INDIA:- JEYPOOR / AMBER / AGRA.        

  Article  9  of   28           Time of visit: January 1893.

UPDATED 31 MARCH 2019 WITH TWO ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS 
INCORRECTLY INCLUDED IN ALBUM NUMBER XV

GENERAL VIEW OF AGRA 
From Album III * Image 3 * Edited from full size 11 x 8½ inches.

(George W. Randall Archive)

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Twenty-two year old George Bullough (right) and his travelling companion,

Robert Mitchell, depart Viramgam in Bombay Presidency on the

4^th January 1893 by overnight train to Jeypoor, a distance of 390 miles.

Arriving two hours late they headed straight to their hotel, the Kaiser-i-Hind, opened in 1882, “for a couple of hours rest.”

They explore Jeypoor and visit the ancient  city of Amber before departing by train

150 miles west to Agra, staying at Laurie’s Great Northern Hotel. 

Twenty photograph albums in the library at Kinloch Castle, Isle of Rum, Scotland, record the places they visited one 
hundred and twenty-five years ago. It was a world at the height of the Victorian Era, a world now beyond living memory, 
a very different world, yet a world the ramifications of which profoundly affect and influence life and events today 
in the twenty-first century.

 (George W. Randall Archive)

 Measuring 14½ x 10¼ inches the albums contain almost seven hundred images, those of Japan are hand-coloured,

the rest black and white. Some were taken at the time, most were purchased, photography being still in its infancy.

Albums I & II: Ceylon/India * Albums III to V: India * Album VI: India/Burmah * Album VII: Australia

Album VIII: Cape Town * Album IX: South Africa * Album X: South Africa/Madeira/Hobart

Album XI: Tasmania/New Zealand * Album XII: New Zealand * Album XIII: Natives Africa/New Zealand

Album XIV: Japan * Album XV: Numea/Batavia/Singapore * Album XVI: China * Album XVII: China/Japan

Album XVIII: New Zealand/New Caledonia  * Album XIX: Honolulu/California * Album XX: Salt Lake City. 

 (George W. Randall Archive)

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After three years of travelling the world they returned to George Bullough’s 

home-town, Accrington, England, in late 1895.

Their experiences, recalled by Mr. Mitchell, were reported in the local newspaper,

The Accrington Division Gazette, commencing with an

Introductory Article in May 1896, and twenty seven subsequent articles, 

the last, Pretoria, Johannesburg, the Discovery of Diamond City, 

was published on the 12^th December 1896.

I have added numbered notes relating to the text at the end of each article.

These are intended to give historical background and modern understanding to

the 120 year old text and hopefully encourage further reading and research.

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In the heart of the Old City is the City Palace occupying a large area divided into a
series of courtyards, gardens and buildings. The seven-story Chandra Mahal - seen rising
 above and behind the inner gateway -  is the centre of the palace and commands fine
views over the gardens and the city. Originally built by Maharajah Sawai Jai Singh II
(1688-1743) and covering one seventh of the walled city, the palace is an imposing
blend of traditional Rajashan and Mughal architecture.
Maharajah Sawai Madho Singh, G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E., G.C.V.O., G.B.E.,

the adopted son of Ram Singh II, Maharajah of Jeypoor, was born in 1862 and

succeeded in 1880 until his death in 1922;
he visited England for the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902.

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 City Map of  Jeypoor  - alternate spelling Jaipur or Jeypore. 

Described in the 1890’s as “the only city in India laid out in rectangular blocks and divided

by cross-streets into six equal portions The main streets are 111 feet wide and paved,

the city is lighted by gas. The huge palace of the Maharajah stands in the centre of the city.”

The Jantar Mantar was Jai Singh’s astronomical observatory begun by him in 1728 and

contains the world’s largest sundial. Restored in 1901 it is the largest and best preserved

of the five he had built and today is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The chief industries of Jeypoor in the late 1800’s were metals and marble which were

encouraged by a school of art founded in 1868. The city had three colleges and several hospitals. The population in 1901 was recorded at 160,167.

JEYPOOR, AMBER AND AGRA.
(From The Useful Knowledge Society Family Atlas 1875)

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Unidentified.  From Album II  *  Image 7  *  Size 11 x 9 inches.

(George W. Randall Archive)

“Walking along the main thoroughfares one sees ... scores of trades ... all being carried out on the open pavement or just inside their shops which all have open fronts.”

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JEWELLER’S STREET  -  Jeypoor

Incorrectly placed in Album XV  *  Image 23  *  Size 10½ x 8½ inches

MANACK CHOUK  -  Jeypoor

Incorrectly placed in Album XV  *  Image 25  *  Size 11 x 8 inches

Manack Chouk literally translates as Large Square. It is one of two major public squares

in Jeypoor constructed for the King of Amer, Sawai  Jai Singh II, 1688-1743. 

Close to the Tripolia Gate it forms a busy market for artisans, craftsmen and jewellers

MANACK CHOUK  -  Jeypoor

Incorrectly placed in Album XV  *  Image 25  *  Size 11 x 8 inches

ENTRANCE GATE TO PALACE, JEYPOOR       (TRIPOLIYA GATE)
From Album III * Image 3 * Size 10½ x 8½ inches.

(George W. Randall Archive)

The walled “Pink City” is in the north-east of Jeypoor, entrance being through one of 
seven gates. This popular name derives from the pink paint applied to the buildings, 
traditionally a colour associated with hospitality. The Tripoliya Gate is near the Tripoliya Bazaar

which sells brass-ware, carvings and lacquer-ware.

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AMBER PASS  -  NEAR JEYPOOR    (NOTE AMBERE PASS PRINTED ON PHOTOGRAPH)
From Album II * Image 23 * Size 10½ x 8½ inches

(George W. Randall Archive)

Amber is situated at the mouth of a picturesque rocky gorge in which nestles a lovely lake. All who travel to see it are full of admiration for its beauty. The old palace at Amber was begun by Man Sing in 1600. The chief building is the Diwan-I-Khas built by Mirza Raja. No sooner it been completed when it came to the attention of Emperor Jehangir that it surpassed all the marvels 
of the Imperial City and he ordered its destruction. Mirza Raja had the sculptured columns plastered over with stucco so that the agents sent by Jehangir returned to report the magnificence that was so much talked about was pure invention and the building was saved. 

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ON THE WAY TO THE CITY OF AMBER
George Bullough (right) and his travelling companion, Robert Mitchell.

From Album II * Image 22 * Edited from full size 11 x 9 inches 

(George W. Randall Archive)

Having obtained permission from the British Resident Colonel H. P. Peacock of the Bengal Cavalry who accompanied them, George Bullough (right) and Robert Mitchell

ride up to Amber Fortress on “one of the Maharajah’s largest elephants.”

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TAJ MAHAL     VIEW FROM ENTRANCE GATE
From Album III * Image 8 * Size 11 x 9 inches

(George W. Randall Archive)

Symbol of an ultimate expression of love, the resting place of Emperor Shah Jahan

and his favourite wife, Arjumand Banu Begum, better known by her title,

Mumtaz Mahal (Chosen of the Palace).

They married in 1612 when he was Prince Khurram, his second wife and inseparable companion.

She died aged thirty-eight on 17 June 1631 giving birth to their fourteenth child, a daughter,

Gauhara Begum, in Shah Qila Fort, Burhanpur, on the Deccan Plateau,

(336 miles north-east of Bombay), during a campaign with her husband.

Gauhara Begum survived and “died of natural causes in 1706.”

From 1631 to 1653 a work force of twenty thousand from all over India and Asia,

as well as experts from Europe, worked to complete the Taj Mahal,

under the direction of the main architect, Isa Mardan Khan*

a Shiraz refugee from Iran and a noble in Sha Jahan's court.

A two mile long ramp was required to lift material for the dome.

* A History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon by Vincent Smith  Oxford 1911.

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VIEW OF THE GATE FROM INSIDE (THE TAJ)

From Album III * Image 10 * Size 11 x 9 inches 

(George W. Randall Archive)

The south gateway, known as the Sirhi Darwaza, is a large, three-storey sandstone structure with an octagonal central chamber with smaller two storey rooms each side, crowned by domed pavillions.

The walls are inscribed with verses from the Quran (Koran) in Arabic. 

Paths leading from the gate to the Taj are divided along classical Moghul lines of a 

square quartered by watercourses in which the Taj is reflected. 

As with the mausoleum itself, the ornamental gardens were 

laid out under the direction of architectural engineer, Isa Mardan Khan*. 

* A History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon by Vincent Smith  Oxford 1911. 

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INCORRECT IDENTIFICATION IN ALBUM
Result of first hand research ... ... ... ...

GATEWAY LEADING TO THE TAJ
From Album III * Image 11 * Edited from full size 11 x 9 inches 

(George W. Randall Archive)

This is not “Gateway leading to the Taj” as identified in Album III
 but the South Gate entrance to the Mausoleum of Emperor Akbar at Sikandra, Agra. 

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GENERAL VIEW OF AGRA

From Album III * Image 3 * Edited from full size 11 x 8½ inches 

(George W. Randall Archive)

Agra lies on the west bank of the River Jumna, 300 miles above its confluence with the River Ganges at Allahabad and 139 miles from Delhi. The city is renowned for its Moghul monuments, the most famous being the Taj Mahal.  In addition there is Akbar's Fort and the fabled city of Fatephur Sikri, capital of the Moghul Empire between 1570 and 1586. 

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ENTRANCE GATE TO PALACE, JEYPOOR. 

From Album V  *  Image 1  *  Full size 10½ x 8½ inches.

(George W. Randall Archive)

The gateway is identified on the album photograph (left) as

 “Shreh Deori or Palace Gate” - in black bar. 

Removed in the image above.

It bears the number “150” 

visible just right of the walking figure left in white.

George Bullough gives it the title: 

“Entrance Gate To Palace  Jeypoor.”

The gate is also referred to as the “Pitam Niwaa.”

Allowance must be made for variations of spelling and name changes over the years.

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POSTED BY GEORGE W. RANDALL  MONDAY 1 ST. OF JANUARY 2018

THIS ARTICLE, THE NINTH OF TWENTY-EIGHT, 

RELATING TO GEORGE BULLOUGH AND ROBERT MITCHELL'S

 THREE YEAR LONG WORLD TOUR 1892 - 1895

  IS THE RESULT OF FIRST HAND RESEARCH AND PHOTOGRAPHIC 

RECORDING BY THE AUTHOR. 

(George W. Randall Archive)

UPDATED 31 MARCH 2019