The Bhistie
A contemporary artist's rendering of one of the most popular postcard subjects, the all important "bhistie" who brought water in an animal skin to the thirsty.
Johnston & Hoffmann
The Postman
While an exchange of written messages has been part of history for a long time, the concept of a regular postal service seems to have arisen in Europe during the 15th century when French students were requesting so many goods, a regular service was
Native Constable
The Indian Councils Act of 1861 was the foundation for the Indian Police Service, one whose fine exemplars was this Calcutta Policeman, which the emblem on his belt so proudly proclaims. His instrument of choice is the lathi, from the Bengali word
Dancing Girls
Professional dancing girls were among the most popular early postcard subjects. These two dancing girls are probably from Lucknow as the painting in the studio background on the left recalls the Chutter Manzil in Lucknow.
Bunder Wallah or Monkey Man
Sent to R.S. Gibbons, c/o Mrs. N.L. Larler, J.G. Northhampton Road, Addiscombe, Croydon, Surrey, England: "Feb 4th [1919?]. Granny sent you 10/- [shillings] for Xmas. Ask R.M. to give it to you out of the Bank.
Simla, Annandale
"There is possibly no name connected with Simla which to thousands of Anglo-Indians, past and present, can revive more memories of a pleasant nature than that of Annandale." writes Edward Buck, the longtime resident and master chronicler of the
A Benares Dancing Girl
This card, sent by a Mr. Seamus on Dec. 1, 1905 from Kolkata, has a stamp positioned in the top that extends the tilt of the woman's head.
A Hill Coolie Girl
Although a coolie – "a hired labourer, or burden-carrier"(Hobson-Jobson, p. 249) – were at the bottom of the social ladder, and the word is said to originally come from Kolis, a hill-people in the Western Ghats, "whose savagery, filth and general
The Museum, Calcutta
The ninth oldest museum in the world and the oldest in India, what is now known as the Indian Museum Kolkata was started in 1814 by the Asiatic Society of Bengal. A Danish botanist, Nathaniel Wallich, is considered its founder.
A Pahari Woman
Paharis refers to the indigenous hill people who lived around Shimla and populated a large area in the lower Himalayas.
