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Homedevmaster2024-04-27T10:47:08+05:30
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devmaster2024-01-03T03:52:38+05:30
proposed expansion of bombay port
Proposed Expansion Of The Bombay Port, 1904 Print
Gallery

Proposed Expansion Of The Bombay Port, 1904 Print

Proposed Expansion Of The Bombay Port, 1904 Print

Proposed Expansion Of The Bombay Port, 1904 Print     This rare print on Bombay Port's expansion is a page ....read more

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devmaster2023-11-08T04:58:42+05:30
chepauk palace
The Chepauk Palace Madras, 1900 Postcard
Gallery

The Chepauk Palace Madras, 1900 Postcard

The Chepauk Palace Madras, 1900 Postcard

The Chepauk Palace Madras, 1900 Postcard An old 1900 postcard of the Chepauk Palace in Madras (Chennai). Among the buildings ....read more

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devmaster2023-11-13T06:12:41+05:30
great western hotel and st andrew's church
St Andrews, Ice House, Great Western Hotel Bombay – 2 PCs 1910
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St Andrews, Ice House, Great Western Hotel Bombay – 2 PCs 1910

St Andrews, Ice House, Great Western Hotel Bombay – 2 PCs 1910

St Andrew's Church, Ice House, Great Western Hotel In Bombay - 2 Postcards 1910 Two old 1910 postcards that show ....read more

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devmaster2023-11-07T10:17:36+05:30
mohammadi mahal
Kalbadevi & Mohammadi Mahal Bombay – 2 Postcards 1910
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Kalbadevi & Mohammadi Mahal Bombay – 2 Postcards 1910

Kalbadevi & Mohammadi Mahal Bombay – 2 Postcards 1910

Kalbadevi & Mohammadi Mahal Bombay - 2 Postcards 1910 Two old 1910 postcards of Kalbadevi and Mohammadi Mahal in Bombay ....read more

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devmaster2023-11-04T18:37:37+05:30
moonlit art india
Lake & House On A Serene Moonlit Night, 1944 Painting
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Lake & House On A Serene Moonlit Night, 1944 Painting

Lake & House On A Serene Moonlit Night, 1944 Painting

Lake & House On A Serene Moonlit Night, 1944 Painting A scene of a lake and house on a serene ....read more

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devmaster2025-08-11T12:20:25+05:30
Commercial Road In Ooty During British Era, 1930 Postcard
Ooty’s Commercial Road During British Era, 1930 Postcard
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Ooty’s Commercial Road During British Era, 1930 Postcard

Ooty’s Commercial Road During British Era, 1930 Postcard

Ooty's Commercial Road During British Era, 1930 Postcard This rare 1930 postcard captures Commercial Road in Ooty during the British ....read more

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devmaster2025-07-26T14:25:22+05:30
leaving india
Goodbye Mother India When The British Left India, 1947 Photo
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Goodbye Mother India When The British Left India, 1947 Photo

Goodbye Mother India When The British Left India, 1947 Photo

Goodbye Mother India: When The British Left India, 1947 Photo A 1947 photograph captures the moment the British bid farewell ....read more

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From Where the City Began: A View from Bangalore Fort, Photo1
From Where the City Began: A View from Bangalore Fort, Photo
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From Where the City Began: A View from Bangalore Fort, Photo

From Where the City Began: A View from Bangalore Fort, Photo

From Where the City Began: A View from Bangalore Fort, 1900 Photo A rare 1900 stereo photo, a view from ....read more

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devmaster2025-07-27T09:14:21+05:30
Fort St George's Secretariat Building In Madras, 1880 Photo1
Fort St George’s Secretariat Building In Madras, 1880 Photo
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Fort St George’s Secretariat Building In Madras, 1880 Photo

Fort St George’s Secretariat Building In Madras, 1880 Photo

Fort St George's Secretariat Building In Madras, 1880 Photo An 1880 photograph of the Secretariat building (or Fort House) in ....read more

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devmaster2023-10-30T17:10:26+05:30
civil aviation market
Civil Aviation Market In India, 1930 Print
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Civil Aviation Market In India, 1930 Print

Civil Aviation Market In India, 1930 Print

Civil Aviation Market In India, 1930 Print   Article on the Civil Aviation Market In India, this is a page ....read more

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The First Oleograph Published From Raja Ravi Varma Press 1894

Past-India.com

PRESERVING INDIA’S AMAZING PAST

Welcome to Past-India.com, a unique archive that brings India’s history to life through an extraordinary collection of antique and vintage treasures. This curated selection includes Raja Ravi Varma oleographs, vintage art, old photographs, old postcards, historic prints, vintage maps, plans, and books, all connected to the rich heritage of India.

A Journey Through India’s History

Our collection offers a vivid glimpse into what India looked like in the past and how it evolved through the centuries. Few maybe knowing that trams once operated in Bombay (Mumbai), Madras (Chennai), Delhi, and Calcutta (Kolkata). Public transportation in India began with horse-drawn trams, later replaced by electric trams in the early 1900s. Madras was the first city in India to introduce the electric tram. Among our rarest pieces is an 1880 Calcutta Tramways proposed route map for horse-drawn trams.

Rare Historical Treasures

From wartime secrets to technological milestones, our collection spans diverse chapters of Indian history:

  • Taj Mahal Camouflage – During World War II, the Taj Mahal was camouflaged to protect it from possible German and Japanese air attacks.

  • Maritime History – Includes a glass slide of the first steam paddle ship “Enterprise” that sailed from England to India in 1825.

  • Bombay’s Transformation – An 1880 photograph reveals a barren Haji Ali landscape with a semi-forested Worli in the distance.

  • Historic Newspapers – A 1791 London newspaper reporting on the 3rd Anglo-Mysore War and a 1792 edition announcing Tipu Sultan’s defeat.

  • Early Aviation in India – Rare photographs and prints from 1913 to the 1940s.

  • Railway Heritage – A photograph of the first train journey from Bombay to Thana.

The Crown Jewel – Raja Ravi Varma’s First Oleograph

The pride of our archive is Raja Ravi Varma’s “Birth of Shakuntala” (1894), the very first oleograph produced at the Raja Ravi Varma Fine Arts Lithograph Press. This masterpiece holds the distinction of being the first oleograph ever printed in India.

Experience History Firsthand

As the saying goes, seeing is believing. We invite you to explore our collection, immerse yourself in India’s remarkable past. The scans displayed are from our collection only.

📩 Contact us: info@past-india.com | bitp.in@gmail.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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