Great Banyan Tree Calcutta - 1947 Rover P2 Sports Saloon

I am adding three photos showing the Great Banyan tree in Calcutta.  The first shows my father on 25 May 1947 with what must have been a new Rover P2 Sports Saloon car taken at the Great Banyan Tree. He cannot have been in India very long when the photo was taken.

The second photo shows myself climbing on the Banyan tree taken around 1964.

The final photo shows the tree from a distance and it is huge covering around 2.5 acres with several thousand stems, I understand that it is believed to be around 250 years old.

G D Arulraj - South Coast News 1964

I came across this newspaper article about Arul and his family it dates from 1964 but is interesting and gives some idea of the timescale that he was painting in the USA and when he arrived from India etc.

The article originally appeared in the 'South Coast News' on Tuesday April 14 1964 in Laguna Beach California. It states that he served in the British Indian Army between 1940 to 1947 and that he graduated with a First Class Diploma in Fine Arts and Advanced Paintings.

G D Thyagaraj - Boat with Sail

I was contacted this week by Shawn who has sent me a photo of a painting he purchased directly from Thyagaraj in the early 1960's when he has living in Delhi, when he was a young boy

Shawn could you send me a higher quality photo so I can add that in place of this one?  His brother owns a couple and he is going to try and see if he can get photos of those as well.  Many thanks Shawn, much appreciated.  It looks a great painting.