British Raj Movies

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

The future Edward VIII visits Malakand, Kapurthala and opens the Royal Military College at Dehra Dun

An elephantine spectacle, likely part of the celebrations for the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales to India.

Early film of a crowded street scene in an unidentified Indian city.

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

The future Edward VIII visits his Empire, with Indian royalty, elephants, palaces and temples.

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

This portait of life on the tea plantations is decidedly rosy – clearly, there are no exploited workers here. However, the film provides an...

Lady Pamela Lytton, wife of the Governor of Bengal, visits the grand marble Victoria Memorial in Calcutta.

The Governor of Bengal and family - on and off duty.

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

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

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

Amateur shots of pilgrims and temples at Haridwar, followed by rural scenes and the Gorrie family at home.

Kathakali performance featuring the great Indian dancer Guru Gopinath.

The thronging streets of Chennai in festive mood are captured by this lively amateur film.

Amateur film featuring government buildings in Delhi, a shooting party in Malakand and winter in Abbottabad.

Amateur footage of a trip into the Himalaya.

Amateur film showing daily life in Bundi, India.

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