Earliest View of Bowring Institute In Bangalore, 1890 Postcard

This rare 1890 photo postcard shows the earliest view of Bowring Institute in Bangalore (Bengaluru). It is still actively functioning in 12 acre land in St Mark’s Road. The club was established in 1868 by an elite group of British civil service and military officers. This postcard gives a rare glimpse of the club in its original unmodified state.

However, over the years the club’s building would undergo many modifications. See the building’s transformation in postcards one., two., three. In the initial days it functioned from a rented building and was called the “Literary & Scientific Institute” at that time. L B Bowring, the then chief commissioner of Mysore, and Coorg was made its first president.

He was later honoured by renaming the club in his name, by then he had retired to England. Major General Rowlands, commander of the Mysore Division, helped in procurring a large parcel of land to locate the club permanently. The location was at St Mark’s Square, now St Mark’s Road. The construction of the building shown in this image commenced earnestly. However, despite the many hiccups faced quite often, it finally opened in 1888. It had sports and games including dining for its members. Because of its heritage tag it is now a “State Protected Monument.” Click on the photo for better view.