By Bhudeb Chakrabarti India, in the 19th century, witnessed the peak of Britain’s colonial era, with the administration of the country shifting from the East India Company to the British Empire in the mid-19th century. This was also the period in which the many reform movements were initiated in an attempt to clear the web… Read More Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar – A great Indian reformer
By Bhudeb Chakrabarti The extract from the poem ‘Jhansi Ki Rani‘ by Subhadrakumari Chauhan, is an ode to the valiant queen of Jhansi, who had challenged the British to defend her Kingdom and became a leading figure in India’s First War of Independence against the British rule. Here’s a look into the life of the brave queen, a… Read More Rani of Jhansi – The 19th century warrior queen
By Somali K Chakrabarti “Mere Sapno Ki Rani kab aayegi tu….” This romantic Hindi song from the movie Aradhana, had enchanted hundreds of thousands of people from all over India in the 70s. Sitting atop an open jeep, Rajesh Khanna, crooned the lively song to woo Sharmila Tagore, who sat reading a book in the Toy Train, as the… Read More Darjeeling Himalayan Railways in the 19th century – Vintage Pictures
By Somali K Chakrabarti Lucknow, the city of Nawabs, was also once the city of adab and tehzeeb (etiquette and manners). Refined speech, manners, art, literature, poetry and “Nawabi” style cuisines once marked the culture of the city. The capital city of Uttar Pradesh, on the bank of River Gomati, has a cultural legacy shared by Hindus and Muslims,… Read More Lucknow in the 19th century – Vintage Pictures
By Somali K Chakrabarti “And here, over the portals of my fort, I shall cut in stone the word which is to be my beacon and my banner. The word which will not die should we all perish in battle..” – Ayn Rand, The sacred word Taking on from my last post on Forts and Palaces… Read More Forts and Palaces in Rajasthan – Pictures from the 19th century Part II
By Somali K Chakrabarti “Sublime wonders lie in store, I am shown a regal residence; a mighty kingdom, an empire with more grandeur than before …” – E.A. Bucchianeri, Poetry for the Phantom of the Opera Forts and palaces never fail to fascinate me. These rare examples of architecture offer a glimpse into the past grandeurs and… Read More Forts and Palaces in Rajasthan – Pictures from the 19th century Part1
By Somali K Chakrabarti A city with a curious blend of tradition and modernity, Chennai has a rich historical legacy. Formerly known as Madras, Chennai was a leading urban location and naval base, at the time of the British rule. Madras derives its name from Madrasapattnam, a fishing village located on the Coromandel Coast, where the British East… Read More Chennai in the 19th century – Vintage Pictures
By Somali K Chakrabarti I asked my soul: What is Delhi? She replied: The world is the body and Delhi its life. ~ Mirza Ghalib An excerpt from Delhi : A Novel, by Khushwant Singh. Delhi, a city with a rapidly changing skyline, has been a part of India’s ancient history. Indraprastha, the legendary capital of Pandavas,… Read More Delhi in the 19th century – Vintage Pictures
By Somali K Chakrabarti Kolkata, the ‘City of Joy’, is a city with a glorious past! For those who live there, Kolkata is also about its alluring spirit, emotions, heightened sensibilities and creative energy. It is a city with fabulous heritage architecture where the old merges with the new. Going back a bit into the history of Kolkata (previously Calcutta), we… Read More Kolkata in the 19th century – Vintage Pictures
By Somali K Chakrabarti History has its own charm! Vintage pictures of Mumbai, from the 19th century evoke a sense of nostalgia. These pictures, with their old world charm and enticing simplicity tell the story of how life would have been in those times. The images, though may not be of practical significance, have an expressive value and a… Read More Mumbai in the 19th century – Vintage Pictures
Scribble and Scrawl 