Rare Photographs
 13 Nov 2012 Rare Photographs
The Asar Mahal, Bijapur - 1875

Photograph of the The Asar Mahal in Bijapur. The Asar Mahal was built by Muhammad Shah in 1646 as a Hall of Justice and later became a sacred sanctuary housing some hairs from the beard of the Prophet. The east side is an open portico supported on four wooden pil... Read More
 7 Nov 2012 Rare Photographs
Hutheesing's Temple (Jain), Camp Road, Ahmedabad - 1880

Photograph of the Jaina temple of Seth Hathisingh at Ahmadabad in Gujarat, taken by Charles Lickfold in the 1880s, part of the Bellew Collection of Architectural Views. Ahmadabad spreads along the river Sabarmati and is Gujarat's capital ci... Read More
 5 Nov 2012 Rare Photographs
Perforated or carved stone window in Seedee Syed's Mosque, Ahmedabad - 1880

Photograph of a perforated screen in the Sidi Sayeed mosque at Ahmadabad in Gujarat, taken by Charles Lickfold in the 1880s, part of the Bellew Collection of Architectural Views. Ahmadabad spreads along the river Sabarma... Read More
 4 Nov 2012 Rare Photographs
Close view of sculpture of Matsyavatara (fish incarnation of Vishnu), Garhwa, Allahabad District - 1875

Photograph of a sculpture of the fish incarnation of Vishnu, Matsya avatara, from Gharwa, taken by Joseph David Beglar in the 1870s. At Garwa there is a pentagonal shaped compound inside whi... Read More
 2 Nov 2012 Rare Photographs
Palace and the City, Udaipur - 1910

Photograph of City Palace from the 'Reading Collection: Views of Udaipur taken by an unknown photographer c.1910. The photograph is part of an album containing architectural and topographical views of sites in Rajasthan, mainly of Udaipur, originally in the ... Read More
 1 Nov 2012 Rare Photographs
Tomb of Rabia Durrani, at Aurangabad - 1880

Photograph of the Bibi-ka-Maqbara, or Queen's Tomb, in Aurangabad, taken by Deen Dayal in the 1880s, from the Curzon Collection: 'Views of HH the Nizam's Dominions, Hyderabad, Deccan, 1892'. This tomb, built in 1678, is the most well known building i... Read More
 1 Nov 2012 Rare Photographs
View of screen of the Bibi-ka-Maqbara from the neighbouring verandah, Aurangabad - 1868

Photograph of the screen of the Bibi-ka-Maqbara at Aurangabad in Maharashtra, from the Archaeological Survey of India Collections, taken by Henry Mack Nepean in 1868. This tomb, built in 1678, is the most w... Read More
 31 Oct 2012 Rare Photographs
General view of the Bibi-ka-Maqbara, Aurangabad - 1868

Photograph of the Bibi-ka-Maqbara at Aurangabad in Maharashtra, from the Archaeological Survey of India Collections, taken by Henry Mack Nepean in 1868. The Bibi-ka-Maqbara or Queen's Tomb built in 1678, is the most well known building in ... Read More
 28 Oct 2012 Rare Photographs
The Taj Mahal, Agra, India. Photograph by Felice Beato, ca. 1858.
By: Felice Beato
Size: sheet 29.7 x 24.2 cm.

Credit: Wellcome Library, London Read More
 5 Aug 2012 Rare Photographs
Courtallum Waterfalls - 1900

Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of a view of the water falls at Courtallam, part of the Curzon Collection. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India b... Read More
 4 Aug 2012 Rare Photographs
Jagannath Sabha (Façade of Jain Cave XXXIII), Ellora - 1875

Photograph of the façade of Cave XXXIII, Jagannatha Sabha, at Ellora in Maharashtra, taken by Henry Cousens in the 1870s. Ellora is renowned for its series of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain cave temples excavated into the face of a basalt c... Read More
 3 Aug 2012 Rare Photographs
The Observatory of Rajah Jey Singh - 1860s

This photograph shows some of the astronomical instruments which make up the observatory or Jantar-Mantar, built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur (1699-1743). He later built similar ones in Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi and Mathura (no longer survives). ... Read More
 2 Aug 2012 Rare Photographs
Manmandil Ghat, Benares - 1869

Photograph from the riverbank looking towards the Observatory overlooking the ghat from 'Views of Benares, from the River Side' taken by Brajo Gopal Bromochary in 1869. "This Ghat is principally remarkable for the Old Observatory, situated upon the banks of the r... Read More
 2 Aug 2012 Rare Photographs
General view of Aai Bhavani Temple, looking towards Kanheri Fort in the distance, Khandesh District, Maharashtra - 1885

Photograph of Aai Bhavani Temple at Khandesh District, taken by Henry Cousens in the 1880s, from the Archaeological Survey of India Collections. Henry Cousens writes in "Revis... Read More
 2 Aug 2012 Rare Photographs
Inscription slab in the Ali Bhavani Temple, Patan (Patna), Khandesh District - 1880

Photograph of an inscription slab in the Ali Bhavani Temple, at Patna, Khandesh District, taken by Henry Cousens around 1880, from the Archaeological Survey of India Collections. This temple is mentioned by Hen... Read More
 2 Aug 2012 Rare Photographs
Gateway at Ujjain - 1869

Photograph of a gateway in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, taken by George Edward Herne in 1869. This view looks along a street towards the gateway, which was supposed to have been built by the legendary ruler Vikramaditya, with Indians and a European posed in the foreground. ... Read More
 30 Jun 2012 Rare Photographs
Gajalakshmi - Velapur, Sholapur District - 1897

Photograph of a sculpture slab at Velapur in the Sholapur District of Maharashtra, taken by Henry Cousens, from the Archaeological Survey of India Collections: Western India 1897-98. The temple at Velapur is in the Hemadpanti style dating to c.13... Read More
 29 Jun 2012 Rare Photographs
Elephant House, Rampur - 1911

Photograph of a group of elephants lined up in a compound at Rampur in Uttar Pradesh, taken by an unknown photographer in c.1911, from the Nawab of Rampur's presentation album. The album was presented to the India Office by the Festival of Empire in November 1911.... Read More
 21 Jun 2012 Rare Photographs
View of the Jain stupa as excavated, Kankali Tila, Mathura - 1889

Photograph of the Jain Stupa at Kankali Tila, Mathura, taken by Edmund William Smith c.1889. Mathura has extensive archaeological remains as it was a large and important city from the middle of the first millennium onwards. It r... Read More
 21 Jun 2012 Rare Photographs
Jaina temple, Chittanur, Singavaram, South Arcot District - 1894

Photograph of the Jain temple at Chittamur from the 'Archaeological Survey of India Collections: Madras, 1894-95'. Chittamur is situated several kilometres east of Gingee in Tamil Nadu. This is a view from an elevated position ou... Read More
 21 Jun 2012 Rare Photographs
Jain temple at Sonagiri near Dattia - 1880

Photograph with a view of the Jaina temples at Sonagiri near Datia in Madhya Pradesh, taken by Deen Dayal in the 1880s, part of the Bellew Collection of Architectural Views. The gentle hills of Sonagiri are the site of dozens of Jaina temples, the bui... Read More