1903 Delhi Durbar. The State Entry.

The Durbar State Entry – most gorgeous pageant of history – Delhi, India.  Underwood & Underwood [New York. London, &c [1903]

A good stereoscopic card with two photographs showing the four elephants carrying the personal staff of H.E. The Viceroy and of H.eR.H. The Duke of Connaught, preceding the elephants of the Viceroy and Lady Curzon in a ceremonial glittering howdah – the same one used by Lord Lytton at the 1877 Imperial Assemblage. The massive elephant was called Lachman and was loaned by the Maharaja of Benares for the occasion. The procession of this State Entry [29th December 1902] was just approaching the steps of the grat mosque or Jama Masjid when this image was taken. On the following elephant one can quite clearly see the Duke of Connaught who went to Delhi in place of his brother King Edward VII who was unable to travel. Curzon as Viceroy took precedence over everyone in India except the King Emperor himself.  apr11/2