Omar Khan
Image on the left: Murree Bazar (Summer): D. Baljee & Co., Murree and Rawalpindi, c. 1905, Coloured collotype, Divided back, 13.95 x 9.05 cm. Image on the right: Grand Hotel, Simla: The Archaeological Photo-Works of India, Delhi, c. 1908, Collotype, Divided back, 13.85×8.75cm. Images courtesy of Omar Khan.
Part of MAP’s online series, Deep Dive, this talk delves into India’s colonial history using an unusual source — postcards.
Led by author and researcher Omar Khan, this session focuses on colonial postcards from the hill stations of Darjeeling and Shimla in India, and Murree in Pakistan between 1897 and 1947.
Hill stations were centres of retreat and power for European colonists in India. Omar will examine the visual narratives surrounding these high altitude outposts, focusing on both European and Indian photographers and studios who were part of the postcard culture. Although largely overlooked by scholars and historians, postcards offer a window into popular perceptions– snapshots shared like the Instagram of those times.
Join the talk and learn more about how people at the time represented themselves in an ever changing landscape.
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