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West and Central India
A journey through central and west India from Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh to Gujarat and Maharashtra.
From Dehradun’s bustling bazaar and pilgrims at the holy city of Haridwar, we travel to Varanasi and the world’s earliest surviving film of India from 1899. A royal visit in 1922 takes us to Gwalior, Bhopal and Indore before heading off to Ahmedabad in 1904. We arrive in Mumbai through the Gateway of India before joining a wedding in rural Maharashtra. The collection includes films from Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Temples of IndiaTemples of India
Travelogue193810 mins
Technicolor temple tour shot by the great Jack Cardiff
Sarnath, Benares & Santal TribesSarnath, Benares & Santal Tribes
Documentary193427 minsSilent
Film of the Santhal tribe of North East India featuring Sarnath and Benares (Varanasi) in Uttar Pradesh.
Taj Mahal, Local Indian Scenes and a cruise to Port Said: Colonel Alexander Personal Film 5Taj Mahal, Local Indian Scenes and a cruise to Port Said: Colonel Alexander Personal Film 5
Amateur film19448 minsSilent
Luscious colour photography of the Taj Mahal and a Mediterranean cruise to Port Said
GwaliorGwalior
Interest film19220 minsSilent
The Prince of Wales and the Maharajah of Gwalior ride an elephant in a grand procession
Street Scenes in India: Colonel Alexander Personal Film 1Street Scenes in India: Colonel Alexander Personal Film 1
Amateur film19359 minsSilent
From the arrival of a new viceroy to street markets, this amateur film captures the diversity of life in colonial India
Khalapur CarpetsKhalapur Carpets
Promotional193212 minsSilent
Indian carpets make their way to Montreal in this promotional film
Rajputana, Jhalawar, Bundi & Katakali DancersRajputana, Jhalawar, Bundi & Katakali Dancers
Amateur film194011 minsSilent
A trip to the spectacular city of Bundi and a Kathakali dance performance, filmed in vivid colour by 'envoy of the Raj' Clarmont Skrine.
Grand Lodge Deputation to IndiaGrand Lodge Deputation to India
Amateur film19277 minsSilent
Footage shot during an intrepid hunting trip in India
Boys' Home in AhmednagarBoys' Home in Ahmednagar
Non-Fiction19051 minsSilent
What’s the hidden message inside this intriguing film, shot at a Salvation Army establishment in western India?
Benares Chungking IchangBenares Chungking Ichang
19166 mins
Arresting early film images of both northern India and central and south western China.
Local Scenes in India and the Taj Mahal: Colonel Alexander Personal Film 2Local Scenes in India and the Taj Mahal: Colonel Alexander Personal Film 2
Amateur film194715 minsSilent
This collection of amateur shots features some of the most important landmarks of Islamic power in India
MurzapurMurzapur
Amateur film19321 minsSilent
Life and death in the trading town of Mirzapur, where the river Ganges meets the highland ranges of India
Edward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Bombay, Poona, Baroda, Jodhpur and BikanerEdward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Bombay, Poona, Baroda, Jodhpur and Bikaner
Travelogue192221 minsSilent
The future Edward VIII visits his Empire, with Indian royalty, elephants, palaces and temples.
Edward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Malakand, Kapurthala and Dehra DunEdward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Malakand, Kapurthala and Dehra Dun
Travelogue192215 minsSilent
The future Edward VIII visits Malakand, Kapurthala and opens the Royal Military College at Dehra Dun
Edward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior and DelhiEdward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior and Delhi
Travelogue192220 minsSilent
The future Edward VIII enjoys a stately procession and visits the Taj Mahal before meeting senior Indian royalty
Edward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Bikaner, Lucknow, Benares, Nepal and Great Tiger ShootEdward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Bikaner, Lucknow, Benares, Nepal and Great Tiger Shoot
Travelogue192221 minsSilent
The future Edward VIII enjoys receptions, playing polo and hunting tigers on his royal tour
Our Greatest AmbassadorOur Greatest Ambassador
Non-Fiction192233 minsSilent
Richly detailed record of the Prince of Wales' Indian tour, 1921-22.
India - Hardwar C.1931: Gorrie Personal Film No. 29India - Hardwar C.1931: Gorrie Personal Film No. 29
Amateur film193118 minsSilent
Amateur shots of pilgrims and temples at Haridwar, followed by rural scenes and the Gorrie family at home.
Picturesque India or, In and About CalcuttaPicturesque India or, In and About Calcutta
Travelogue19135 minsSilent
Botanical gardens in Bombay (now Mumbai) plus the highly decorative Jain Temple in Calcutta (now Kolkata) as they were in 1913.
Historic Mutiny SitesHistoric Mutiny Sites
Travelogue19145 minsSilent
Sixty years after the event, this travelogue indicates the continued potency of the Indian Mutiny to the British in India.
The Central HimalayaThe Central Himalaya
Amateur film194423 minsSilent
Trek in the Central Himalaya, Uttarakhand. On foot, no pack animals for best part of a month.
Disastrous Bombay FireDisastrous Bombay Fire
Non-Fiction19141 minsSilent
Fireman attend to the smouldering ruins of a major cloth market fire in Bombay, now Mumbai.
In Rural MaharashtraIn Rural Maharashtra
Documentary194511 mins
Happy farmers, a wedding and some giant cauliflowers...
Commissioner Higgins Visits Ahmedabad Girls' SchoolCommissioner Higgins Visits Ahmedabad Girls' School
Non-Fiction19044 minsSilent
Salvation Army officials are given a welcoming salute on a visit to a girls' school in Gujurat, western India
Simla - Maharajah KumarSimla - Maharajah Kumar
Amateur film192816 minsSilent
From Sir Conrad Corfield's collection, this film shows scenery around Simla, wrestling and a visit by the Maharajah Kumar.
Romantic IndiaRomantic India
Travelogue193517 mins
Cotton, rice and tea, mountain railways, elephants and buffalo: India’s life, landscape and people through Western eyes.
In India Today: Gandhi : Stormy Petrel of Indian Politics Pathé Gazette No. 1705In India Today: Gandhi : Stormy Petrel of Indian Politics Pathé Gazette No. 1705
Non-Fiction19302 minsSilent
Newsreel capturing the final leg of Mahatma Gandhi’s epic 24-day march through Gujarat to break the colonial salt laws.
Sir John Laing Missionary Films Delhi & The NorthSir John Laing Missionary Films Delhi & The North
Amateur film194718 minsSilent
Grand buildings and missionary work come together in the 1947 Indian tour of construction magnate John W. Laing.
Wedding of Maharaj Kumar Shri Meghrajji Shaeb of Kutch and Maharaj Shri of Kishangarh, 1933Wedding of Maharaj Kumar Shri Meghrajji Shaeb of Kutch and Maharaj Shri of Kishangarh, 1933
Amateur film193342 minsSilent
Fireworks, illuminations and traditional dance all feature in a stunningly opulent royal wedding at Kundla, Gujarat
Mapping all Red Air Route to IndiaMapping all Red Air Route to India
Non-Fiction19241 minsSilent
Sir Sefton Brancker starts on an ambitious 14,000 mile trip to Bombay (now Mumbai)
Lion-tiger FightLion-tiger Fight
192910 minsSilent
This travelogue follows hunters in the Gir forest, capturing the titular fight and the gruesome aftermath.
Glimpses of IndiaGlimpses of India
Travelogue192931 minsSilent
Indian travelogue featuring the famous sights and rural life, from Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) to the Khyber Pass.
Gaumont Graphic No. 383Gaumont Graphic No. 383
Non-Fiction19146 minsSilent
Indian soldiers in Bombay in October 1914 en route to German East Africa (now Tanzania)
Calling Blighty (Wolverhampton)Calling Blighty (Wolverhampton)
Documentary194413 mins
“Hello Wolverhampton”. British troops in Bombay send poignant messages to their families back home
Visit of Mr. and Mrs. J. Royle and Miss H. Dowell to Kutch State...Visit of Mr. and Mrs. J. Royle and Miss H. Dowell to Kutch State...
Amateur film193634 minsSilent
Amateur footage of a tour of Kutch, Gujarat, as guests of the Maharajah
Montreal and India Newsreel Compilation - C. 1922Montreal and India Newsreel Compilation - C. 1922
Non-Fiction19225 minsSilent
The Taj Mahal and shots of Jalandhar nestle between footage from Canada and Africa in this intriguing film compilation
Eastern Architecture 1630 A.D.Eastern Architecture 1630 A.D.
Amateur film19408 minsSilent
Wonder at the beauty, splendour and grace of the Taj Mahal, erected in 1630 by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan
Blind Guides CampBlind Guides Camp
19451 minsSilent
Peppy report on India's first national gathering of visually-impaired girl guides.
Native Life in BundiNative Life in Bundi
Amateur film19359 minsSilent
Home movie snapshots of street life in Rajasthan, courtesy of Colonel George Craster
Nine Countries in Ninety MinutesNine Countries in Ninety Minutes
Travelogue193763 minsSilent
Amateur film travelogue of a journey around various parts of the world in 1937, by Frances Hotham F.R.G.S, A.R.P.S.
Garhwal Himalayas Expedition 1939Garhwal Himalayas Expedition 1939
Amateur film193952 minsSilent
Film directed by Peter Oliver of his expedition to Garhwal, or the ‘Valley of the Flowers’ with Frank Smythe, in 1937.