Showing posts with label vintage photographs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vintage photographs. Show all posts

4 March 2013

Trinomalee c. 1780



“In 1767, near Trinomalee (Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, south west of Madras), Colonel Joseph Smith defeated the combined forces of Hyder Ali, ruler of Mysore, and the Nizam of Hyderbad, who had formed a temporary alliance.” 

The below is an old photograph in black and white, of a unique copper engraving by J. Cheevers which was prepared for inclusion in a book by Richard Orme entitled “A History of Military Transactions of the British Nation in Indostan,” published in four editions during the years 1763-1799. 



Arunachala, Tiruvannamalai with Temple 1780

On examining the above photograph of Tiruvannamalai c 1780, one can see the girivalam path follows almost the same route as today, and the map shows two routes to the summit joining together, one branch possibly coming from Pavalakundru peak. The other summit path appears to be in the same location as nowadays i.e., from the south western lower corner of Arunachala temple. 

There is only one main shrine shown within the three walls of the Arunachala temple as the shrine to Unnamulai was not built until much later. See below photograph for an earlier photograph of the Siva Sannidhi. 


Siva Sannidhi before development


Vellore road is discernible in the north side of the map. It appears that a girivalam path went directly adjacent to Adi Annamalai, which is shown as being opposite Arunachaleswarar Temple, a small grouping of buildings, with open agricultural fields behind. The extent of Tiruvannamalai's streets were even more undeveloped than at the time of the below vintage photographs of the Big Temple in 1890’s and 1949. 


Photograph of Temple in 1890s

I will be posting a much fuller report of the historical context of this map and Book by Robert Orme shortly in the History section of Arunachala Samudra


Arunachaleswarar Temple 1949


30 October 2012

Vintage Arunachala Photographs



The below photographs show a relatively recent Arunachala and surrounds, but one which looks very deserted and empty. 



Arunachaleswarar Temple taken from the Hill

The Gods performing Girivalam of Arunachala

Young lad standing in front of Adi Annamalai Temple


Walking to Skanda Ashram before reforestation

7 September 2011

Vintage Photographs


Right Click on all photos to view enlargements



Below are a set of vintage photos taken in Tamil Nadu which show the lives of ordinary people at the end of the 19th Century.




Fishermen, Madras, c1870





House Servants, Madras, c1870







Priest Kotagiri Temples, Nilgiri Hills, c1870s



The next four vintage photographs are taken in the late 1940s and show spiritual Tiruvannamalai.




Sacred Grove Shrine, c1940s





Arunachaleswarar Temple, c1940s





Ramana Ashram Gate, 1940s





Sri Ramana, c1940s