Ancient Buddhist Temple Gwalior
Buddhism had largely departed India by this time, having flourished between the 3rd century BCE and 13th century CE, but its temples still stood and were frequently subjects of postcards.
Religion
The Great Burning Ghat in Benares
[Original German] Der Grosse Verbrennungs Platz in Benares [end]
One of the earliest artist-signed postcards of India.
Greetings from Bombay
From an early "Greetings from" series by D.M. Macropolo & Co., a renowned Raj tobacconist with retail stores in Kolkata and Mumbai.
Calcutta
One of the earliest postcards of India, Calcutta, published by W. Rossler, a German or Austrian photographer in the city in 1897. Lithograph, Court sized, Printed in Austria. Undivided back.
The Incomparable Mandalay
One can only applaud the sender of this postcard, the careful positioning of the stamp, the postmark which seems to be from 1923. The card was not addressed, so was either sent in an envelope or kept.
Toda Temple
This Toda temple still stands and is in use. The photographer's lettering scratched into the negative echoes the camera tilt.
Shravak Temple, Girnar
One of the earliest postcards of this collection of Jain Temples which date from roughly the 8th century through 15th century, although there is apparently evidence of the area as a site of pilgrimage from the 3rd century BCE.
Parsee Priest
A curious and perhaps not inadvertent confrontation between a Parsi priest and Queen Victoria, he seems to be asking her for something.
The Golden Temple, Amritzar
One of the earliest postcards of India published by a British-based firm, F. Hartmann & Co.
Lakshmi
A exquisitely hand painted postcard, with the title "Lakshmi, or Sri, wife of Vishnu, goddess of fortune," penned by the sender, likely a European.
