British Raj Movies

Life on the road in India, showing the traffic, people and animals.

Evocative observational scenes of Simla and Lahore, including the gorgeous Shalimar Gardens and Anarkali Bazar.

The future Edward VIII opens a durbar and enjoys a day at the races before inspecting the fire brigade in Calcutta.

Gorgeously dreamlike colour images of (then) French India – present-day Puducherry.

Accompany a couple on their visit to a local wildlife park.

A stunning display by Nyishi tribesmen from the hills of Arunachal Pradesh, north-eastern India.

Amateur film of fishing and geese-shooting trips by a British party in India.

Amateur footage of Delhi and Jaipur, from a military review to an atmospheric torchlit procession - and some armour-plated elephants.

Armoured elephants, sacred monkeys and a camel carriage from Rajasthan.

Millions of Muslims flee to Lahore in the newly created state of Pakistan, prompted by the partition of British India.

A state welcome for a Handley Page aircraft arriving in Kolkata.

The inauguration of a unit of the Indian Defence Force in Calcutta.

The Mysore Palace shines with 100,000 lights in a dazzling 400-year-old celebration.

The Duke rides an elephant as he ventures on safari in Bengal.

Lord Lytton takes up the post of Governor of Bengal.

Rare stencil-coloured images of early 20th century Delhi during a Muslim festival.

Amateur footage of the devastation caused by one of South Asia's worst earthquakes.

Richly detailed amateur ethnographic film on the agrarian economy and society in rural Punjab.

Aristocracy, army, elephants and more mark the start of the 1903 Durbar.

Rural life in the mountainous valley near Gilgit - now in the Northern areas of Pakistan.