A Glimpse of Horse Racing Season In British Era Ooty, 1913 Print
This 1913 print gives a glimpse of the horse racing season in British era Ooty. This is a page from the Times of India’s supplement of 1913. Headlined “Season At Ootacamund” and “Ootacamund Races: Saddling Up For The Ootacamund Cup.” Apparently, by the look of it, Ooty had a robust horse racing activity, although, which was typically only for the British.
Not surprisingly, Indians took it forward with equal zest, after India’s independence. This was also largely the case with other legacies that the British left behind. The top picture shows jockeys readying their horses before the start. A fairly packed crowd looks on, spotted amongst them are a sprinkling of European ladies. The British flag the Union Jack hangs from a pole on the left of the first image.
The pictures show the winners in various classes with their horses. Just as Shimla was the summer capital of the British government in Kolkata later Delhi. So was the case with Ootacamund which was the summer capital of the Madras Presidency. Many Indian Maharajas were also regular visitors to this verdant hill station, some of them owned summer palaces here. In 1819, the collector of Coimbatore, John Sullivan, was the first European to have discovered Ooty. Consequently bringing about many developments to the hill station, one of them the building of the famous artificial lake.
See older posts Ooty Town & Lake – Old Photo 1890., and Shimla British India’s Summer Capital – Old Photo 1890.
Did you know- the oldest inhabitants of Ooty are the Toda people who have inhabited the place since 1117 AD.
From the collection- Antique Painting of Madras Fort St George., Calcutta Night Scene WW2 – Old Photo 1942., Interior Of Tanjore Palace – Old Postcard 1890., Duke Of Edinburgh At Parel Station Bombay – Old Print
