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Historical Fragments of the Mogul Empire by Robert Orme (1728–1801) was Orme’s last publication. This edition of the book was published posthumously. In this, Orme describes the story of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (1618–1707), and his efforts to conquer the Deccan. He focuses mainly on the expanding Maratha power under Chhatrapati Shivaji (1630-1680) and the onset of British… Read more »
This is an early 19th century coloured aquatint illustrating the gateway of Mughal emperor Akbar‘s (1542-1605) tomb. It was published in ‘A Picturesque Tour Along the Rivers Ganges and Jumna in India’ by Charles Ramus Forrest (1750-1827). Forrest was an infantry officer in India from 1802 to 1827 and was an amateur artist. The drawings… Read more »
This mixed media work by Pradeepkumar charts a landscape in portrait format with a river descending the centre of the picture. Pradeepkumar KP (b. 1970) weaves a narrative centred around the water body to reiterate its power, stillness, and ability to both nurture and destroy. The work moves beyond notions of the scenic and picturesque… Read more »
Sawai Madho Singh II (1862-1922) was the adoptive son of Ram Singh II, Maharaja of Jaipur. On 30 September 1880, at the age of twenty, he ascended the throne of Jaipur. This is a hand-painted photograph of the Maharaja photographed by Gobindram and Oodeyram, preeminent photographers in Jaipur in the 1880s. The late 19th century… Read more »
This shadow puppet of Shiva is a Togalu Gombeyatta puppet, a shadow puppet tradition of Karnataka, India. It translates to the dance of leather puppets, with ‘Togalu’ meaning leather, ‘Gombe’ meaning a doll or a puppet and ‘atta’ meaning dance. Shiva, one of the holy trinity in the Hindu Pantheon, is portrayed sitting on Nandi… Read more »
This late-19th century photograph of the Bindusagar lake was published in Antiquities of Orissa, authored by Indologist Rajendralal Mitra (1824 – 1891). The lake dating back to the 8th – 9th century is situated north of the Lingaraja Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Bhubaneshwar. It measures about 1300 ft in length and 700 ft… Read more »
Marvels of Medieval architecture, conservation and urban planning, baolis or stepwells have played an important role in defining the culture of Delhi
French traveller Jean de Thévenot (1633–1677) lived in the seventeenth century. He was also a linguist and naturalist. He was the famed cartographer Melchisédec Thévenot’s (1620–1682) nephew, who is said to have influenced his passion for exploring the world. This travelogue documents his travels across the Ottoman Empire, the Aegean Sea islands, Egypt, Palestine, and… Read more »
Din ne jab dhoop kou siyaahi mein badalte dekha is part of a suite of seventeen works called Naguftaha – e – Hawwa (The unspoken words of Hawwa) created by Arshi Irshad Ahmadzai (b.1988). The Koh-e Asmaai (mountain of Goddess Asmai) in front of the artist’s apartment in Kabul served as the inspiration for this work. To… Read more »
When Arjumand Banu Begum (1593-1631), principal consort of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, passed away, a marble mausoleum was constructed to house her mortal remains on the south bank of the Yamuna. The Taj Mahal, originally named Rauza-i-Munawarah, took fifteen years from 1632 to be completed. Marble from Makrana, jasper from Punjab and jade from China… Read more »
This is a view of Tellicherry on the coast of Malabar in the Kannur district. This view was originally illustrated by James Forbes (1749-1819) who arrived in Bombay as a 16-year-old in February 1766 and departed 17 years later after occupying several administrative posts with the East India Company. Only around the end of the… Read more »
Goddess Vahanvati is also known as Sikotar Mata. The Goddess is closely associated with the sea, commerce, and traders. She is revered by seafarers and is frequently depicted sitting on a boat with outstretched sails. In this Pachedi, the six-armed Goddess is illustrated on a boat-like structure. Worshippers and deities from the Hindu epics decorate… Read more »
This is a ground plan of the Kannur Fort in Kerala. The map is attributed to François Valentijn (1666-1727), a Dutch Minister and employee of the VOC (Dutch East India Company). Don Francesco de Almedia, the first Portuguese Viceroy of India, constructed the Kannur Fort, also known as St. Angelo’s Fort, in 1505. For more… Read more »
Bhishtis were a community whose traditional occupation was to provide water to people. This included supplying drinking water and water for household use, animal maintenance, and the cooling of blinds in family residences. They were crucial to armies, supplying water to thirsty and wounded soldiers even during the thick of battle. The Bhisti’s trademark bag… Read more »
In the 32nd issue of Spotlight, we explore how the basic human instinct to stay close to water has shaped Indian culture, art and history
The sea is witness to much that defines India and our port cities are the sentinels of change. Let’s travel to some old and new ports through the Sarmaya collection of maps and engravings and imagine them at the peak of their power
Through the veins of a centuries-old textile art tradition flow the waters of a once-mighty river. Follow the journey of a Mata-ni-Pachedi painting as it takes birth on the banks of the Sabarmati
Exploring the cultural and spiritual significance of water in India and around the world