Rare Black & White pictures that bring to life Old Himachal Pradesh

a group of shepherds from Chamba, in their traditional dress in the 1860s

Ever wondered how Himachal Pradesh looked like in the old days? Here is how it was like…

So, how was it like Himachal Pradesh, say 200 years ago? Well, to begin with there was no place called Himachal Pradesh at that time. That came much later. There were just hill principalities with their own kings and queens.

Life was simple in the untouched mountains and verdant valleys. The rivers were crystal clear and the air pristine. The people went about their lives, working in the fields and celebrating in the fairs.
Then came the Gorkhas, the Sikhs and finally the Britishers.

The first ones to explore the hills were the Europeans, mainly the Britishers, who by 1815 had made inroads into the mountains after first defeating the Gorkhas and then the Sikhs in 1846.

These Western travellers and professional photographers like Samuel Bourne used early old black and white cameras to capture moments that are now frozen forever in time. They have left us a treasure trove, a time machine that enables us to get a peek into the past.
Enough said. Let me turn the clock back and take you back in time with some of these rare photographs of an unseen Himachal Pradesh.

St. John in the Wilderness Church, Dharamshala

This is how the St John church of Dharamshala in Kangra looked like in the 1860s, around a decade after it was built in 1852. There is no other structure barring this church in the entire hill. Built in the neo-Gothic style of architecture, this Protestant church had withstood the Kangra earthquake of 1905.

However, the church spire, which can be seen in this image, was destroyed in the earthquake. St. John’s church is also the resting place of Lord Elgin, the Viceroy and Governor General of India. Lord Elgin had died in 1863 and was buried in the churchyard here.

Chamba — A group of Gaddies

Shot in 1864 by Samuel Bourne, this powerful image depicts a group of shepherds from Chamba, in their traditional dress. The Bharmour region of Chamba in Himachal Pradesh is home to the semi-nomadic tribe of shepherds, known locally as Gaddis.

The Gaddis are known for their unique culture, language and transhumance, the seasonal migration of livestock to warmer pastures in winters and to higher-altitude pastures in summers.

Mussucks for crossing the Beas

Men carrying mussucks on the bank of beas river

There was a time when there were hardly any bridges to cross the rivers. What did the people do then? They used mussucks — the inflated animal skins — to cross the rivers. This picture, taken in 1864, shows men carrying mussucks on the bank of Beas river near Bajaura in Kullu.

The ‘mussuck men’ used to be called ‘Tarus’ (‘swimmers’) in local dialect. The Tarus used to charge a nominal amount from local people for crossing the Beas river riding their mussucks in the Nagwain area of Mandi. The mussucks continued to ferry people in Nagwain till even in the 1980s and slowly disappeared by the initial years of the 90s.

Twig bridge over Spiti river

A bridge made of birch twigs over Spiti river

And where there were no mussucks or wooden bridges, there were twig bridges. Like this one over the Spiti river in the 1860s. A twig bridge is a makeshift bridge made from natural materials like tree twigs. Using birch twigs woven together, such bridges were built in remote areas like Lahaul Spiti where other construction material was not available.

And mind you, a twig bridge is not for the faint of hearts. Just imagine crossing a torrential river on a swinging bridge made of twigs that is hanging from piles of rocks on both banks. A bit of a goosebumper, no?

A view of Subathoo

A view of sabathoo or sapatu during british days

What about this picture? Well, you are looking at Sabathu or Sapatu as locals call it. It was here in Sabathu that the men of East India Company had settled down after defeating the Gorkhas in 1815 and made this place their headquarters. It was from Sabathu only that the Britishers ruled the Simla Hill States and established towns like Kasauli and Shimla. Sabathu was also the first cantonment in the Himachal hills and continues to be one to this day.

Dak bungalow, Narkanda

The dak bungalow of Narkanda in Shimla during the British days

If you were to travel in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh in the 19^th century, where would you spend the night? In a tent or in a Dak bungalow, only if the British gora sahibs allowed you. One such Dak bungalow above the village houses of Narkanda near Shimla is in this image.

The Dak bungalows were established during the British rule on the postal routes and acted as rest houses for government officials and European travellers. Interesting fact: When there were no roads, apples, carried by labourers and ‘mail men’ in baskets, used to be transported from Kullu to Shimla using these postal routes.

Sahab, Bibi Aur Gulam

A British woman being carried in a jhampan by Indian men in Shimla.

Talking about gora sahibs and mems, they would always move in a jhampan, carried by the Indians of course, for travelling short as well as long distances. A jhampan is a wooden palanquin with a seating chair. In this image, a British woman is being carried in a jhampan by weary-looking men in Shimla.

Lower Bazaar, Shimla

This is the picture of Lower Bazaar in Shimla on the 1860s

The British kept the Indians at a distance on both Kasauli and Shimla. The Indians were allowed to settle down in Shimla or Kasauli because Britishers required their services but that was it. This is the picture of Lower Bazaar in Shimla where Indians lived and had their shops.

Old Bazaar, Kasauli

The old Bazaar of Kasauli during the British days

And this is the Old Bazaar of Kasauli. Just like Shimla, Indians used to live away from the main town and were not allowed on the Mall Road of Kasauli.

Monuments for Sati

Like elsewhere in India, Sati, the burning of widows, was also practiced in the hills of Himachal Pradesh. There are temples dedicated to the abhorrent practice of Sati in the hills including in Naggar in Kullu. This picture, captured by Samuel Bourne, shows monuments on the right side and dedicated to Satis somewhere in Kangra in the 1860s.