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Homenb-develop-admin2026-07-18T17:43:18+05:30
nb-develop-admin2026-07-01T17:54:40+05:30
Historic view of the Royal Bombay Yacht Club overlooking Apollo Bunder in British-era Bombay.
Aerial View of Royal Bombay Yacht Club & Annexe, 2 PCs 1927
Gallery

Aerial View of Royal Bombay Yacht Club & Annexe, 2 PCs 1927

Aerial View of Royal Bombay Yacht Club & Annexe, 2 PCs 1927

Bombay Postcards, Old India Postcards

Aerial View of Royal Bombay Yacht Club & Annexe, 2 Postcards 1927 Two 1927 postcards show aerial views of the [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-07-02T16:48:00+05:30
Vintage photograph of Lamington Road in British-era Bombay showing grand colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevard, and early twentieth-century streetscape.
Lamington Road Once Bombay’s Grandest Avenue, 1920s PC
Gallery

Lamington Road Once Bombay’s Grandest Avenue, 1920s PC

Lamington Road Once Bombay’s Grandest Avenue, 1920s PC

Bombay Postcards, Old India Postcards

Lamington Road, Once Bombay's Grandest Avenue, 1920s Postcard Long before it earned fame as India's electronics marketplace, Lamington Road was [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-06-29T15:45:41+05:30
Vintage "See India – Travancore State" postcard depicting a traditional Kerala country boat on tranquil backwaters with coconut palms, colonial buildings, and hills in the background.
Travancore State Backwaters in Rare ‘See India’ Postcard, 1940s
Gallery

Travancore State Backwaters in Rare ‘See India’ Postcard, 1940s

Travancore State Backwaters in Rare ‘See India’ Postcard, 1940s

Cochin & Kerala Postcards, Old India Postcards

Travancore State Backwaters in Rare 'See India' Postcard, 1940s This captivating "See India – Travancore State" vintage postcard is from [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-06-29T07:32:15+05:30
Rare 1910 Raja Ravi Varma Vishwamitra and Menaka postcard printed by Joshi Bros., Bombay, depicting the birth of Shakuntala from Hindu mythology.
Raja Ravi Varma Vishwamitra & Menaka 1910 Postcard Bombay
Gallery

Raja Ravi Varma Vishwamitra & Menaka 1910 Postcard Bombay

Raja Ravi Varma Vishwamitra & Menaka 1910 Postcard Bombay

Art & Raja Ravi Varma Collection

Rare Raja Ravi Varma Vishwamitra & Menaka 1910 Postcard Bombay A rare 1910 postcard featuring Raja Ravi Varma's celebrated Vishwamitra [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-06-27T23:00:47+05:30
1837 illustration of the Great Cave at Elephanta near Bombay published in The Penny Magazine.
The Cave of Elephanta Bombay’s Ancient Wonder, 1837 Print
Gallery

The Cave of Elephanta Bombay’s Ancient Wonder, 1837 Print

The Cave of Elephanta Bombay’s Ancient Wonder, 1837 Print

Bombay Prints, Old India Prints

The Cave of Elephanta, Bombay's Ancient Wonder, 1837 Print A rare page from a London periodical, The Penny Magazine of [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-06-27T05:50:00+05:30
Rare eighteenth-century newspaper report describing Lord Cornwallis's campaign against Tippoo Sultan and the advance on Bangalore during the Third Anglo-Mysore War.
Storming Bangalore Fort 3rd Anglo-Mysore War, 1791 Newspaper
Gallery

Storming Bangalore Fort 3rd Anglo-Mysore War, 1791 Newspaper

Storming Bangalore Fort 3rd Anglo-Mysore War, 1791 Newspaper

Old India Prints, Other India Prints

Storming Of Bangalore Fort, 3rd Anglo-Mysore War, 1791 Newspaper Rare 1791 newspaper that features the storming of Bangalore Fort during [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-06-25T04:00:31+05:30
Vintage postcard view of Marine Lines, Bombay, showing colonial bungalows, open grounds, and the developing cityscape during the British era.
Marine Lines During The British Era In Bombay, 1907 Postcard
Gallery

Marine Lines During The British Era In Bombay, 1907 Postcard

Marine Lines During The British Era In Bombay, 1907 Postcard

Bombay Postcards, Old India Postcards

Marine Lines During The British Era In Bombay, 1907 Postcard A 1907 postcard of Marine Lines during the British era [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-06-24T22:00:52+05:30
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Apollo Hotel, Forgotten Hotel of Colonial Bombay, 1903 Postcard
Gallery

Apollo Hotel, Forgotten Hotel of Colonial Bombay, 1903 Postcard

Apollo Hotel, Forgotten Hotel of Colonial Bombay, 1903 Postcard

Bombay Postcards, Old India Postcards

Apollo Hotel, Forgotten Hotel of Colonial Bombay, 1903 Postcard A 1903 postcard of the Apollo Hotel, the forgotten hotel of [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-06-23T16:38:46+05:30
Vintage postcard views of Elphinstone Circle, Bombay, showing colonial arcaded buildings, horse-drawn carriages, and the central garden during the British era.
Views of Elphinstone Circle in British-Era Bombay, 3 PCs 1900
Gallery

Views of Elphinstone Circle in British-Era Bombay, 3 PCs 1900

Views of Elphinstone Circle in British-Era Bombay, 3 PCs 1900

Bombay Postcards, Old India Postcards

Views of Elphinstone Circle in British-Era Bombay, 3 Postcards 1900 Three views of Elphinstone Circle through three 1900 postcards of [...]

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nb-develop-admin2026-06-21T23:17:34+05:30
Historic narrow-gauge train of the Guzerat Railways Company operating in Gujarat during the British colonial era.
Forgotten Guzerat Railways, Gujarat’s Historic Railway, 1912 Photo
Gallery

Forgotten Guzerat Railways, Gujarat’s Historic Railway, 1912 Photo

Forgotten Guzerat Railways, Gujarat’s Historic Railway, 1912 Photo

India Railway, More

Forgotten Guzerat Railways, Gujarat’s Historic Railway, 1912 Photo A 1912 photo captures a Guzerat (Gujarat) Railway train likely waiting at [...]

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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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