India Impressions, With some notes of Ceylon during a winter tour, 1906-7.

by Walter Crane

A FEW TRIFLES THE WIFE WISHED TO BRING HOME FROM INDIA

We made some very agreeable acquaintances on board, which made the time pass more quickly, and we arrived at Port Said early on Friday the 14th of March. The coaling this time was a comparatively clean process, the wind not being ahead as before. Some few of the passengers got off for Egypt here, but we were soon under way again; and M. de Lèsseps’ large effigy, the green dome of the Custom House, the steamers, the wharves, and the posters of Port Said soon all faded from view as we bade farewell to the East and entered the Mediterranean on our way to Marseilles, the last stage of our long voyage, where after some tossing we had a passing vision of snow-capped Sicily, and the Lipari Islands, with Stromboli still smoking away; and so, in due course, through the straits of Bonifazio, with no further sea troubles, landed at Marseilles on March 19, safe and sound.

---

INDEX

• Abu, Mount, [62]
• Adam’s Peak, [302], [311]
• Aden, outward and homeward call at, [12–15], [314]
• Adinath, Jain, pontiff, [131]
• Adyar Library, [247]
• Afghanistan, Amir of, preparations for reception of—
• At Agra, [113–114], [122];
• at Gwalior, [135–136]
• Aga Khan, [29]
• Agra—
• Journey to, from Jaipur, [112];
• arrival—the hotel, [112–113];
• Pearl mosque, [113];
• drive to the Fort—Akbar’s great gate, [113–114];
• the Taj Mahal, [114–118]—
• its garden, [118–119];
• the Jama Musjid mosque, [119–120], [123];
• drive to the mausoleum of Itmad-ud-Daulat, [120];
• churches, [121];
• bazaars, [122];
• excursion to Sikandra—tomb of Akbar, [122–125];
• otherwise mentioned, [97], [144], [145]
• Ahmed Khan, [50], [51], [151]
• Ahmedabad—
• Journey to, from Bombay, [48–49];
• drive through the city, [49] et seq.;
• mosques, [49–53];
• cotton factories, [55];
• bazaar and street life, [55–58];
• native pottery, [58];
• railway station, [62]
• Ajmir—
• Journey to, from Ahmedabad, [62–63];
• Akbar Fort, [64–65];
• bazaars, [65–66], [70];
• the Dargah, [66–68];
• fort of Targarh, [67];
• mosque of Arhai-din-ka-Jhonpra, [68];
• Daulat Bagh, [68–69];
• cantonments outside the native city, [69–70];
• custom of nailing horse-shoes on the doors, [80]
• Akbar, Emperor, [64], [131], [155], [177];
• tomb of, at Sikandra, [156]
• Alviella, Count Goblet d’, [41]
• Alcott, Colonel, [212], [247], [249]
• Alexandra, Queen, [13], [261]
• Altamash, [68]
• Altamsh, [157]
• Alu-ud-din, [80]
• Amber, deserted city and palace, [106–7]
• American tourists, [76], [84], [96–97], [134]
• Ammayanayakanur, [276]
• Amritzar—
• Journey to, from Delhi, [161–162];
• hotel touts, [162–163];
• the hotel, [163–164];
• drive through the—its open drains, [164];
• the Golden Temple, [165–166];
• carpet manufactory, [166–167];
• interview with a native pedlar, [167–169];
• the Atal tower, [169];
• public gardens, [169];
• departure for Lahore, [170]
• Anderson, Colonel, [185]
• Arab dhow, [15]
• Arabian coast, [12], [314]
• Arhai-din-ka-Jhonpra, mosque of, [68]
• Arjamand Bann, [117]
• Arnold, Sir Edwin, [118]
• Baker, Sir Samuel, [33]
• Bandakin, [112]
• Bapatia, [245]
• Bareilly, [45]
• Barielly, [184]
• Bearer, native, engagement of, [30–33]
• Bedding, need for travellers to supply their own, [35], [77]
• Begara, [59], [60]
• Benares—
• Arrival at—Clark’s Hotel, [200], [216–217];
• first impressions, [201];
• the Guest house, [201–202], [205–206];
• expedition to see the Buddhist remains at Sarnath, [201–205];
• viewing the Ghats from the Maharajah’s peacock boat, [206–211];
• the Burning Ghat, [209–210];
• the Manikaranika Ghat and the Nepal Temple, [215–216];
• pilgrims, [210];
• the Golden Temple, [211];
• Hindu College, [212];
• the Monkey Temple, [212];
• visit to the Maharajah in his palace, [213–215];
• farewell glimpse of, [218]
• Bengal-Nagpur Railway, [241]
• Berhampore, [244]
• Besant, Mrs Annie, [212];
• visit to, at Madras, [247–249]
• Bhutian peasants, [225–226], [235]
• Birdwood, Sir George, [29]
• Bitragunta, [245]
• Blavatsky, Madame, [249]
• Blow, Mr Detmar, [182]
• Bois, Mr, [290], [295]
• Bombay—
• Impressions of, from the sea, [21];
• the landing at, [21–23];
• Malabar Hill, [21], [29–30];
• street scenes, [24–25];
• modern British buildings, [25–26];
• Crawford market, [26];
• bazaar, [26–28];
• native wedding processions, [27–28];
• Victoria Gardens, [28–29];
• Victoria and Albert Museum, [29];
• engagement of a native servant, [30–33];
• oppressive heat, [46];
• welcome of M. Dadabhai Naoroji to, [46–47];
• cotton factories, [55]
• Bonifazio, straits of, [4], [317]
• Brahmans, [242]
• British administration, benefits of, discussed—causes of unrest, [141–143], [190–192], [199], [309–310]
• “Brothers, The,” lightship, [11], [315]
• Brown, Mr Percy, [179]
• Buddhism—
• In Ceylon, [297];
• remains of, at Sarnath, [201], [203–205]—the Great Tope, [205];
• Temple of the Tooth, [302]
• Buffalo cow, [36]
• Burmese people, discontent of, under British rule, [199]
• Cactus plant, [75]
• Caine, Mr W. S., cited, [55], [109], [118], [131], [151]
• Calabrian coast, [4]
• Calcutta—
• Races at, [29];
• National Congress at, [46];
• journey to, from Benares, [218–219];
• impressions, [219];
• the Minto Fête, [219–220];
• a Hindu soothsayer at, [220–221];
• industrial exhibition, [221–222];
• general impressions, [222];
• otherwise mentioned, [198]
• Campbell, Colin, [189]
• Candia, [5]
• Caroline, Queen, [202]
• Carpet manufactory at Amritzar, [166–167]
• Carts, native, [22–23], [55], [104–105]
• Cashmere travelling merchants, [181]
• Ceylon—
• Notes of, [290] et seq.;
• decorative art of, [312];
• native costumes in, [292–293], [298];
• religion of, [297];
• rubber trade in, [308–310];
• tea-plantations of, [302–303], [305];
• vegetation, luxuriant, and scenery, [299–301], [304–307], [310–311];
• Western civilisation—its questionable benefits, [297], [301], [308–310]
• Ceylon Times, The, interview with editor of, [309–310]
• Charybdis, [4]
• Chitor, city of, [77–79]
• Chitorgarh—
• Journey to, from Ajmir, [74–75];
• night spent at, [75–77];
• visit to the ruined fortress, [77], [79–81];
• Tower of Victory, [81];
• otherwise mentioned, [95], [108]
• Cinnamon tree, [300]
• Clan Campbell, s.s., [9]
• Clock towers, modern, in India, [194]
• Colombo—
• Arrival at, [290–291];
• general description of, [291–299];
• garden of palms, [311];
• museum, [311–313]
• Coromandel Coast, native costumes on, [242]
• Corsica, [4]
• Costumes, native, [56], [72];
• in Southern India, [241–242], [252–253]
• Cotton factories, [55]
• Cotton yarn, preparation of, for hand weaving, [81]
• Cranes, white, [54]
• Crete, [5]
• Crows, Indian, [23]
• Cultivated Crops, [75]
• Cunningham, General, [205]
• Curzon, Lord, [119], [120], [122], [150]
• Cuttack, [241]
• Dacoits, [198–199]
• Daulatabad, [34], [36–37], [44–45]
• Dargah of Ajmir, [66–68]
• Darjeeling—
• Journey to, from Calcutta, [223–226];
• toy railway, [224–225];
• general description, [226–227];
• Woodlands’ hotel and its entertainments—the Tibetan masque, [227–232];
• the town, [233–234];
• walks and rides round, [235]
• Dauvergne, M., [33], [44], [45]
• Delhi—
• Journey to, from Agra, [146–147];
• arrival—British residential quarter—Kashmir Gate, [148–149];
• Mutiny memorial, [149];
• the palace—peacock throne, etc., [149–151];
• Moti Musjid (Pearl mosque), [151];
• Jama Musjid mosque, [151–152];
• Jain temple, [152];
• the Chandni Chouk, [152–154];
• excursion to the Kutab Minar, [154–158];
• mosque of Shin Shah, [155];
• Old Delhi, [155];
• ancient city of Indrapat, [155];
• tomb of Humayun, [155–156];
• cemetery of Nizam-ud-din, [156–157];
• driving experiences, [159–160];
• departure, [161];
• otherwise mentioned, [99]
• Delwara, [62]
• Digby, Mr William, [141], [191]
• Dindigul, [276]
• Dinghra, Dr, [166]
• Dowden, Mrs, [189], [194]
• Driving in India, risks of, [159]
• Dutt, Mr Romesh, [1]
• Dyeing, native methods of, [57], [104]
• East India Company, [131]
• Eastern life, influence of Western ideas on, [56], [94], [141–143], [190–192], [199], [309–310]
• Edward VII., [47], [261]
• Egyptian religion, parallelism between the Hindu religion and, [258]
• Elephants—
• Excursions on, [77–78], [82], [107];
• bathing of, at Kandy, [302]
• Ellora, caves of—
• Journey to, from Bombay, [33–38]—and back again, [44–46];
• temple of Kylas, [38–43];
• Buddhist temples, [43];
• village of Ellora, [44]
• Enamel, Champlévé, [179–180]
• Etna, Mount, [4]
• Everest, Mount, [235]
• Famines, native, [141]
• Flaxman, [259]
• Flying fish, [15–16]
• Food at refreshment stations, unsatisfactoriness of, [254]
• “Forest flame,” [224]
• French tourists, [96]
• Fruit-bats, [61]
• Funeral, native, [93–94]
• Ganesha, the elephant god, [41], [81], [256]
• Ganges, scenes at the Ghats at Benares, [206–211];
• the Burning Ghat, [209–210]
• Gardens, Eastern type of, [100–101]
• Girgenti, [40]
• Glass, convex-mirror-mosaic work, [87], [177]
• Gohad, Rana of, [131]
• Grace, A. F., [132]
• Graham, Cunninghame, [248]
• Gramophones in India, [99]
• Green ray, phenomenon of, [16]
• Gunj Baksh, mosque and tomb of, [59–60]
• Gwalior—
• Arrival at—the Guest house, [127–128], [134], [136–137];
• tomb of Mohammed Ghaus, [128];
• drive to the Fort, [128–132];
• palace of the Man Mandir, [129], [138];
• Jain Temples, [130];
• new town (Lashkar), [131], [134–135];
• visit to Maharajah’s palace, [132–133];
• sunsets over the Rock, [137–138];
• description of the old town, [138–140];
• departure—scene at the railway station, [144]
• Hail and thunder storms combined, [237]
• Hardy, Miss, [1]
• Harrison, T. Erat, [194]
• Hathi Sing, shrine of, [58]
• Herefordshire, s.s., [9]
• Himalayas—
• Climbing in the, [227–229];
• snow peaks of, [232–233], [237]
• Hindu and Tamil MSS., library of, [260]
• Hindus—
• Educated, debarred from high administrative posts, [142]
• Religion of—nature worship in, [41], [279–280];
• parallelism between the Egyptian religion and, [258]
• Temples of—at Madura, [277–283];
• at Seringham, [272–275];
• at Tanjore, [255]
• Weddings of, [27–28]
• Women, [33], [45], [104], [174]
• Hiroshigi, [20]
• Horton, Lady, [301]
• Hotel life, picturesque feature of, [84–85]
• Humayun, Tomb of, [155]
• Hunt, Holman, [249]
• Hunt, Mr Cyril Holman, [298], [311]
• Hunter, Capt. J. B. Dalzell, [240]
• Hunuman, Hindu god, [41]
• Hunuman, the monkey god, temple of, at Benares, [212]
• Hyndman, Mr H. M., [142]
• India Office, policy of, [141–143], [190–192], [199], [309–310]
• Indian Ocean, incidents on voyage in, [17]
• Iqd-i-gul, or The Rose Necklace, [240–241]
• Irrigation wells, [170–171], [196];
• of Southern India, [243–244]
• Ismailia, [9]
• Israelites, passage of, through the Red Sea, [11]
• Ivory carver’s workshop at Delhi, [153–154]
• Jack fruit, [300–301]
• Jagmandir, palace of, [88–91]
• Jahanara Begum, [156]
• Jahangir, [89]
• Jain pontiffs, sandstone carvings of, [131]
• Jain sect, persecution of, [279]
• Jain temples at—Ajmir, [68];
• Chitorgarh, [81];
• Delhi, [152];
• Gwalior, [130];
• Udaipur, [86–87]
• Jaipur—
• Journey to, from Ajmir, [97];
• first impressions, [97–99];
• the city, “the rose-coloured city,” [99–100], [116];
• bazaars, [101–102], [104–105], [110];
• enamelled jewellery of, [101], [102];
• spherical rolling lamps of, [102];
• the Maharajah’s state elephant, [102–103];
• the Maharajah’s palace, [103–104], [118];
• street scenes, [105–106];
• the Maharajah’s horses, [110–111]
• Jehan, Shah, [69], [89], [113], [114], [119], [150]
• Jhansi, [145]
• Jijibhai, Sir Jamsetji, [29]
• Jopling-Rowe, Mrs, [196]
• Jubbelteer, Island of, [12]
• Jugglers, native—the mango-tree trick, [187–188]
• Juggernath—
• Temple of, [86–87];
• festival of the Krishna at, [241]
• Juggernaut, pilgrims from, [242]
• Jullumpore, [161]
• Kali, goddess, [109]
• Kandy, visit to—its scenery and foliage, [299–302]
• Khusru, [156]
• Kinchin Junga, view of, [227], [232–233], [237]
• Kipling, Mr, [177], [179]
• Kites, Indian, [23–24], [110]
• Koh-i-noor diamond, the, [125]
• Krishna, festival of, [241]
• Kunja Sahib, shrine of, [66]
• Kutab Minar, [157–158]
• Kutab-ud-din, [157]
• La Nera, s.s., [2]
• Lahore—
• Journey to, from Amritzar, [170–171];
• the Charing Cross hotel, [171];
• British residential and business quarter, [171–173], [178–179];
• native quarter, [173–175];
• bazaars, [175–176];
• the Fort, [176–177];
• the Samadh, [178];
• Jama Musjid, [178];
• Wazar Khan tiled mosque, [178], [181];
• Courts of Justice, [179];
• Museum, [179–180];
• street scenes in, [181];
• visit from the Princess Duleep Singh, [182];
• departure for Lucknow, [182–183]
• Lamps, spherical rolling, [102], [222]
• Lashkar, [131], [134–135]
• Laurence, Lord, statue of, [179]
• Laurence, Sir Henry, [192]
• Leaf insects, [311–312]
• Lèsseps, M. de, [317]
• “Light of the World, The,” [249]
• Lipari Islands, [317]
• Longden, Lady, [301]
• Lucknow—
• Journey to, from Lahore, [183–184];
• Wurtzler’s hotel, [185];
• in hospital, [185–186];
• native jugglers—the mango-tree trick, [187–188];
• ruins of the Residency, [189–190], [192];
• the Sikander Bagh, [189–190];
• Chatter Manzel, [192];
• architecture of, [192–193];
• Jama Musjid, [193];
• the Iambara, [193–195];
• bazaar of the old city, [194–195];
• through the bazaar on elephants, [196–197];
• the Martinière, [197–198]
• Lyons, [198]
• Macarthy, Lady, [301]
• Madura—
• Scenery near, [276];
• visit to the Great Temple, [276–283];
• the Temple Courts, [283];
• Teppa Tank, [284];
• gigantic Banyan tree, [284];
• palace of Tiramala, [284–285];
• silk industry, [285–286];
• table decorations at, [286]
• Madras—
• Journey to, from Calcutta, [239–245];
• arrival—the Castle Hotel, [245–246];
• public buildings and street scenes, [246–247], [249–251];
• temperature at, [247];
• visit to the Adyar library, [247–249];
• Toddy Tappus, [249];
• jin-rickshaws, [249–250];
• Botanic Gardens, [251]
• Mahmudshah, [59]
• Malabar Hill, [21], [29–30]
• Mandal, [75]
• Maratha chiefs, [151]
• Marble—
• Piercing patterns in, [64–65];
• suitability of Indian climate for preserving, [69]
• Marseilles, [2], [317]
• Martin, General or Captain—
• Painting of, [193];
• schools founded by, [197–198]
• Mayo, Lord, [100]
• Mecca, sign of having visited, on house walls, [8]
• Messina, [4]
• Migration of Symbols (d’Alviella), cited, [41–42]
• Mirza Jahangir, tomb of, [156]
• Missionaries, indifference of, to native religions, [275], [297]
• Mocha, [12], [314]
• Mogul Emperors, private chapel of, [113]
• Mogul Serai, [218]
• Mohammedans—
• Educated, debarred from high administrative posts, [142];
• Tombs of, [8], [59–60];
• Weddings among the, [27];
• Women, [104], [174–175]
• Mongolian peasants, [225–226]
• Monkeys, silver grey, [53], [59]
• Moonsawmy, [33], [125–126], [183]
• Mori, [63]
• Morley, Mr John, [142]
• Moses, well of, [11]
• Moti Musjid, [113]
• Mulich, Dr, [1]
• Munmad, a night at, [34–36], [45]
• Muslin, native method of printing on, [70]
• Mussulman mosque of Arhai-din-ka-Jhonpra, [68]
• Mutiny, memorials of, [189–190];
• provocative causes of, [190]
• Nadir Shah, [151]
• Naoroji, M. Dadabhi, welcome of, to Bombay, [46–47]
• Naisirabad, [74]
• Nelson, Lord, bust of, [260]
• Nemnath, Jain pontiff, [131]
• Nizam of Hyderabad, [36], [38]
• Nizam-ud-din, cemetery of, [156–157]
• Nunnoya, [303], [310]
• Nuwara-Eliya, [302];
• scenery at, [304–305];
• the Magdala Gardens, [305–307]
• Parsees—
• Burial place of, [30];
• Merchant, description of, [24];
• Weddings among, [28]
• Parvati, goddess, [41], [109], [256]
• Paul, Lieutenant, [198]
• Perrim, [12], [314]
• Picturesque India (W. S. Caine), quoted, [151]
• Pillai, Mr, [277–278]
• Pillour, [161]
• Plague, bubonic, [141]
• Ploughs, native, [74–75], [140]
• Ploughman, native, earnings of, [140]
• Poori, [241]
• Port Said, [316]
• Poverty of natives, [140–141], [143]
• Prang, Mr Louis, and Mrs Prang, [235–236]
• Prosperous British India (Digby), cited, [141], [191]
• Rai, Mr Laipat, [142]
• Railway travelling in India—
• Facilities for, [48–49];
• native travellers, [70–72]
• Rajpootana, [63], [77], [79]
• Ramayana, [1]
• Rani Sipri, mosque of, [51]
• Readymoney, Sir Cowasji Jehangir, [29]
• Red Sea, passage of, [11–12], [314]
• Rena, s.s., [10]
• Rhododendron, Cingalese, [306]
• Rozah—
• Drive to, from Daulatabad, [36–37];
• description of a night at, [37–38]
• Rubber trade of Ceylon, [308–310]
• Russia, Czar of, [206], [282]
• Ryot, Indian, average earnings of, [141]
• Said, Port, visit to, [5–9]
• Salaams, custom as to, [73]
• Sara, crossing the Ganges at, [223–224], [237]
• Sarbarmati River, scenes on, [53–54], [58–59]
• Sardinia, [4]
• Sarkhai, excursion to, [58–61]
• Saunders, Mr and Mrs, [197]
• Scott, Mr Ross, [188], [198]
• Schwartz, [259]
• Scylla, [4]
• Seringham—
• Religious procession at, [282];
• Temple of, [272–275]
• Shaw, G. Bernard, [248]
• Sheep, fat-tailed, [176]
• Sicily, [4], [317]
• Sidi Sayyids’ Mosque, [51–52]
• Sikandra, excursion to—tomb of Akbar, [122–125]
• Sikhs, religious centre of, [166]
• Silignis, [225–226]
• Silk-weaving at—
• Ahmedabad, [55], [56];
• Vizianagram, [244];
• Tanjore, [262];
• Madura, [285–286]
• Silver Lake, [242]
• Sinai, Mount, [11]
• Sindhia, [131]
• Singh, Princess Duleep, [181–182]
• Siva, god—
• Representations of, at Madura, [278], [279], [280], [281], [283];
• sacred bull of, [255–256];
• sacred mark of, [242], [253];
• otherwise mentioned, [41], [109], [256]
• Sketching, native interest in, [283–284]
• Sorabji, Miss, [220]
• Soumalis at Aden, [13–15]
• South Kensington, Indian museum at, [52]
• Spartivento, Cape, [4]
• Squirrels, palm, [36], [59], [136]
• Stromboli, [317]
• Suez, call at, [10], [315]
• Suez Canal, passage through [9–10], [315–316]
• Sun, eclipse of, [167]
• Table decorations of Southern India, [286]
• Taj Mahal—
• Visit to, and account of, [114–118];
• gardens of, [118–119];
• compared with the Itmad-ud-Daulat, [120];
• moonlight visit to, [120–121];
• sketches of, [121]
• Tamils, [297]
• Tanjore—
• Journey to, from Madras, [251–254];
• accommodation at, [254–255], [269];
• the old fort and Hindu Temple, [255–258];
• religious procession at, [258];
• Christian church at, [258–259];
• palace of the Maharajah, [259–261];
• description of—street scenes, etc., [261–264];
• decline of Western influence at, [263];
• native theatre, [264–268];
• native pedlars—Tanjore craftsmanship, [268–269];
• water carrying, [270]
• Taormina, [4]
• Taragarh, Fort of, [67]
• Tea, Ceylon, colour of beverage, [305]
• Tea plantations of Ceylon, [302–305]
• Theatre, native, at Tanjore, [264–268]
• Theosophical Society, headquarters, [247]
• Threshing of grain, native methods, [252]
• Thull Ghat, [34]
• Tibetan fat-tailed sheep, [176]
• Tibetan masque at Darjeeling, [229–232]
• Tiled mosques, [178]
• Tourane, s.s., [313]
• Trinchinopoly—
• Arrival at—general impressions, [270–272], [275];
• visit to the temple of Seringham, [272–275];
• the Rock of Trinchinopoly, [275]
• Tuticorin, [287–289]
• “Twelve Apostles, The,” [12]
• Udaipur—
• Native group from, [76];
• journey to, from Chitorgarh, [82–83];
• hotel experiences, [83–84];
• place of tombs, [85–86];
• palace of the Maharajah, [87–88];
• excursion to the palace of Jagmandin, [88–91];
• feeding of the Maharajah’s wild pigs, [91–92];
• the Maharajah’s gardens, [93];
• Victoria Institute, [93];
• departure from—the station, [94–95]
• Umballa, [161], [183]
• Villuparam, [254]
• Vishnu, [86], [272], [273]
• Vizianagram, [244]
• Voyages out and home, descriptions of, [1–20], [313–317]
• Wales, Prince and Princess, [167], [206], [282]
• Waltair, [244]
• Water filter and water bearers at railway stations, [75]
• Watts, G. F., [76]
• Wax, raised designs of, on textiles, [179]
• Webb, Sidney, [248]
• Wedding processions in Bombay, [27–28]
• Western civilisation, questionable value of, [94], [308–310]
• Women, native, costumes of, [105], [174–175]
• Zebu bulls, [256], [280]

PRINTED BY
TURNBULL AND SPEARS,
EDINBURGH

Transcriber’s Notes

Punctuation and spelling were made consistent when a predominant preference was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed.

An attempt was made to regularize inconsistent hyphenation, but many inconsistencies remain.