The Sari Story – How A Simple Garment Travelled Around India & Across the Ages
The sari is draped in more than 100 ways across the country, evolving with time and influenced heavily by geography, culture and even popular entertainment
19th century
Gateway Of India: The Birth Of Photography In 19th-Century Bombay
Compelling portraits from our archive of a budding metropolis, its evolving skyline and fascinating people
The Fort of Bala Hissar, Kabul
John Burke was an Irish photographer who took some of the earliest photos ever of Afghanistan. Employed as a tradesman in his homeland, he applied to the British Army to work as an official photographer; he’s best known for his work during the second Anglo-Afghan war. Later, he travelled to Afghanistan at his own expense,… Read more »
The story of a rebellion in 5 pictures
By the time Felice Beato arrived with his camera in 1858, the actual fighting had stopped. How then did he create such evocative photographs of war?
Frederik VI, 10 Cash Copper Coin of Tranquebar Mint
This is a X kas or 10 Cash coin of Indo-Danish extraction. Relic of an empire we don’t often mention when we talk about colonial rule in India. The Danes made an official appearance in these parts after the monarch of Denmark, King Christian IV signed a charter for the establishment of the Danish East… Read more »
Music Gallery of The Mosque, Seringapatam (Srirangapatna)
This engraving is after a painting by James Hunter, from his collection of illustrations titled “Picturesque Scenery in the Kingdom of Mysore”. James Hunter worked for the Royal British Artillery in India and took part in the campaigns against Tipu Sultan. After the signing of the Treaty of Seringapatnam (Srirangapatna) , Hunter took permission from Tipu… Read more »
Map of Hindoostan divided into Soubahs
This early 19th century map illustrates the division of Hindustan into ‘soubahs’, or administrative provinces, as listed in the late 16th century Mughal text, the Ain-i-Akbari. The map’s legend distinguishes Hindustan proper, the plains of northern India under the rule and administration of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, from the independent Deccan. In the South, the… Read more »
Portrait of a Nation, A Nation in Portraits: A Sarmaya exhibition
Just like us, people in the 1800s too wanted to look their best in pictures. They put on their finest clothes, made sure all their nicest possessions were all in the frame and angled the lens so it would tell their side of the story. Through a sampling of the works in Sarmaya’s first ever… Read more »