British Cantonment Area Bangalore, 1880 Photo
An old 1880 photo of the British Cantonment Area in Bangalore (Bengaluru). The St Mary’s Church (now a Basilica) and shops is noticeable in the background.
The picture may have been taken from the Russell market area. The British established Cantonments as military hubs in important cities at the time of the British India Raj. Most were in cities, particularly where the concentration of the British troops was high.
It was a self-contained city in a city. See my post-Vintage Postcard Banglore The Cantonment Market. The Cantonment at Bengaluru or Shivaji Nagar as it is known today was one of the biggest at the time of colonial rule.
It also had a Railway Station and a huge bazaar called Russell Market. See my post on- Vintage Postcard Russell Market. Extract from this post-“Named after T B Russell Municipal Commissioner of Bangalore or Bengaluru, it opened in 1927.
The architectural design of the building was of Indian style than the usual European or the Indo-Saracenic style of the British India Raj period…” Also shown in the photo is the St Mary’s Basilica. Read more- History of Bangalore.
Did you know- Kempe Gowda, a feudal ruler under the Vijayanagara Empire, founded Bengaluru in 1537.
From the collection- Antique Print India Garhwal Hill Village., Old Print – Eden Garden & Harbour Calcutta 1905., c1964 M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal On Paper Lovers (#5)., 2 Old Postcards – Robert Bristow’s Cochin Harbour 1947.
