calcutta Postcards
    • Banglore Postcards
    • Cochin / Kerala Postcards
    • Other India Postcards
    • Miscellaneous Postcards
  • Old India Prints
    • Bombay Prints
    • Other India Prints
    • Miscellaneous Prints
  • More
    • India Railway
    • Colonial Era Motor Cars
    • Maps & Plans
    • Books & Publications
Homenb-develop-admin2026-07-18T17:43:18+05:30
nb-develop-admin2026-07-17T06:05:21+05:30
19th-century steel engraving of Fort St. George in Madras (Chennai) during the British colonial era.
Fort St George In The Mid 19th-Century British Era Madras, 1860
Gallery

Fort St George In The Mid 19th-Century British Era Madras, 1860

Fort St George In The Mid 19th-Century British Era Madras, 1860

Old India Prints, Other India Prints

Fort St George In The Mid 19th-Century Madras, 1860 Print This 1860 engraved print shows a 19th-century Fort St George [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2021-02-02T05:44:54+05:30
Print View From Madras Pier Before Construction Of Harbor
View From The Madras Pier – Old Print 1880
Gallery

View From The Madras Pier – Old Print 1880

View From The Madras Pier – Old Print 1880

Old India Prints, Other India Prints

View From The Madras Pier - Old Print 1880 This is an 1880 engraving measuring 10.5 x 7 inches. Titled [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2023-12-05T15:51:10+05:30
breach of the iron pier madras
Breach Of The Madras Iron Pier – 2 Prints 1880
Gallery

Breach Of The Madras Iron Pier – 2 Prints 1880

Breach Of The Madras Iron Pier – 2 Prints 1880

Old India Prints, Other India Prints

Breach Of The Madras Iron Pier - 2 Prints 1880 Two old 1880 prints showing the breach of the iron [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2024-01-10T21:58:32+05:30
The Madras Iron Screw Pile Pier, 1863 Print
The Madras Iron Screw Pile Pier, 1863 Print
Gallery

The Madras Iron Screw Pile Pier, 1863 Print

The Madras Iron Screw Pile Pier, 1863 Print

Old India Prints, Other India Prints

The Madras Iron Screw Pile Pier, 1863 Print An 1863 print of the Madras iron screw pile pier. The print [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2024-01-12T01:26:32+05:30
Madras Central Railway Station, 1873 Print
Madras Central Railway Station, 1873 Print
Gallery

Madras Central Railway Station, 1873 Print

Madras Central Railway Station, 1873 Print

India Railway, More

Madras Central Railway Station, 1873 Print This is an antique print from the Illustrated London News newspaper of 11th Oct. [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2024-01-12T01:32:04+05:30
Madras Central Railway Station, 1940 Advertisement
Madras Central Railway Station, 1940 Advertisement
Gallery

Madras Central Railway Station, 1940 Advertisement

Madras Central Railway Station, 1940 Advertisement

India Railway, More

Madras Central Railway Station, 1940 Advertisement This is from the Walkabout magazine of Aug 1st, 1940. Walkabout was an illustrated [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2024-04-20T17:14:01+05:30
Dutch Captured Fort Cochin & City, Antique Map 1663
Dutch Captured Fort Cochin & City, Antique Map 1663
Gallery

Dutch Captured Fort Cochin & City, Antique Map 1663

Dutch Captured Fort Cochin & City, Antique Map 1663

Maps & Plans, More

Dutch Captured Fort Cochin & City, Antique Map 1663 Antique 1663 map of the Dutch captured Fort Cochin (Kochi) and [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2024-01-10T22:08:07+05:30
Chinese Fishing Nets At Fort Cochin Coast, 1922 Print
Chinese Fishing Nets At Fort Cochin Coast, 1922 Print
Gallery

Chinese Fishing Nets At Fort Cochin Coast, 1922 Print

Chinese Fishing Nets At Fort Cochin Coast, 1922 Print

Old India Prints, Other India Prints

Chinese Fishing Nets At Fort Cochin Coast, 1922 Print A 1922 print of Chinese Fishing Nets on the coast of [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2024-01-10T22:10:38+05:30
Kerala Backwaters & Cargo Boats, 1922 Print
Kerala Backwaters & Cargo Boats, 1922 Print
Gallery

Kerala Backwaters & Cargo Boats, 1922 Print

Kerala Backwaters & Cargo Boats, 1922 Print

Old India Prints, Other India Prints

Kerala Backwaters & Cargo Boats, 1922 Print An old 1922 print of the Kerala Backwaters and cargo boats. Shows country [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2024-04-26T19:59:07+05:30
taj hotel wl
Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Bombay, Rare 1905 Advertisement
Gallery

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Bombay, Rare 1905 Advertisement

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Bombay, Rare 1905 Advertisement

Bombay Prints, Old India Prints

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Bombay, Rare 1905 Advertisement A rare 1905 advertisement of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Bombay [...]

Learn More
Previous12···115116117118119···127128Next

blank

Raja Ravi Varma’s “Birth of Shakuntala” Oleograph 1894

past-india.com

This site illustrates a past India through a collection of antique and vintage mediums of Raja Ravi Varma oleographs, old India photos, old postcards, old paper prints, and so on.

Although the collection may or may not be too varied, but generally projects a glimpse to what India looked like in the past. And how it has evolved since then. Few would realize that once there were Trams in Bombay, Madras, Delhi…

That, Madras operated the first electric Tram in India from 1895 up to its closure in 1953. With Calcutta and Bombay starting off with Horse-Drawn Trams, later electrifying them by the early 1900s.

That, in World War II, they camouflaged the Taj Mahal with bamboo scaffoldings. So as to project it as a construction site that perhaps would fool any air attacks from the Germans and Japanese might, although this never happened. All in all, the jewel in this collection is the rare Raja Ravi Varma’s “Birth of Shakuntala” oleograph or chromolithograph of 1894. This was the first oleograph to come out from the then newly opened Raja Ravi Varma Fine Arts Lithograph Press(or FAL press) in 1894.

The many legacies of the British Raj are not missed out in this collection. Many of the buildings and streets have gone through several makeovers to the extent of being unrecognizable today or have completely disappeared from the scene. But the memories are kept alive hopefully to some extent by this collection.

As they say- “seeing is believing.” Hope you enjoy this collection. Please write to us at- info@past-india.com

Popular & Rare

php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php
php

Past India

You can see the main categories on the top of the page, and except for the “Raja Ravi Varma Oleograph & Other Art” category all the other main categories have drop-down to sub-categories. You can then select the subject of your interest or you can check through the search box and if available it will display the results. The photos, prints & picture postcards depict a varied subjects of a Past India we may have forgotten- from people on the streets to people at grand events like Delhi durbar, from Taj Mahal to Gateway of India, from residential areas to commercial areas, from home exterior to interior of homes and so on. This site also includes a photo of "Charlie Chaplin" with his autograph signed on the back. There are also old maps, books, Raja Ravi Varma’s oelographs etc. “A picture is worth a thousand words” is an old adage, I’m sure this blog should interest you likewise. All the items displayed are from my personal collection unless otherwise specified.

Contact us:

info@past-india.com
DMCA.com Protection Status
© Copyright | Past-India by Nubes Technologies | All Rights Reserved
Facebook
Page load link
Go to Top