Monsoon damaged road

I have added a photo I took around 1967 I was on a trip from Calcutta to a seaside town called Puri on the Bay of Bengal when we ran into trouble caused by heavy rains.  The road we were driving on had been washed away by the water exposing the roots of the trees.  In the background you can see some carts and cattle which have been stranded by the damaged road.  The carts look very similar to those found in the Raj brother's paintings.

Elephant Kerosene Delivery cart

This is a great photo of my sister in Calcutta around 1962 standing next to a delivery cart being pulled by a buffalo which is pulling a tank of kerosene which appears to be banded 'Elephant Kerosene'.  Across the road in the background is the building site of 'Tivoli Court' complete with bamboo scaffolding.

G D Thyagaraj - Mosque

This is the second painting I was sent by Cyrus (thanks again for sending me the photos), it shows a Mosque again a very typical scene for Thyagaraj to paint.

G D Thyagaraj - City Gates

I was contacted by a gentleman that used to live in Calcutta around the same time I was there.  His family owned two paintings by Thyagaraj the first I am adding today is a typical 'City Gates' scene that he used to paint.  Thanks to Cyrus for letting me add them to my blog.

The painting is very like several I have seen before, I will look for the others and compare them with this one.

Calcutta Swimming Club 1962

A photo taken around 1962 showing the outside pool at the swimming club.  You can also see the high diving boards and the round floating raft, water polo goal and the platform for sunbathing.

From memory it was probably a 50 meter (or was it yards in those days) pool you only had to swim around 56 lengths to get your mile certificate.  Hmmm! that does not work out anyway it was a very big pool.

G D Thyagaraj - Cows resting

Another G D Thyagaraj water colour showing a group of cows resting at the edge of a market scene.

Nearby are some carts and women carrying baskets.  The frame of the painting is very similar to some I own myself.

Tree House in Calcutta

As a surprise one year when I went to visit my father during the holidays in Calcutta when I arrived I could see a huge tree house he had arranged to be built by the company carpenter.  It was on the first large branch of a big mango tree with a tall stepladder for access.

It was probably built around 1966 and in the foreground you can see one of the company cars which was an Ambassador car which were built in Calcutta.  I read an article on The BBC website during July which said after falling sales the factory has now closed.

Tollygunge Golf Club

My sister and I used to play golf at Tollygunge Golf Club in Calcutta in the early 1970s, while looking through an old box of photos I came across this photo I took while playing gold there.  Unfortunately I am not in the photo but my caddy is standing on probably the 18th tee with the club house in the back ground I think this was taken in 1973.

You can see my club and ball on the tee waiting for me to take my shot.

G D Paulraj - Cows resting in the shade

Painting by G D Paulraj of a few cows resting at the side of a street in the shade of a building and some trees.  It reminds me of a another painting called 'Madali Street' but taken from a slightly different angle.

I am discussing with my sister on a visit to southern India later this year, I checked some old passports and I reckon the last time I was in India might have been January 1974 so just over 40 years ago, wow what a long time!