From ‘India, past and present’ (1903) by C. H. Forbes-Lindsay. Photographer: uncredited.
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| Girls of Kashmir |
The above one is in fact ‘Natch Girls, albumen print by Francis Frith from 1870s’ (previously posted under Witches of Kashmir). Also, check out the comment section on Nautch Girls of Kashmir for a recent interesting conversation on Devdasis, Hafizas and women dancing.
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| Panorama of Kashmir |
The book offers no clue about the location captured. It is obviously a bagh. I believe it is the Nishat bagh. It seems to have been taken from its highest pavallion. The ‘lake’ in the background is a bit confusing, it looks like a crop field. I believe it is Dal in flood time.
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In 1850s Francis was active in exploring Egypt and middle east. He was primarily a Business Man and not just a photographer. There's a good chance he never even visited this part of the world. It's just that his firm employed a lot of photographers. The vast series of images came to be known as 'Francis series' in which Indian images came out between 1865 and 1875. This particular photograph is probably by an unknown photographer in around 1865.
Photograph titled Panaroma of Kashmir; It could be Achabal Garden ( Kokarnag).
Also, notice Hari Parbhat is missing in the background, which rules out both Shalimar and Nishat.
You are right…it does look like Achabal Garden…the tag of Srinagar Panorama confused me. There's another old view of the garden here:
from 1920
It is funny. My mother recognized it. She had forgotten me there ( I was hardly 2 years old) in the garden and realized it in the bus. Downside of going on picnic with extended family members.
Thanks for sharing that memory.