Phatani [Pathan] Dancing Girls
An annual tradition in Peshawar in the early part of the 20th century and probably well beforehand, Peshwar's nautch women would dance through the streets watched and cheered by thousands of onlookers.
An annual tradition in Peshawar in the early part of the 20th century and probably well beforehand, Peshwar's nautch women would dance through the streets watched and cheered by thousands of onlookers.
Plate & Co., like many Ceylon-based firms, published semi-nude postcards of women, more common here than even in South India, including this card with a nicely placed purple stamp.
Every city had its female dancers, or "nautch women" and they were often showed with the musicians who played, assisted and sometimes protected and managed them as well.
An unusual, moody image of a Kashmiri woman from a Times of India series of people across the subcontinent that was often artist-signed, although the artist behind this one remains anonymous.
Buchwa Jan must have been one of the leading singers or dancers in Karachi to have warranted a named postcard.
The famous Indian singer Gohar Jan, queen of early LP recordings and the first Indian artist to be recorded on gramophone on November 2, 1902. Born in Azamgarh, north India as Angelina Yeoward in 1873 she became the most famous nautch girl and singer
[Verso] Gaja-Gauri :- Goddess Parwati. [end]
From a painting by Raja Ravi Varma, Parvati is the Hindu goddess of fertility, love, beauty, marriage, children, devotion, divine strength and power.
Marwaris are from the Marwar region of Rajasthan in India. They speak Marwari. The word Marwar is said to be derived from the Sanskrit word Maruwat, or 'desert'. This striking image was a popular postcard.
Sent from Lucknow, Jan. 26, 1913 to Mr.
An advertising card for the Singer Manufacturing Company showing how universal the use of its sewing machines was, and perhaps how easily they could be used by women to create pillows and beautiful cloths.
This postcard shows a scene at the platform of Karla railway station outside Mumbai where The Ravi Varma Press was headquartered. On the platform, a barefoot man is holding a stick, another is smoking a hookah.