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-admin2023-03-12T07:12:55+05:30
Madras Central Station & Railway HQ, 3 PCs 1950s
Madras Central Station & Railway HQ, 3 PCs 1950s
Gallery

Madras Central Station & Railway HQ, 3 PCs 1950s

Madras Central Station & Railway HQ, 3 PCs 1950s

India Railway, More

Madras Central Station & Railway Headquarters, 3 Old Postcards 1950s Three old 1950s photo postcards of the Madras Central Station [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2023-03-04T22:52:30+05:30
Esplanade & Chowringhee Road Calcutta, 1890
Esplanade & Chowringhee Road Calcutta, 1890
Gallery

Esplanade & Chowringhee Road Calcutta, 1890

Esplanade & Chowringhee Road Calcutta, 1890

Calcutta Photos, Old India Photos

Panoramic View of Esplanade & Chowringhee Road Calcutta, 1890. An old 1890 photo with a Panoramic View of Esplanade & [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2023-03-03T19:05:21+05:30
World's Richest Man Nizam Of Hyderabad, Photo 1949
World’s Richest Man Nizam Of Hyderabad, Photo 1949
Gallery

World’s Richest Man Nizam Of Hyderabad, Photo 1949

World’s Richest Man Nizam Of Hyderabad, Photo 1949

Old India Photos, Other India Photos

World's Richest Man Nizam Of Hyderabad, Photo 1949 An old 1949 photo of the world's richest man, Asaf Jah VII, [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2023-03-02T19:13:23+05:30
View of Cumballa Hill Mumbai, Old Photo 1890
View of Cumballa Hill Mumbai, Old Photo 1890
Gallery

View of Cumballa Hill Mumbai, Old Photo 1890

View of Cumballa Hill Mumbai, Old Photo 1890

Bombay Photos, Old India Photos

View of Cumballa Hill Mumbai, Old Photo 1890. An old 1890 photograph with a view of Cumballa Hill in Bombay, [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2023-03-01T22:41:54+05:30
Chowpatty Beach & Marine Drive Mumbai, 1970
Chowpatty Beach & Marine Drive Mumbai, 1970
Gallery

Chowpatty Beach & Marine Drive Mumbai, 1970

Chowpatty Beach & Marine Drive Mumbai, 1970

Bombay Postcards, Old India Postcards

Chowpatty Beach & Marine Drive Mumbai, 1970. A 1970 photo postcard of Chowpatty Beach and Marine Drive in Bombay, now [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2024-02-15T17:03:21+05:30
Prince of Wales In British Era Bombay - 2 Postcards 1921
Prince of Wales In British Era Bombay – 2 Postcards 1921
Gallery

Prince of Wales In British Era Bombay – 2 Postcards 1921

Prince of Wales In British Era Bombay – 2 Postcards 1921

Bombay Postcards, Old India Postcards

Prince of Wales In British Era Bombay - 2 Postcards 1921 Two 1921 postcards of the Prince of Wales in [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2024-02-15T17:06:57+05:30
Madras Boat Club Adyar, 1900 Postcard
Madras Boat Club Adyar, 1900 Postcard
Gallery

Madras Boat Club Adyar, 1900 Postcard

Madras Boat Club Adyar, 1900 Postcard

Madras Postcards, Old India Postcards

Madras Boat Club Adyar, 1900 Postcard A 1900 postcard showing the Boat House or Madras Boat Club. One of the [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2024-03-03T22:59:28+05:30
Celebration At Sasoon's Mansion Bombay, 1859 Print
Celebration At Sasoon’s Mansion Bombay, 1859 Print
Gallery

Celebration At Sasoon’s Mansion Bombay, 1859 Print

Celebration At Sasoon’s Mansion Bombay, 1859 Print

Bombay Prints, Old India Prints

Celebration At Sasoon's Mansion Bombay, 1859 Print An old 1859 print of celebration at Sasoon's Mansion in British Era Bombay [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2023-02-26T20:33:43+05:30
Maharaja Of Travancore's Elephants & Sunbeam Car
Maharaja Of Travancore’s Elephants & Sunbeam Car
Gallery

Maharaja Of Travancore’s Elephants & Sunbeam Car

Maharaja Of Travancore’s Elephants & Sunbeam Car

Colonial Era Motor Cars, More

Maharaja Of Travancore's Elephants & Sunbeam Car, 1921 A March 5, 1921 page from the London Illustrated News showing the [...]

Learn More
nb-develop-admin2024-02-15T17:10:57+05:30
Buckingham Canal Old Waterway of Madras, 1900 PC
Buckingham Canal Old Waterway of Madras, 1900 PC
Gallery

Buckingham Canal Old Waterway of Madras, 1900 PC

Buckingham Canal Old Waterway of Madras, 1900 PC

Madras Postcards, Old India Postcards

Buckingham Canal Old Waterway of Madras, 1900 PC An old 1900 postcard of the Buckingham Canal an old waterway of [...]

Learn More
Previous12···4546474849···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