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Homenb-develop-admin2026-07-18T17:43:18+05:30
nb-develop-admin2026-09-06T05:59:59+05:30
1930 watercolour painting of two richly dressed courtiers from the royal court of an Indian Maharaja, signed by B. S. Sonar.
Colourful Royal Courtiers of Princely India, 1930 Sketch
Gallery

Colourful Royal Courtiers of Princely India, 1930 Sketch

Colourful Royal Courtiers of Princely India, 1930 Sketch

Art & Raja Ravi Varma Collection

Colourful Royal Courtiers of Princely India, 1930 Sketch A striking 1930 sketch signed B. S. Sonar portrays two richly dressed [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-24T22:35:18+05:30
1860 panoramic engraving showing Old Delhi, Shahjahanabad, the Yamuna River and the surrounding countryside.
Shahjahanabad: Panoramic View of New & Old Delhi, 1860 Print
Gallery

Shahjahanabad: Panoramic View of New & Old Delhi, 1860 Print

Shahjahanabad: Panoramic View of New & Old Delhi, 1860 Print

Old India Prints, Other India Prints

Shahjahanabad: Panoramic View of New & Old Delhi, 1860 Print This 1860 engraving of Delhi presents a remarkable panoramic view [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-24T12:03:19+05:30
Rare 1947 map showing the Dominions of India, Pakistan, and the proposed independent State of Hyderabad under the Nizam.
Nizam’s Hyderabad As The Proposed Third Dominion, 1947 Map
Gallery

Nizam’s Hyderabad As The Proposed Third Dominion, 1947 Map

Nizam’s Hyderabad As The Proposed Third Dominion, 1947 Map

Maps & Plans, More

Nizam's Hyderabad As The Proposed Third Dominion, 1947 Map A rare 1947 map of the Dominions of India and Pakistan [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-24T10:28:35+05:30
1900 photograph of an electric tram travelling along Esplanade Road near Miller's School (Madras Christian College), Madras (Chennai), with Anderson Hall and Anderson Church visible.
Electric Tram Near Miller’s School, Esplanade Road, Madras, 1900
Gallery

Electric Tram Near Miller’s School, Esplanade Road, Madras, 1900

Electric Tram Near Miller’s School, Esplanade Road, Madras, 1900

Madras Photos, Old India Photos

Electric Tram Near Miller's School, Esplanade Road, Madras, 1900 Photo A 1900 photograph features an electric tram on Esplanade Road [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-24T06:51:21+05:30
Colonial-era public building with columned entrance in Bangalore Cantonment, early 1900s
Glimpse of Bangalore Cantonment Life During British Era, 1900
Gallery

Glimpse of Bangalore Cantonment Life During British Era, 1900

Glimpse of Bangalore Cantonment Life During British Era, 1900

Bangalore Photos, Old India Photos

Glimpse of Bangalore Cantonment Life During British Era, 1900 Photo A 1900 photograph offers a fascinating glimpse into everyday life [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-23T10:24:18+05:30
"Weathered stone elephant statue from Elephanta Caves, Bombay, now displayed at Jijamata Udyan gardens, Mumbai"
Elephanta Got Its Name From This Stone Statue, 1926 Photo
Gallery

Elephanta Got Its Name From This Stone Statue, 1926 Photo

Elephanta Got Its Name From This Stone Statue, 1926 Photo

Bombay Photos, Old India Photos

Elephanta Caves Got Its Name From This Stone Statue, 1926 Photo An old photo of the Elephant Statue that gave [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-20T20:32:32+05:30
Two rare 1930s photographs of British-era Bombay showing the Royal Institute of Science, Prince of Wales Museum, motor cars, pedestrians, and colonial streets.
British Era Bombay Street With Motor Cars, 2 Photos 1930s
Gallery

British Era Bombay Street With Motor Cars, 2 Photos 1930s

British Era Bombay Street With Motor Cars, 2 Photos 1930s

Colonial Era Motor Cars, More

British Era Bombay Street With Motor Cars, 2 Photos 1930s Two 1930s photographs offer rare glimpses of British-era Bombay streets [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-19T23:03:52+05:30
Historic photograph of the Cochin State Forest Tramway transporting timber through the forests of the princely State of Cochin during the British era.
Cochin State Forest Tramway, Jungle Railway, 1910 Newspaper
Gallery

Cochin State Forest Tramway, Jungle Railway, 1910 Newspaper

Cochin State Forest Tramway, Jungle Railway, 1910 Newspaper

India Railway, More

The Cochin State Forest Tramway, A Forgotten Railway in The Jungle, 1910 Newspaper A rare Scientific American newspaper, from 1910, [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-19T05:10:32+05:30
Early 20th-century postcard of a horse-drawn tram passing a Singer Sewing Machines billboard on a bustling street in colonial Bombay.
Bombay Horse Trams in the Early 20th Century, 2 Postcards 1905
Gallery

Bombay Horse Trams in the Early 20th Century, 2 Postcards 1905

Bombay Horse Trams in the Early 20th Century, 2 Postcards 1905

Bombay Postcards, Old India Postcards

Bombay Horse Trams in the Early 20th Century, 2 Postcards 1905 Two 1905 postcards offer a fascinating glimpse of Bombay's [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-18T22:50:00+05:30
British-era postcard of Lady Curzon Hospital, Bangalore, showing its Indo-Saracenic architecture and landscaped grounds.
Lady Curzon Hospital, Bangalore During The British Era, 1910 PC
Gallery

Lady Curzon Hospital, Bangalore During The British Era, 1910 PC

Lady Curzon Hospital, Bangalore During The British Era, 1910 PC

Bangalore Postcards, Old India Postcards

Lady Curzon Hospital, Bangalore, During The British Era, 1910 Postcard This 1910 British-era postcard features the elegant, old-world Lady Curzon [...]

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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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