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Homenb-develop-admin2026-07-18T17:43:18+05:30
nb-develop-admin2026-07-06T16:37:52+05:30
1940 postcard showing Bangalore Council Hall, now Sir Puttanna Chetty Town Hall, beside Cubbon Park in Bengaluru.
Bangalore Council Hall, Landmark of Civic History, 1940 Postcard
Gallery

Bangalore Council Hall, Landmark of Civic History, 1940 Postcard

Bangalore Council Hall, Landmark of Civic History, 1940 Postcard

Bangalore Postcards, Old India Postcards

Bangalore Council Hall, Landmark of Civic History, 1940 Postcard A 1940 postcard showcases Bangalore's stately Council Hall, today known as [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-06T02:56:06+05:30
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A Guide To The Buildings And Gardens Delhi Fort, 1937 Book
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A Guide To The Buildings And Gardens Delhi Fort, 1937 Book

A Guide To The Buildings And Gardens Delhi Fort, 1937 Book

Books & Publications, More

A Guide To The Buildings And Gardens Delhi Fort, 1937 Book Title: A Guide To The Buildings And Gardens: Delhi [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-05T17:49:16+05:30
19th-century North Indian folk painting depicting a Raja and Rani with a symbolic parrot in traditional Rajasthani miniature style.
19th-Century North Indian Folk Painting of Raja & Rani
Gallery

19th-Century North Indian Folk Painting of Raja & Rani

19th-Century North Indian Folk Painting of Raja & Rani

Art & Raja Ravi Varma Collection

19th-Century North Indian Folk Painting of Raja & Rani This delightful 19th-century North Indian folk painting captures an intimate moment [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-05T13:21:10+05:30
Rare 1911 map showing Bangalore and Seringapatam during the Third Anglo-Mysore War, featuring Bangalore Fort, the Pettah, and the British assault on Tipu Sultan's capital.
1791 Anglo-Mysore War, Bangalore & Seringapatam, 1911 Map
Gallery

1791 Anglo-Mysore War, Bangalore & Seringapatam, 1911 Map

1791 Anglo-Mysore War, Bangalore & Seringapatam, 1911 Map

Maps & Plans, More

1791 Anglo-Mysore War, Bangalore & Seringapatam, 1911 Map This rare map, printed in 1911, depicts two crucial campaigns of the [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-04T13:44:46+05:30
A 1910 postcard showing the English Emporium on South Parade (now MG Road) in British-era Bangalore, featuring elegant colonial architecture and bustling street life.
English Emporium On South Parade Road Bangalore, 1910 PC
Gallery

English Emporium On South Parade Road Bangalore, 1910 PC

English Emporium On South Parade Road Bangalore, 1910 PC

Bangalore Postcards, Old India Postcards

English Emporium On South Parade Road in the British Era, Bangalore, 1910 Postcard A charming 1910 postcard captures the English [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-04T01:54:43+05:30
Historic view of Bombay's General Post Office (GPO), the grand Indo-Saracenic landmark completed in 1913 near Victoria Terminus in British-era Bombay.
Aerial View Of British Era Bombay GPO, 1927 Postcard
Gallery

Aerial View Of British Era Bombay GPO, 1927 Postcard

Aerial View Of British Era Bombay GPO, 1927 Postcard

Bombay Postcards, Old India Postcards

Aerial View Of British Era Bombay GPO, 1927 Postcard A 1927 sepia-toned postcard with a captivating aerial view of the [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-03T20:06:18+05:30
Historic view of Government House and Rajaji Hall in British-era Madras, showing the grand colonial estate with its ceremonial entrance from Mount Road.
Government House & Banqueting Hall Madras, 2 Photos 1890
Gallery

Government House & Banqueting Hall Madras, 2 Photos 1890

Government House & Banqueting Hall Madras, 2 Photos 1890

Madras Photos, Old India Photos

British-era Government House & Banquet Hall, Madras, 2 Photos 1890 One of the photographs is from 1890, featuring the British-era [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-03T00:24:57+05:30
Commercial Street & View Of St Mary's Church Bangalore, 1900
Commercial Street & View Of St Mary’s Church Bangalore, 1900
Gallery

Commercial Street & View Of St Mary’s Church Bangalore, 1900

Commercial Street & View Of St Mary’s Church Bangalore, 1900

Bangalore Photos, Old India Photos

Commercial Street & View Of St Mary's Church, Bangalore, 1900 Photo A small 1900 photograph shows Commercial Street and a [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-02T19:57:10+05:30
Qutub Minar and the historic Qutb Complex in Delhi, featuring the iconic medieval minaret and surrounding heritage monuments.
Qutab Minar & Qutb Complex In British Era Delhi, 2 Photos 1910
Gallery

Qutab Minar & Qutb Complex In British Era Delhi, 2 Photos 1910

Qutab Minar & Qutb Complex In British Era Delhi, 2 Photos 1910

Delhi Photos, Old India Photos

Qutab Minar & Qutb Complex In British Era Delhi, 2 Photos 1910 Two 1910 photographs of Qutub Minar and the [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-02T05:24:31+05:30
Historic view of Bombay's Back Bay Reclamation showing newly reclaimed land and residential buildings under development during the 1930s.
Art Deco Apartment Buildings Construction Bombay, 2 Photos 1939
Gallery

Art Deco Apartment Buildings Construction Bombay, 2 Photos 1939

Art Deco Apartment Buildings Construction Bombay, 2 Photos 1939

Bombay Photos, Old India Photos

Art Deco Apartment Buildings Construction Bombay, 2 Photos 1939 Two small 1939 photographs of the Art Deco apartment buildings facing [...]

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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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