Gezicht op het Chattar Manzil aan de Gomti in Lucknow before 1874

This is a photographic print titled, "Gezicht op het Chattar Manzil aan de Gomti in Lucknow," by Darogha Ubbas Alli. The photograph offers a view of the Chattar Manzil palace reflected in the Gomti River in Lucknow, India. During the time that Alli was working, photography in India was deeply entwined with British colonial interests. As an Indian photographer, Alli occupied a unique position, documenting architectural and cultural landmarks through a lens that balanced local perspective with the influence of British aesthetics. The photograph invites us to consider the gaze through which colonial India was being represented. It prompts questions about cultural preservation, representation, and the complex interplay between the photographer's identity and the subject. In its delicate rendering of the Chattar Manzil, this photograph captures a moment of cultural exchange. It encourages us to reflect on the diverse narratives that constitute history.