Maharaja of Baroda On Elephant Bombay, 1900 Postcard
A 1900 postcard of the Maharaja of Baroda on his elephant in Bombay (Mumbai). Seated on an elaborately decorated elephant with howdah. The maharaja is of the Gaekwad Royal Family Baroda, or Vadodara.
Read the text on the back- “Showing the elaborate strapping of a Royal Elephant. The Prince rides in a covered seat strapped on the back of the Elephant. Some of these strappings are to be worth a King’s ransom, containing precious stone and gold.”
Thankfully, these elaborate howdahs or strapping are no longer in use since a long time ago. The weight of it would have been torturous to the Elephants. Read the interesting text on the back.
Read also- Elephant with golden ambari [howdah], Baroda.
Did you know- A passage from Roman historian Quintus Curtius(c600-c200 BCE) described the lifestyles of ancient Indian kings who rode on chariot mounted on elephants or howdahs when going to distant expeditions.
From the collection- Vintage Raja Ravi Varma “Shivaji” Oleograph Print., Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Cavalcade – Old Print 1888., Policeman of British India Bombay – Old Postcard 1900., Vintage 1924 Map Of Bombay City
