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Homenb-develop-admin2026-07-18T17:43:18+05:30
nb-develop-admin2026-08-01T22:42:07+05:30
Rare 1890 postcard showing the original Town Hall on the Mall in Simla (Shimla) during the British colonial era.
Simla’s Town Hall During The British Era, 1890 Postcard
Gallery

Simla’s Town Hall During The British Era, 1890 Postcard

Simla’s Town Hall During The British Era, 1890 Postcard

Old India Postcards, Other India Postcards

Simla's Town Hall During The British Era, 1890 Postcard A 1900 postcard captures the elegant British-era Town Hall of Simla [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-08-01T18:20:07+05:30
1910 postcard showing the Prince of Wales Building on South Parade, now M G Road, in British-era Bangalore with colonial arcaded shops.
South Parade Road (M G Road) In British Era Bangalore, 1910 PC
Gallery

South Parade Road (M G Road) In British Era Bangalore, 1910 PC

South Parade Road (M G Road) In British Era Bangalore, 1910 PC

Bangalore Postcards, Old India Postcards

South Parade Road (M G Road) In British-era Bangalore, 1910 Postcard An interesting 1910 postcard of South Parade Road in [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-08-01T15:20:20+05:30
1937 photograph of Imperial Airways Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat Caledonia flying over the Karachi air signpost in British India
British India Aviation Flying Boat Over Air Signpost At Karachi, 1937
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British India Aviation Flying Boat Over Air Signpost At Karachi, 1937

British India Aviation Flying Boat Over Air Signpost At Karachi, 1937

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British India Era Aviation History Flying Boat Over Air Signpost At Karachi, 1937 Photo A rare 1937 photograph captures British [...]

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BRV Talkies cinema on Cubbon Road in British-era Bangalore, originally part of the Bangalore Rifle Volunteers complex
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Gallery

BRV Talkies British-Era Cinema Legacy in Bangalore, 1942 Photo

BRV Talkies British-Era Cinema Legacy in Bangalore, 1942 Photo

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BRV Talkies British-Era Cinema Legacy in Bangalore, 1942 Photo A 1942 photograph of BRV Talkies, a British-era cinema legacy in [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-30T20:28:17+05:30
1903 photograph of the Maharaja of Rewa's ornate elephant-drawn royal carriage during the Delhi Durbar in British India.
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Maharaja’s Magnificent Elephant Carriage At 1903 Delhi Durbar

Maharaja’s Magnificent Elephant Carriage At 1903 Delhi Durbar

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Maharaja of Rewa’s Magnificent Elephant Carriage At 1903 Delhi Durbar This remarkable 1903 photograph captures the spectacular arrival of the [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-30T16:59:55+05:30
18th-century French engraving of the King of Cochin riding a ceremonial elephant, escorted by armed Nair warriors, Malabar Coast, India
King of Cochin on his Elephant, accompanied by his Nairs, 1750
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King of Cochin on his Elephant, accompanied by his Nairs, 1750

King of Cochin on his Elephant, accompanied by his Nairs, 1750

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The King of Cochin on his Elephant, accompanied by his Nairs, 1750 Engraving This copperplate engraving, dated to around 1750, [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-30T03:36:17+05:30
Interior of St. Mark's Church in Bangalore after the 1923 fire, showing British soldiers and civilians inside the burnt church.
St Mark’s Church, Bangalore After the Devastating Fire,  1923 Photo
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St Mark’s Church, Bangalore After the Devastating Fire,  1923 Photo

St Mark’s Church, Bangalore After the Devastating Fire,  1923 Photo

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Aircraft: Famous Architect Le Corbusier’s 1935 Book on Aviation
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Old black-and-white photo of Victoria Terminus railway station and street junction in British-era Bombay, showing double-decker trams and pedestrians
Victoria Terminus Intersection In British-Era Bombay, 1926 Postcard
Gallery

Victoria Terminus Intersection In British-Era Bombay, 1926 Postcard

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-29T08:17:44+05:30
Vintage postcard showing the Royal Alfred Sailors' Home overlooking Wellington Circle in colonial Bombay with tram tracks, fountain, and historic streets.
Royal Alfred Sailor’s Home & Wellington Circle Bombay, 1910 PC
Gallery

Royal Alfred Sailor’s Home & Wellington Circle Bombay, 1910 PC

Royal Alfred Sailor’s Home & Wellington Circle Bombay, 1910 PC

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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

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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
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