Warning Signs in Shillong

October 2011

Observed on a walk to Tripura Castle in Cleve Colony, Shillong.

Living Root Bridge - Mawlynnong

October 2011

Living Root Bridge - Mawlynnong, Nongshken, Pynursla, 

East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya.

Living Bridge Sketch, Cherrapunji 1854

Circa 1854

Living Bridge - Formed of the aerial roots of the fig tree, Cherrapunji

Church Gauhati

1860

General view of the church and grounds, with figures posed in the foreground and on the path, photographed by Oscar Jean Baptiste Mallitte in the 1860s. The church has crenellated engaged bastions, arched windows and pointed finials typical of neo-Gothic architecture in Europe. This direct transposition of European stylistic features to buildings in the sub-continent is a theme seen in many examples of colonial British architecture in India. Guwahati, once known as Pragjyotishpura (the Eastern City of Light), is capital of the state of Assam and is at the centre of the most important tea growing area of India. The town is situated on the edge of the Shillong Plateau at the point where it reaches the River Brahmaputra and is the gateway to the whole north eastern part of India.

The Strand Road in Gowhatty from west

1860

View looking down a tree-lined road in Guwahati taken by Oscar Jean Baptiste Mallitte in the 1860s. Guwahati, once known as Pragjyotishpura (the Eastern City of Light), is capital of the state of Assam and is at the centre of the most important tea growing area of India. The town is situated on the edge of the Shillong Plateau at the point where it reaches the River Brahmaputra and is the gateway to the whole north eastern part of India.

American Mission grounds at Gowhatty

1860

General view of the mission buildings from a road, with two figures standing on the left photographed by Oscar Jean Baptiste Mallitte in the 1860s. Branches of the American Baptist Mission and of the Roman Catholic Mission were located in the town in the late nineteenth century. Guwahati, once known as Pragjyotishpura (the Eastern City of Light), is capital of the state of Assam and is at the centre of the most important tea growing area of India. The town is situated on the edge of the Shillong Plateau at the point where it reaches the River Brahmaputra and is the gateway to the whole north eastern part of India.

The Bishop's Fall, Shillong

1860

Beadon Bishop falls are situated near Guwahati in Meghalaya, ‘the land of the rain clouds’. This is one of the wettest regions on earth; the lush hills contain many waterfalls which are brought about by the Monsoon-laden winds that come of the Bay of Bengal. The two falls pictured drop over one hundred metres; they were photographed by Oscar Jean Baptiste Mallitte in the 1860s.

Monolith stones, Shillong

1860

General view of standing stones photographed by Oscar Jean Baptiste Mallitte in the 1860s. A group of six men, including three unidentified Europeans, are posed in the foreground. This area is scattered with a number of ancient stone monuments erected in honour of deceased ancestors. Situated in Meghalaya, ‘the land of the rain clouds’, Shillong has often been referred to as ‘the Scotland of the east’ due to its scenic rolling hills. Meghalaya is one of the wettest regions on earth; the lush hills contain many waterfalls which are brought about by the Monsoon-laden winds that come off the Bay of Bengal.

Native village at the entrance to Shillong

1860

View of a village scattered across a hillside with a chapel at the top photographed by Oscar Jean Baptiste Mallitte in the 1860s. Situated in Meghalaya, ‘the land of the rain clouds’, Shillong has often been referred to as ‘the Scotland of the east’ due to its scenic rolling hills. Meghalaya is one of the wettest regions on earth; the lush hills contain many waterfalls which are brought about by the Monsoon-laden winds that come off the Bay of Bengal. This region was a favourite holiday retreat of the British in India and was also important as a tea growing area.

My house in the Kasea Hills, 1841-42.

1851

Pencil and water-colour drawing by Sir Henry Yule (1820-1889) of his bungalow in the Khasi Hills in Assam, dated between 1841 and 1842. The image is inscribed on the front in pencil: 'My house in the Kasea Hills, 1841-42.' Sir Henry served with the Bengal Engineers in India from 1840 to 1862 and was first posted to the Khasi Hills in Assam. This is a range of hills which form part of the Shillong Plateau and are home to the Khasi Tribe, the history and customs of which Sir Henry became increasingly interested. He is perhaps best known for his work on the 'Hobson-Jobson' (London, 1886), a glossary of Anglo-Indian colloquial words and phrases.