Museum objects, artifacts, and archival items from the Sarmaya collection.
This miniature painting depicts Maharana Pratap Singh’s Horse Fatem Marakha. Maharaja Pratap Singh (1764-1803) of Jaipur was the younger son of Maharaja Madho Singh. He ascended to the throne at 14 and reigned for over 25 years. Following the decline of Mughal court paintings, the Rajput and Pahari schools of painting increased in popularity. During… Read more »
This miniature painting depicts Maharana Pratap Singh’s horse Dilsringar painted using opaque pigment on paper in the 18th century. Maharaja Pratap Singh (1764-1803) of Jaipur was the younger son of Maharaja Madho Singh. He ascended to the throne at 14 and reigned for over 25 years. Poems, art, and architecture were among Maharaja’s passions. The… Read more »
This map was produced by Christoph Weigel the Elder (1654-1725) in c. 1720 Many early cartographers did not travel to the sites they rendered on paper. As a result, early maps were a mix of reality and fiction reported by travellers and traders. Given that the Germans did not have active colonies in the Subcontinent… Read more »
This map was made by Nicolas Sanson (1600 – 1667) in 1654 and published in 1697. In comparison to his Dutch contemporaries, Nicolas Sanson (born in Abbeville, France) is considered the pioneer of the French school of cartography, which revolutionised map-making based on precision, scientific and historical narratives. He produced more than 300 maps in… Read more »
This photograph, by Samuel Bourne (c.1834 – 1912), is of a street in Thanjavur (formerly Tanjore) from the late 19th century. Since ancient times, Thanjavur, located on the Kaveri Delta, has seen several historical dynasties and rulers from the Cholas, Vijayanagara rulers, Nayakas, Marathas and the British. The name is derived from Tamil, where tanjam, which means “refuge,”… Read more »
This early 16th-century portrayal of Asia by German Cosmographer Sebastian Münster is an example of a depiction of the continent based on Ptolemy’s writings and its further interpretations. The map illustrates a portion of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Indian Ocean. It extends north to the origin of the Indus and Ganges and… Read more »
A voyage from England to India was published in the late 18th century and contains two large folding maps and 13 etched illustrations. It recollects Edward Ives’s (1719-1786) service in India with the British Army. Edward Ives was a surgeon on board the flagship Kent, commanded by Charles Watson (1714-1757). The travelogue chronicles Ives’ remarks… Read more »
This mid 19th-century book by Fanny Parkes Parlby is an account that illustrates her independent travels in India. Fanny Parkes, born as Frances Susanna Archer in 1794, arrived in Calcutta from England in 1822 and eventually set out on solo explorations, sometimes on horseback or a boat, across India. She pieced together her account from… Read more »
This photograph by Francis Frith (1822-1898) & Co is of the Shore Temple of Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) in the present state of Tamil Nadu. Mamallapuram occupies an important place in the cultural and historical landscape of India due to the rich presence of ancient caves, temples, and rock-cut structures. The Shore Temple was built during the… Read more »
This miniature painting is of Krishna as Shrinathji, made in the Nathdwara style. Shrinathji is the presiding deity of the Pushtimarg Vaishnava religion. The spiritual home of Shrinathji is in Nathdwara, near Udaipur. The Nathdwara school is one of the most well-known schools of painting associated with the art of Pichwai. Pichwai, however, was painted… Read more »
This miniature painting is of Krishna as Shrinathji, made in the Nathdwara style. Miniatures like these were most popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Shrinathji is the presiding deity of the Pushtimarg Vaishnava religion. The spiritual home of Shrinathji is in Nathdwara, near Udaipur. Miniatures like these were most likely intended to be… Read more »
This coin is a Double Silver Rupee of the Mysore Kingdom, minted by Tipu Sultan ( r. 1783-1799). Tipu Sultan ascended the throne of Mysore on 4th May 1783. He is recognized for his military prowess, administrative skills, and battle against the British during the Anglo-Mysore Wars. Tipu Sultan issued gold, silver, and copper coins… Read more »
This coin is a Silver Zodiac Rupee, minted by Jahangir (r. 1605-1627). Jahangir, a great patron of the arts, took a keen interest in coinage during his reign. The Zodiac coins were the most controversial yet unique ones among his innovative coinage. The ”Tuzuk-e-Jahangiri” mentions that Jahangir ordered to replace the month with the zodiac… Read more »
This Untitled work is part of a series showcasing Horizon lines by artist Aditi Singh (b.1976), made using Ink on Washi Paper in 2020. The work showcases the horizon line of a city, which Singh explored by walking. The artist took meditative walks in Nepal, Sierra Nevada, the lake district of the UK, and more… Read more »
This Untitled work is part of a series showcasing Horizon lines by artist Aditi Singh (b. 1976), made using ink on Washi Paper in 2015. The work is the artist’s interpretation of the horizon line of Turkey. It has emerged from a long and deep reflection on the natural world and the artist’s imagination. It… Read more »
This Untitled work is part of a series showcasing Horizon lines by artist Aditi Singh (b. 1976), made using Ink on Kozo Paper in 2016. The work is the artist’s interpretation of the horizon line of Delhi and is a product of ‘meditative walking’ by the artist. For Singh, walking in different places worldwide brought… Read more »
This textile celebrates and reveres the folk goddess Meladi Mata, depicted at the centre seated on a black goat. According to legend, Goddess Parvati created Meladi from the dirt on her body and bestowed her divine shakti or strength and a black male goat as her mount. Mata-ni-Pachedi or Chandarvo is a textile painting that… Read more »
Kumbakonam, a temple town in Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu, was an important centre in the Chola kingdom from the 9th through 13th centuries. It is home to twelve major temples dedicated to various Hindu deities, each functioning as a primary centre of ritual throughout the year. Many of the early Chola temples here are… Read more »
Located in the Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, the Govindaraja temple in Tirupati is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is one of the earliest temples, dating back to the 12th century AD. Photographed here is the eastern gopura, also known as the Rajagopuram. Straight ahead through the seven-storey structure the photograph also captures much smaller gopura… Read more »
The Fort St. David in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, was originally a British headquarters for southern India, as seen on this map. It was attacked by the French forces led by Dupleix. The fort was renovated by the French in 1782, but then it was captured by the British in 1785. The map highlights the areas… Read more »