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Soldiers at Coronation Durbar, Delhi, India
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Soldiers at Coronation Durbar, Delhi, India
Soldiers in a riverside scene at the Coronation Durbar ceremony in Delhi, India, December 1911. Date: 1911
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Media ID 23107302
© Mary Evans / Pharcide
Ceremony Colonialism Coronation Delhi Durbar Helmets Parade Pith Power Ruler Rulers December
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This evocative photograph captures a moment from the Coronation Durbar ceremony held in Delhi, India, in December 1911. The Durbar, a grand assembly of the ruling elite, was held to mark the formal coronation of King George V and Queen Mary as Emperor and Empress of India. In this riverside scene, soldiers from the British Indian Army stand at attention, their pith helmets casting shadows on the sun-dappled ground. The soldiers' stern expressions and rigid posture convey a sense of discipline and loyalty to the imperial power. The Durbar was an extravagant display of British colonial might, with thousands of soldiers, officials, and local dignitaries in attendance. The Coronation Durbar marked the zenith of the British Raj, the period of British colonial rule in India that lasted from 1858 to 1947. The event was an opportunity for the British to assert their dominance over India and to showcase their imperial power to the world. The soldiers in this photograph are a testament to the vast military machine that underpinned the British colonial enterprise. The Coronation Durbar also had significant cultural and symbolic significance. It was an opportunity for the British to engage with Indian traditions and to reinforce their role as the ruling power in India. The ceremony included various cultural performances, processions, and displays of military might. This photograph offers a glimpse into a bygone era, a time when the British Empire held sway over India and the world. It is a reminder of the complex and often fraught history of colonialism and its enduring impact on the world today.
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