Quiz: How well do you know the ancient caves of India?
In ancient India, cave complexes sheltered travellers and traders too besides priests and monks. Take our quiz to learn about these rock-cut rest-stops
Maharashtra
India’s African History – The Siddis of the Deccan
The Siddis are unique among the multicultural communities of the Deccan. Many arrived in India as East African slaves but their lives collided with the volatile politics of the region in ways that would birth new identities
Warlords to Kings – History of the Maratha supremacy
The Maratha identity, which took shape in the 8th century and continued to wield power even under British rule, is one of the most understudied aspects of Deccan history. Travel with us to meet its most influential architects
Empires of the Deccan – 1,000 years of shifting sands
The Deccan’s diversity of art, culture and language is the result of centuries of shifting politics. Let’s get to know the prominent early and late-mediaeval kingdoms of this vast region through Sarmaya’s rare photographs, coins, books, engravings and maps
Kansari (Goddess of Seeds)
This Warli artwork titled ‘Kansari’ is by Tushar Vayeda (b.1987) and Mayur Vayeda (b.1992), artists based in Ganjad, Maharashtra. The Warli way of life is the way of the forest. The spirits worshipped by the tribe are personifications of natural phenomena. One such spirit is the subject of Tushar and Mayur Vayeda’s painting, Kansari, named… Read more »
The Wave
This Warli artwork titled ‘The Wave’ is by Tushar Vayeda (b.1987) and Mayur Vayeda (b.1992), artists based in Ganjad, Maharashtra. Tushar and Mayur Vayeda retell a Warli legend in this work. There’s a belief in the community that in each life cycle of the earth, waves of natural and man-made disasters will strike until eventually,… Read more »
A Return to The Land – A history of Warli paintings
How did the art of a people from the Sahyadri mountains of western India capture the imagination of the nation and the world? The evolution of Warli paintings from Jivya Soma Mashe to the Vayeda Brothers
Fish Net (Paagir)
This work illustrates a Fishing Net, also called Paagir, by Warli artist Sadashiv Mashe (b. 1860), son of the celebrated artist and Padma Shri awardee Jivya Soma Mashe (1934-2018). A common subject, this net is portrayed in a twin format, which means it is composed of two paintings of the subject that the artist has… Read more »
Birth
Warli painting, traditionally mural art, is practised by members of the Warli community residing in Maharashtra and parts of Gujarat. Warli art often depicts scenes and aspects from occupations such as agriculture, fishing, hunting, and significant occasions such as festivals, weddings, and births to commemorate the community’s culture and beliefs. This Warli artwork titled ‘Birth’… Read more »
Nagara, Dravidian, Vesara: Temple Styles of India
The architecture, iconography and divine design of Hindu temple architecture through the lens of its royal patrons
Empire of Faith: Into the realm of the Buddha & the Mauryas
Most Indians are familiar with the great emperors and exploits of the Mauryan empire. But until a few hundred years ago, their legacies lay buried in ruins, their faith forgotten by time. This is the story of a remarkable resurrection
Khandala Railway Station
This photograph of the Khandala railway station in the Bombay Presidency (today in Maharashtra) is attributed to Alice Tredwell, a mid nineteenth century railway contractor and photographer. She had arrived in India with her husband, Solomon Tredwell, a railway contractor in 1859 for working on the completion of the Bhor Ghat section of the Great… Read more »
Muhammad Shah, Silver Rupee of Kolhapur Mint
In the years following Aurangzeb’s death in 1707, the lustre of the Mughal empire began to dull. Territories shrunk as three emperors came and went, dispatched speedily by enemies and influential noblemen. But even in these uncertain times, one managed stay on and reign for 29 years. Roshan Akhtar Muhammad Shah, popularly known as Rangeela,… Read more »
Akbar, Silver Coin of Elichpur Mint
Elichpur has an interesting place in history. The city today known as Achalpur in Maharasthra was for long a bone of contention between a revolving group of players including the Delhi Sultans, the Mughals, the Marathas and other kingdoms. Elichpur makes an appearance in medieval texts for the first time in 1269 CE, when Alauddin… Read more »
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
Untitled (Harvesting)
This composition showing a harvest is a Warli painting on a cow-dung-washed canvas by Jivya Soma Mashe (1934-2018). The artist depicts the harvesting season and its corresponding activities in this painting. Wagobha, the community’s tiger god, has a dedicated shrine in the composition’s bottom centre. For the Warli community, farming is a vital source of… Read more »
Untitled (Threshing)
Warli painting, traditionally mural art, is practised by members of the Warli community residing in Maharashtra and parts of Gujarat. Warli art often depicts scenes and aspects from occupations such as agriculture, fishing, hunting, and significant occasions such as festivals, weddings, and births to commemorate the community’s culture and beliefs. Jivya Soma Mashe (1934-2018) was… Read more »
Elephanta Caves, Bombay
This Johnson and Henderson image shows the outer facade of one of the caves on the island of Elephant in Bombay. Originally called Gharapuri and identified as the capital of the Mauryas in the Konkan, the island is spread across two hillocks separated by a narrow valley and dotted with numerous archaeological remains going as… Read more »
Musicians, Karlee
This is a late 19th century photograph of a group of musicians at Karle Caves by an unidentified photographer. On the backdrop can be seen buddha figures meditating, and a row of elephants all carved onto the monolithic structure. The musicians appear to be in motion playing an assortment of instruments, which include Nagaras, and… Read more »
The Joona Warra (Old Fort), Poona
This is a late 19th century photograph of the Shaniwar Wada in Pune by an unidentified photographer. Shaniwar Wada, was once the royal residence of the Peshwas. In 1828 a great fire started inside the palace complex tarnished most of the fort, leaving only the heavy granite ramparts, teak gateways and some building ruins. The… Read more »