Foster 577

Rope bridge over the Alakananda river at Srinagar, Garhwal, U.P.

Painted by Thomas Daniell, 1808.

The old town (since washed away by floods from the bursting of the Gohna lake in 1904) occupies the centre of the picture, but is partially hidden by the rock in the foreground. It was once the capital of Garhwal and the residence of the Rajas. On the opposite bank of the Alaknanda (spanned by a rope bridge 240 feet long) is the village of Ranihat.

Inscribed: ‘T D 1808.’

Oil on canvas; 17 by 24 ins.

Purchased March 1915.

Exhibited: Royal Academy Exhibition, ‘The art of India and Pakistan’, 1947-48 (890).

Literature: Sutton (1954), 51; Shellim (1979), TD 64; M. Archer (1981), 47-8.

The Daniells painted several versions of this subject: see Shellim 1979.

The Daniells sketched the rope bridge on April 28, 1789. William describes in his diary how while they were in Srinagar news was received of the approaching forces of the Raja of Kumaon, with whom Garhwal was then at war. ‘In consequence of the aforesaid news the inhabitants of Srinagar were crossing the River as quick as possible - they crowded on the Bridge so fast that we thought at times it would have broke, taking their Chesebust, Cots etc with them.’ Another description is given in ‘Oriental Scenery’, part IV, no 23.

Five further landscapes made in Garhwal, including another view of Srinagar, are in the India Office collection but since they are executed in a medium of oil and watercolour on paper, they have been included in the western drawings collections: WD2447-2451.