Mumbai Bombay

Types of Men (I)

Types of Men (I)

This is actually a real photograph postcard of a water colour on paper by M.V. Dhurandhar, part of a series by the artist on the people of Bombay. The recent and first major book on him, M.V. Dhurandhar The Romantic Realist (DAG, 2018) has three of

Bombay Police

Bombay Police

A rare lithograph from 1907 or beyond. Note the British policeman in side profile, the local constable saluting him. They are nearly the same height. The background reveals itself to be a cutout of the city, the policeman's terrain.

Sardar Bhagat Singh

Sardar Bhagat Singh

Bhagat Singh, who was hung in a Lahore jail on March 23, 1931 is the subject of continuing dispute in Lahore. Motions have been filed to name what is now a traffic chowk after Bhagat Singh. From The Times of India story: "Bhagat Singh Memorial

A Mountebank

A Mountebank

A curious case of an Italian word finding itself stamped upon a postcard of a characteristic type in India (the fakir, in this case a mendacious one). Mountebank is an old word for a charlatan, or salesman of quack medicines.

Hindoo Ayahs

Hindoo Ayahs

An early court-sized card made from an albumen photograph with the studio inscribed in the glass negative at the bottom.

Hobson-Jobson defines "AYAH, s. A native lady's-maid or nurse-maid.

Tatawadha

Tatawadha

[Original caption] Jatayu-Vadha: - Ravana, while carrying away Sita, is being attacked by the bird Jatayu, with whom he fights. [end]

Jatayu, the holy bird, lived in Panchavati close to the hut of Rama.

Maner Bihar

Maner Bihar

This unusual, sepia-ish lithographic postcard is probably by Paul Gerhardt at the Ravi Varma Press even though it is not signed by him with the Press imprint.

Pages

Subscribe to Mumbai Bombay