Rare Photographs
 10 Apr 2015 Rare Photographs
'Facade on the W. Side of the Nayakar Durbar Hill', from the photograph album by Capt. Linnaeus Tripe, 'Photographic Views in Tanjore and Trivady'; South India, 1858.

Linnaeus Tripe (1822–1902) documented much of south India as official photographer to the Madras government (1856–1860). This pho... Read More
 10 Apr 2015 Rare Photographs
'The Tamukkam or Tamkam', from the photograph album by Capt. Linnaeus Tripe, 'Photographs of Madura: Part 1'; South India, 1858

This photograph shows a large residential building with trees surrounding it and a long lawn in the foreground.

Madura, India

'This is a building situated N. E. of t... Read More
 10 Apr 2015 Rare Photographs
'The East Gopuram of the Great Pagoda', from the photograph album by Capt. Linnaeus Tripe, 'Photographs of Madura: Part III', South India, 1858.

Linnaeus Tripe (1822-1902) documented much of south India as official photographer to the Madras government (1856-1860). His album Photographs of Madur... Read More
 27 Mar 2015 Rare Photographs
Photograph of the Sangameshwara Temple at Pattadakal in Karnataka, taken by Thomas Biggs in 1855, from 'Architecture in Dharwar and Mysore'. Pattadakal, like neighbouring Aihole and Badami an important centre of the Chalukya dynasty, is located on the Malaprabha river in north Karnataka. The Chal... Read More
 27 Mar 2015 Rare Photographs
Photograph of the Durga Temple at Aihole, in the Bijapur district of north Karnataka, taken by Thomas Biggs in 1855, from 'Architecture in Dharwar and Mysore'. The Chalukyas were a dynasty with different branches which ruled over parts of the Deccan (now in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Prade... Read More
 24 Feb 2015 Rare Photographs
Mysore - 1900
A Group of Royal Ladies and Children, c.1900
Gelatin silver print, blindstamp of A.V. & Son, Curzon Park Square, captioned in ink ("Kempananjammanni")

The Young Prince is HH Jayachamaraja Wadiyar (3rd sitting from Left), HH Maharani Pratap Kumari (2nd from left), HH Regent Maharan... Read More
 9 Feb 2015 Rare Photographs
View of entrance to Lomas Rishi Cave and Sudama Cave, Barabar Hills, Bihar - 1870

Photograph of the entrance to Lomas Rishi and Sudama caves taken by Joseph David Beglar in the 1870s. The excavation of these two caves has been both architecturally and epigraphically dated to around 250 BC, when ... Read More
 9 Feb 2015 Rare Photographs
Entrance to the Lomas Rishi Cave, Barabar Hills, Gaya, Bihar - 1865

Photograph of the entrance to the Lomas Rishi cave taken by Alexander E. Caddy in 1895. The excavation of this cave has been dated both architecturally and epigraphically to around 250 BC, when the area was ruled by the Mauryan ... Read More
 9 Jan 2015 Rare Photographs
Birds eye view of Panhala Fort - 1894

Photograph of Panhala fort from the Lee-Warner Collection: 'Souvenirs of Kolhapur. Installation of H.H. the Maharajah, 1894' taken by an unknown photographer in 1894. The Panhala fort is situated on the Panhala spur in the Sahyadri hills about 12 miles north... Read More
 9 Jan 2015 Rare Photographs
Dancing girl's tower, Panhala Fort - 1894

View of part of the ruined fort at Panhala from the Lee-Warner Collection: 'Souvenirs of Kolhapur. Installation of H.H. the Maharajah, 1894' taken by an unknown photographer in 1894. Panhala is situated in the Sahyadri hills about 12 miles north-west of ... Read More
 9 Jan 2015 Rare Photographs
Teen Darwaza, Panhala - 1894

View of the Tin Darwaza or Three-doored gate at Panhala from the Lee-Warner Collection: 'Souvenirs of Kolhapur. Installation of H.H. the Maharajah, 1894' taken by an unknown photographer in 1894. Panhala is situated in the Sahyadri hills about 12 miles north-west of ... Read More
 7 Jan 2015 Rare Photographs
Unfinished roof of Bhojpur Temple. Built by Raja Bhoja - 1882

Photograph of the unfinished dome of the Shiva Temple at Bhojpur in Madhya Pradesh, taken by Deen Dayal in 1882, from the Lee-Warner Collection: 'Scenes and Sculptures of Central India, Photographed by Lala Deen Dayal, Indore.' The co... Read More
 7 Jan 2015 Rare Photographs
Lat Musjid with the Lat, Dhar - 1902

Photograph of the Lat Masjid, at Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, taken by an unknown photographer in c.1902. Dhar in the Malwa region of central India had long periods of Hindu and Muslim rule. It was once the capital of the Hindu Paramara dynasty, known for their patr... Read More
 7 Jan 2015 Rare Photographs
Bhojashala Colonade, Dhar - 1902

Photograph of a Mosque, at Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, taken by an unknown photographer in c.1902. Raja Bhoja was a famous 11th-century king of the Hindu Paramara dynasty which ruled Dhar between the 9th and 13th centuries. The Paramaras were known for their support fo... Read More
 13 Aug 2014 Rare Photographs
Panchganga Ghat, Benares - 1869

View from the river looking towards the ghat and riverside buildings, with Aurangzeb's Mosque in the left background from 'Views of Benares, from the River Side' taken by Brajo Gopal Bromochary in 1869. "This spot is one of the five chief places of worship on the ... Read More
 25 Jun 2014 Rare Photographs
Main facade of the Jami Masjid, Jaunpur - 1870

This photograph is a very oblique view taken from the north-west corner of the court, looking towards the high arch of the main facade of the 'jami masjid' or congregational mosque in Jaunpur. Jaunpur lies some 58 kilometres to the north of the fame... Read More
 14 Jun 2014 Rare Photographs
Lion capitals, torana beams and other sculpture fragments lying on the ground near the Great Stupa, Sanchi, Bhopal State - 1875

Photograph of lion capitals, torana beams and other sculpture fragments lying on the ground near the Great Stupa at Sanchi, from the Archaeological Survey of India Coll... Read More
 14 Jun 2014 Rare Photographs
Side view of the Asokan Edict Pillar, Lauriya Nandangarh, Champaran District - 1865

Photograph of the Ashokan Edict Pillar at Lauriya Nandangarh, Champaran District, taken by Sir Benjamin Simpson in c.1860s. Ashoka (reign ca. 272-231 BC) was the most illustrious king of the Maurya dynasty. After... Read More
 6 Jun 2014 Rare Photographs
An Armenian Jewess, Calcutta - 1870

Full-length carte-de-visite portrait of a young lady wearing an exotic mixture of eastern and European clothes. The inscripiton indicates that she comes from a Jewish merchant community which felt happier in the business environment of the day in adopting a Ch... Read More
 28 May 2014 Rare Photographs
Photo Feature:
When New Delhi was new: archival images of the Capital under construction.

Rare images of Delhi's great buildings taking shape.

Delhi is in flux this week as new ministers settle into offices in North and South Block and move into their stately bungalows. The buildings they occup... Read More
 23 May 2014 Rare Photographs
Enclosure (once a Hindu Temple) of Zein-ul-ab-ud-din's Tomb, in Srinagar, Kashmir
Probable date A.D. 400 to 500 (?)

Photograph of the enclosure surrounding Zain-ul-abidin's tomb at Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, taken by John Burke in 1868. This photograph is reproduced in Henry Hardy Cole's Ar... Read More