Object of the week: A rare photo of Dal Lake in the 1800s
On the banks of the Dal Lake with a physician-turned-photographer-turned-mountaineer
Temple
Worshipping water – Faith & conservation in Indian culture
Let’s travel to some picturesque and iconic Indian destinations where water is worshipped as saviour, sustainer, and bringer of salvation
Divine Doorways – Gopurams of South India
Exploring the towering gopurams of south India through rare photographs of temples across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala
Hindu Temple Architecture
A Sarmaya guide to Hindu temple architecture through our collection of rare photographs
Thiya Bodiya Jatri Boti
A jatri poti/boti or jatra patta is a pilgrimage scroll that a devotee brings back with him as a souvenir. It also acts as a mobile shrine for anyone unable to visit the temple. This particular Patta depicts different icons and practices of Lord Jagannatha, considered an incarnation of Vishnu. Lord Jagannath’s siblings – Balabhadra… Read more »
View of the Kali Ghat, Calcutta
The Kalighat area first finds its mention in the 15th century Bengali text, Manasā-Vijaya, written by poet Bipradas Pipilai. It is also mentioned in a 16th century literary work Chandimangala by Mukundaram Chakrabarti. Kalighat was also established as a pilgrimage centre after legend placed a fragment of Sati’s body here, near the Ganges and since… Read more »
Kali Ghat, Calcutta
This is an image of a bridge over Tolly Nullah at Kalighat in Calcutta by Samuel Bourne. Warren Hastings, the Governor General of India from 1773 – 1785, had acquired permission in 1763 to build a suspension bridge over Tolly Nullah which was to connect Kalighat to his garden house in Alipore. It was later… Read more »
Shyam Rai Temple, Bishnupur
This picture shows the Shyam Rai Temple, regarded as a structural beauty amongst the Bishnupur Temple Complex in West Bengal. It was built during the reign of Raghunath Singha (1626 – 1656), a Malla King who is recognised to be a patron of art and architecture. The temple is a pancharatha temple with one main… Read more »