I was going through Pinterest the other day and I found some of the most precious and stunning vintage photographs of Indian women dating back to the 19th century.
I personally felt that these timeless photos depict the richness and the authenticity of Indian culture and they are worth sharing…
1)Photo of nautch dancers of Hyderabad in the 1860s .The girls are wearing dancers traditional jewels. The reclining girl has a jewelled sheath covering her long plait.
Source: Pinterest
2) Picture of a girl…. perhaps a bride:) in heavy jewellery and a dazzling saree from Madras in TamilNadu taken in 1872…..(Holy Moly!!! That saree is a masterpeice!!!)
Source: Pinterest
3)Two Brahmin girls in saree...circa 1855
Source: Pinterest
3)Photo of a young woman holding a foldable fan and looking fabulous in a saree .That embroidered blouse is amazingly looking very modern.. Date unkown.
Source: Pinterest
4) Photo of a Bayadere( devadasi, temple dancer) from Coromandel Coast region….circa 1857–1861. Photographer Fedor Jagor
Source: Pinterest
5) An Indian Ayah( Nanny) with two children
Source: Pinterest
6)Women of Madras in 1870
Source: Pinterest
7) Yet another young bride dressed from head to toe in some of the finest jewellery..circa late 1800’s
Source: Pinterest
8) Here comes a proud moment in Indian history with this picture which depicts an Indian woman, a Syrian woman and a Japanese woman , all training to be doctors at Women’s Medical College of Philadelphia- October 10 ,1885
Source: Pinterest
9) A little girl looking cute as a button in fine clothes and jewellery( a bit too heavy for her age)…circa 1916
Source: Pinterest
10) A Malayali singer and dancer…dated early 1900’s
Source: Pinterest
11) Three very young girls wearing sarees and jewellery in Madras..1870
Source: Pinterest
12) Picture of two Marwari women , circa 1885
Source: Pinterest
13) A woman wearing a Gharara, a traditional Lucknowi garment worn by Muslim women of Hindi Belt. It consists of a kurti, a dupatta and a pair of wide legged pants with each leg made from over 12 meters of silk brocoade…!!!
Source: Pinterest
14) Another little girl…perhaps a princess sitting like a legend…
Source: Pinterest
15) Indian dancer, 1880
Source: Pinterest
16) A Tamil lady
Source: Pinterest
These are a few of the photographs I’ve come across. I didn’t want to make a long post, so couldn’t upload them all..:(
I couldn’t help appreciating the quality of the photos and also couldn’t help noticing the amount of jewellery women wore those days..:):)
Anyways…I believe these pictures gives us a peek into the culture and tradition of ancient India and an era long forgotten..
I was really happy to come across them.