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19th C. Indian And European Women Painting By Hutchinson 1837
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19th C. Indian And European Women Painting By Hutchinson 1837

19th C. Indian And European Women Painting By Hutchinson 1837

Art & Raja Ravi Varma Collection

19th C. Indian And European Women Painting By A. C. Hutchinson, 1837 A 19th-century watercolour painting of two Indian women [...]

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nb-develop-admin2024-01-06T11:42:53+05:30
Old Court House Street British Era Calcutta, 1900 Postcard
Old Court House Street British Era Calcutta, 1900 Postcard
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Old Court House Street British Era Calcutta, 1900 Postcard

Old Court House Street British Era Calcutta, 1900 Postcard

Calcutta Postcard, Old India Postcards

Old Court House Street British Era Calcutta, 1900 Postcard An old 1900 postcard of Old Court House Street in British-era [...]

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nb-develop-admin2024-01-06T11:31:59+05:30
Chowringhee Road, Calcutta Oldest Road, 1910 Postcard
Chowringhee Road, Calcutta Oldest Road, 1910 Postcard
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Chowringhee Road, Calcutta Oldest Road, 1910 Postcard

Chowringhee Road, Calcutta Oldest Road, 1910 Postcard

Calcutta Postcard, Old India Postcards

Chowringhee Road, Calcutta Oldest Road, 1910 Postcard Old 1910 postcard of Chowringhee Road Calcutta's oldest road. Once the toniest place [...]

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nb-develop-admin2022-10-24T19:53:13+05:30
Motor Cars In British India Era, Old PC 1949
Motor Cars In British India Era, Old PC 1949
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Motor Cars In British India Era, Old PC 1949

Motor Cars In British India Era, Old PC 1949

Colonial Era Motor Cars, More

Motor Cars In British India Era, Old PC 1949 Old 1949 PC or postcard of motor cars in the British [...]

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nb-develop-admin2022-10-22T19:40:52+05:30
British Indian Empire 1903 Vintage Map
British Indian Empire 1903 Vintage Map
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British Indian Empire 1903 Vintage Map

British Indian Empire 1903 Vintage Map

Maps & Plans, More

British Indian Empire 1903 Vintage Map This is a vintage 1903 British Indian Empire vintage map. That shows Indian Empire [...]

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nb-develop-admin2022-10-21T05:23:45+05:30
Koonoor Pass (Coonoor) Nilgiris, Old Engraving 1840
Koonoor Pass (Coonoor) Nilgiris, Old Engraving 1840
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Koonoor Pass (Coonoor) Nilgiris, Old Engraving 1840

Koonoor Pass (Coonoor) Nilgiris, Old Engraving 1840

Old India Prints, Other India Prints

Koonoor Pass (Coonoor) Nilgiris, Old Engraving 1840. Old 1840 engraving of the Koonoor Pass (Coonoor) in the Nilgiris. This print [...]

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nb-develop-admin2024-03-08T19:15:05+05:30
King George V And His Family, 1910 Print
King George V And His Family, 1910 Print
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King George V And His Family, 1910 Print

King George V And His Family, 1910 Print

Old India Prints, Other India Prints

King George V And His Family, 1910 Print A 1910 print of King George V Emperor of India and his [...]

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nb-develop-admin2024-01-22T12:45:12+05:30
View From High Court British Era Calcutta, 1880 Photo
View From High Court British Era Calcutta, 1880 Photo
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View From High Court British Era Calcutta, 1880 Photo

View From High Court British Era Calcutta, 1880 Photo

Calcutta Photos, Old India Photos

View From High Court British Era Calcutta, 1880 Photo Old 1880 photograph, view from the high court in British-era Calcutta, [...]

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nb-develop-admin2024-01-22T12:50:14+05:30
Raj Bhavan During British Era Calcutta, 1900 Photo
Raj Bhavan During British Era Calcutta, 1900 Photo
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Raj Bhavan During British Era Calcutta, 1900 Photo

Raj Bhavan During British Era Calcutta, 1900 Photo

Calcutta Photos, Old India Photos

Raj Bhavan During British Era Calcutta, 1900 Photo Old 1900 photo of the Government House, now the Raj Bhavan during [...]

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nb-develop-admin2024-01-22T19:09:21+05:30
Flying Boat Biplanes During British India Era, 1930 Photo
Flying Boat Biplanes During British India Era, 1930 Photo
Gallery

Flying Boat Biplanes During British India Era, 1930 Photo

Flying Boat Biplanes During British India Era, 1930 Photo

Calcutta Photos, Old India Photos

Flying Boat Biplanes During British India Era, 1930 Photo A reproduced poster of an Imperial Airways Biplane that operated [...]

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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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