Sunrise in Calcutta

I came across the "Sunrise in Calcutta" picture posted in an orphan state on the Calcutta - Photographs and Memories page on Facebook. I tried to locate it and it appears that in 1893 The Werner Company, Chicago, published a volume titled Illustrated Home Book of The World's Great Nations, "Embellished with over one thousand engravings by the Most Eminent Artists" and edited by one Thomas Powell.

I wanted to share a couple of images of Calcutta from this book along with some of the writings on it. But first, let me quote a brief passage from the Preface:

The intention of the Publishers, in this volume, is to present to the readers a brief but comprehensive account of all nations, from the rudest to the highest state of civilisation; and illustrating every phase of life with Engravings exactly representing the scenes described. This work embodies in this way the results of all the great travels and explorations of recent years, in which the photograph and pencil have combined to aid in giving us correct and detailed information never before attainable.

The claim that we can now offer "correct and detailed information never before attainable" is made by every generation of technology, and yet we keep fooling ourselves. Coming to the bit on Calcutta, the Compilers say:

About two hundred and fifty years ago, the British gained a foothold in India, and now it is entirely under their rule, either as British possessions, tributaries, or protected States. Calcutta is the capital of British rule. Although Bombay and Madras have governors, yet they are under the control of the Governor General of India, the most important and lucrative position in the gift of the British Ministry. Calcutta is a magnificent city, and boasts in the possession of the largest market on the face of the globe.

By this time, of course, the New Market has been completed, but I have my doubts regarding the status claimed for it in this brief article. After a few etchings of Hindoo fakirs and suchlike - incidentally, India is clubbed in the Contents under "Hindoostan, Siam, Etc." - we find a painting of Horses bathing, and one of a Calcutta Sunrise.

Horses Bathing at Calcutta 

Our illustration represents horses bathing in the Ganges, at Calcutta, in charge of the native grooms. The animals appear to be enjoying hugely their dip in the sacred river, and the picture throughout has more life than is usual in Oriental subjects.

The next is of the sunrise. Let me first share the accompanying text.

Sunrise in Calcutta 

Calcutta at early dawn presents a strange spectacle, especially in the suburbs, such as our illustration shows, where the old narrow streets prevail, and the tall structures of brick and stone are mingled with hovels of mud and bamboo. The rich native merchant does not, like the Englishman, take a fine, airy, salubrious site for his dwelling. The surroundings are to him a matter of indifference. He escapes the din of the thoroughfare, however, for great men's houses in Eastern cities usually turn their backs upon the public thoroughfare, that home of the many. Where stores line the streets, the shopkeepers, generally fruiterers, confectioners, druggists, and cloth-dealers, close their shops at nightfall and go elsewhere, making the ground-floor perfectly dark. At night these streets are lighted by floating lights set in large pans of oil by the roadside and coloured, Chinese-like lamps. The smell is terrible, and is increased by the odor of the people, who might well assume the name given by our people to the lower classes in Central America, "Greasers", for they really grease themselves with this oil. 

The street is, to many persons, a home, who as night advances, stretch themselves on the pavement to get a scanty repose, or what is worse, sit up all night singing "La! la! la!" at the top of their voices. As morning comes the lamps and cries die out, the dull, smoky smell becomes more intense as the sun approaches the horizon, and when at last he lifts his head above it for the adoration of the Parsee, the street population of Calcutta rouse them from their lairs, a ragged, squalid crowd, such as only Easter cities possess. It is less ragged, perhaps, than it would be had its members more clothes; in the majority of cases, the garment is confined to the neighbourhood of the waist: where more is worn, it is generally in rags, and in fact, still less a covering for decency. 

As the traffic of the day will require their bed-chamber, this crowd gradually rises and disperses to its various paths of mendicity and villainy. 

Then the shopkeepers appear and open the booths or verandas, which constitute their shops, resembling our news-stands, and creeping in here, they stand ready to deal with their customers on the sidewalk. 

I love this allegation: "The street is, to many persons, a home, who as night advances, stretch themselves on the pavement to get a scanty repose, or what is worse, sit up all night singing "La! la! la!" at the top of their voices." How extremely offensive. Anyway, here's the etching, and to be honest the architecture looks quite alien to me. I wonder if the Most Eminent Artist based this on any real view of Calcutta or its Environs at all.