Vintage South Indian Railway Promotional Postcard 1900

This is a vintage 1900 postcard of the Quilon Lake, now Ashtamudi Lake. Situated in Quilon or Kollam, it is one of the largest lakes in Kerala. It is second only to the Vembanad Lake in size. The picture shows a traditional building possibly the Maharajah’s summer palace. There is a Kerala style canoe visible on the water.

Kollam once had a harbor in ancient times, were visits from foreign maritime traders like the Romans, Phoenicians, Chinese, and so on, were common. Another interesting fact is that this is a Promotional Postcard of the South Indian Railway (S I R). The printed text on the back reads- “Published by the South Indian Railway”.

This was a pleasant surprise for me, until now I had thought only Air India published Promotional Postcards. From my collection- Air-India PC Durbar Of The Rajah Of Travancore. The S I R was a famous British India era incorporated Rail way company dating to 1870. After independence, the S I R integrated with the Southern Railway.

See my post- Rare Nilgiri Mountain Rail way Steam Locomotive Drawing

Did you know- the only port in India visited by huge Chinese junks in the 9th century was in Kollam according to Persian merchant Sulaiman al-Tajir.

From the collection- Antique Photo Coir Retting By Travancore Women 1870., Antique Print Outskirts Of Delhi Jama Masjid., Postcard Bombay Churchgate Rail way Terminus., Raja Ravi Varma’s “Birth of Shakuntala” Oleograph c1894