Raja Ravi Varma with Seth Lachman Das and Prince Aswathi Tirunal Marthanda Varma and courtiers

This rare photograph was possibly taken in the 1890s during Raja Ravi Varma’s trip to the Northern India.

As the guardian of Prince Aswathi Tirunal of Travancore (seated, centre), Raja Ravi Varma (seated, right) travelled through important princely and native states of Northern India. The tour began in Trivandrum on November 18, 1894, and lasted five months, and covered 7,300 miles.

Prince Aswathi Tirunal who accompanied him, is fondly remembered as the ‘B.A Prince’ for being the first person from the royal family to pursue an undergraduate degree.