North India

The wonders of modern and family life as the Viceroy's private secretary

An elephant ride and a regal garden party in 1930s Rajasthan

The Maharajah of Udaipur moves offices and the city erupts into colourful pageantry

Amateur footage of Delhi and Jaipur, from a military review to an atmospheric torchlit procession - and some armour-plated elephants

A young troupe from Kuki village in Manipur rehearse a dance as monkeys, to the beat of a drum

Home movie snapshots of street life in Rajasthan, courtesy of Colonel George Craster

Vivid home movie showing street life in the Indian city of Ajmer and a festival in nearby Pushkar

Life in Udaipur in Rajasthan, with shots of temples, markets and busy streets.

Rural India seen through the idiosyncratic eyes of the Hunter family

An astonishing English tourist’s view of street life in pre-partition Srinagar and Kashmir

A caravan ascends the heights by the Neelum river or Kishanganga river; with views of the Rupal Glacier (or Tashain Glacier).

A film produced to celebrate the coronation of George V as King-Emperor at the Imperial Durbar of 1911.

Ethereal colour views of the magical city of Udaipur during its spring festival celebrations

Bring on the elephants! The spectacular opening of the 1902-03 Durbar

Stunning colour footage showing colonial life in the hills of Assam and bustling activity on the lakes below

One of the earliest films to be screened throughout India upon the accession of Edward VII as Emperor of India

Stately scenes in India, likely filmed during the 1903 Delhi Durbar

Life for the Viceroy of India in the 1930s - captured in his own home movie

Richly detailed amateur ethnographic film on the agrarian economy and society in rural Punjab

Impressive early tableaux at the riverbank in Srinagar

Richly detailed record of the Prince of Wales' Indian tour, 1921-22.

A tour of Kashmir and Kabul (Afghanistan) in 1928, showing camel racing, hunting with elephants, and yogic fire swinging

Romantic, atmospheric travelogue capturing some of northern India’s most iconic places – not least the Taj Mahal.

From Sir Conrad Corfield's collection, this film shows scenery around Simla, wrestling and a visit by the Maharajah Kumar.

Amateur film of a polo match at Patna, Bihar, followed by scenes of elephants and a leopard hunt.

Armoured elephants, sacred monkeys and a camel carriage feature in Col. George Craster’s home movie despatch from Rajasthan

In the princely state of Udaipur, elephants, wild tigers and boars are pitted against each other

Let the pageantry commence! Aristocracy, army, elephants and more mark the start of the 1903 Durbar.

Join the Gorrie family and students from the Forest Research Institute on an expedition into India's Seraj hills

Amateur footage of dams and canals in what is now Pakistan

Beautiful Technicolor tour of Delhi shot by the great Jack Cardiff

Technicolor scenes in rural Rajasthan, shot by the great Jack Cardiff

Amateur film surveying colonial life in eastern India

Golf - and other pursuits - in the 'abode of clouds'

Tigers in the Himalayan foothills, filmed by famous hunter and conservationist Jim Corbett

A stunning trek from the vale of Kashmir, via Sind Valley and Kargil and Lamayaru Monastry

Evocative observational scenes of Simla (Shimla) and Lahore, including the gorgeous Shalimar Gardens and Anarkali Bazar.

An intimate insight into the servant culture and lifestyle of the Viceroy of India and family, as they visit Simla (Shimla) and Lahore

Amateur shots of pilgrims and temples at Haridwar, followed by rural scenes and the Gorrie family at home.

Footage shot during an intrepid hunting trip in India

Dignitaries including the Nizam of Hyderabad gather to celebrate the Durbar in honour of George V, who arrives by boat in Bombay (now Mumbai).

The contribution of the people of the Kullu Valley to the Second World War effort.

Documentary about the Bhil tribal people of central India, produced by the British-owned Times of India.

Progress vs. tradition in India, comparing rural traditions to developments in industry and science.

Indian travelogue featuring the famous sights and rural life, from Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) to the Khyber Pass.

Sixty years after the event, this travelogue indicates the continued potency of the Indian Mutiny to the British in India.

Grand buildings and missionary work come together in the 1947 Indian tour of construction magnate John W. Laing.

Pomp and circumstance marking the coronation of King Edward VII as Emperor of India.

The "rich and vivid spectacle" of the Durbar held for the Maharaja of Alwar is captured in gorgeous Technicolor by Jack Cardiff in this travelogue.

Family life in colonial India – amateur footage of a little girl with her British mother and Chinese amah

"Their Imperial Majesties" King George V and Queen Mary hold ceremonial court in Delhi.

Edward, Prince of Wales, visits India and Nepal and goes on a tiger hunt.

A portrait of the 15th-century city in Rajasthan, located in the middle of the Thar desert.

Filmed in the days when Lake Pichola still contained water (the famous Lake Palace is now frequently beached), this 1930s portrait of one of Rajasthan's most beautiful and visited cities includes many of the famous sights.

Join a trek through mountainous northern India and the Tibetan border region, and glimpse a ritual Buddhist ‘devil dance’

Colour footage shot in Delhi on the 1953 Everest expedition's return. Includes group receiving gold medals from Nehru and an official welcoming reception by the Indian Government.

Amateur silent colour film by a British diplomat showing buildings and gardens in Lahore, New Delhi and Kashmir, ending with views of distant Mount Everest.

1943 film of Peshawar, Kabul, Bamiyan, Herat and Mashhad; documenting a journey through the North West Frontier territories by British diplomat Clarmont Skrine during WWII.