Patna in its setting, in Bihar ("Bahar"), at a very convenient point for Gangetic and other river traffic (from a map by SDUK, 1844)

Source: ebay, Aug. 2006



A closer view, in a map from c.1885

Source: ebay, Oct. 2010


*Part of the City of Patna, on the River Ganges; by Thomas Daniell, 1795* (BL)


*Chait festival, on the banks of the Ganges at Patna; a watercolor, c.1795-1800* (BL)


*The granary (golghar) at Bankipur, near Patna (Bihar) seen from the river; European officials' houses near by; a watercolor by Robert Smith, 1814-15* (BL)


*Bird's eye view from above the Opium Godown at Patna; a watercolor by Seeta Ram, 1814-15;  from 'Views by Seeta Ram from Patna to Benares Vol. II' produced for Lord Moira, afterwards the Marquess of Hastings, by Sita Ram between 1814-15, to illustrate his journey from Calcutta to Delhi between 1814-15.* (BL)


*'Another view of the great Choke,' both sides of the main street of Patna, dominated by two facing chattris; a watercolor by Seeta Ram, 1814-15* (BL);
also: *'Great Choke at Patna', a view of one side of the main street in the Indian city of Patna* [*Sitaram 1814 c*];
also: *Grounds of Duncan Campbell's house at Patna* [*Sitaram 1814 d*];
also: *The great Gola on the Maidan at Bankipore [in Patna]* [*Sitaram 1814 e*];
also: *The opium godown or store within its compound at Patna* [*Sitaram 1814 f*]
also: *The inside of the opium godown at Patna* [*Sitaram 1814 g*];
also: *The old European cemetery at Patna* [*Sitaram 1814 h*];
also: *The shrine of Shah Arzani at Patna*; [*Sitaram 1814 i*]


Pen and ink drawings by Sir Charles D'Oyly (1781-1845), of Patna City in Bihar, from an Album of 80 drawings of views in Bengal and Bihar taken between January 1823 and May 1825. Patna, the ancient Pataliputra, was the centre of the opium trade in northern India. The Dutch, French, Danish and British East India Companies all had 'factories' there.

D'Oyly arrived in India in 1797 and spent his first few years in Calcutta as Assistant to the Registrar of the Court of Appeal. He was Collector of Dacca from 1808-18 and was made Opium Agent at Patna in 1821. Whilst at Dacca he met the artist George Chinnery and became his pupil from 1808-12. D'Oyly was a prolific amateur artist who was greatly admired by the European community. He set up and ran a lithographic press, the 'Behar Lithography', and also formed an amateur art society, the 'United Patna and Gaya Society' or 'Behar School of Athens': 'for the promotion of Arts and Sciences and for the circulation of fun and merriment of all descriptions.'

*Eastern gateway of Patna City (Bihar). 26 October 1824; a drawing by Sir Charles D'Oyly* (BL) [above];
also: *Western gateway of Patna City (Bihar). 23 October 1824* [*D'Oyly 1824 b*];
also: *Mosque of Fakr al-Daula, Patna City (Bihar). 26 October 1824* [*D'Oyly 1824 c*];
also: *The Gossain Katra near the Chawk, Patna City (Bihar). 23 October 1824* [*D'Oyly 1824 d*];
also: *View from the terrace of the Patna Custom House looking along the Ganges towards Gulzarbagh and Bankipur (Bihar). 24 October 1824* [*D'Oyly 1824 e*];
also: *Another view from the Patna Customs House (Bihar) with steps leading down to the river and country boats moored by the bank. 24 October 1824* [*D'Oyly 1824 f*];
also: *View of a stone mosque in the Western suburbs of Patna City (Bihar) looking west. 29 October 1824* [*D'Oyly 1824 g*];
also: *View of a temple erected by Maharaja Mitrajit Singh in the W. suburbs of Patna City (Bihar), taken from the terrace of the Raja's house. 25 October 1824* [*D'Oyly 1824 h*];
also: *View of Raja Shitab Rai's ghat in the W. suburbs of Patna City (Bihar) taken from the river. 19 November 1824* [*D'Oyly 1824 i*];
also: *View of road and houses near Patri Ghat in the Western suburbs of Patna City (Bihar). 31 October 1824* [*D'Oyly 1824 j*];
also: *View of the bazaar in Patna City near the gateway of the Fort. 28 October 1824* [*D'Oyly 1824 k*];
also: *View of the French Factory, Patna City (Bihar) seen from the river. 19 November 1824* [*D'Oyly 1824 l*];
also: *View of the opium bungalow and encampment at Gulzarbagh, near Patna City (Bihar); a road coming down to the river. 19 November 1824* [*D'Oyly 1824 m*];
also: *View of the ruins of the Dutch Factory in the W. suburbs of Patna City (Bihar) showing the great revetments on the River Ganges. 17 November 1824* [*D'Oyly 1824 n*]





"The Indo-Chinese opium trade: notes at an opium factory at Patna," from The Graphic, 1882; with very large scans of *the top row*; *the middle row*; *the bottom row*

Source: ebay, Nov. 2010


*"The Garden of Sleep; or, 'Put that in your pipe and smoke it'," from Punch, 1891*

Source: ebay, Mar. 2011


*The "Golghar" as it looks today*

Source: http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/13560
(downloaded Jan. 2007)


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