The Hotz Trust and Hotel Cecil in Delhi, circa 1920

The images today offer a glimpse into the past of Hotel Cecil in Delhi, captured in a postcard booklet published by the Hotz Trust Hotels. Established in the Civil Lines area, Hotel Cecil was designed to cater to European tourists who flocked to Delhi following the Delhi Durbar in 1903. This imperial spectacle provided the perfect opportunity to introduce high-quality accommodation for foreign visitors. 

The hotel was part of the Hotz Trust, run by Robert Hotz, an Anglo-Swiss entrepreneur. By the early 1920s, the Trust operated a network of exclusive hotels across British India, with properties in Shimla, Delhi, Agra, and Murree (now in Pakistan). The Hotz family, including Robert’s siblings Florence and Edwin, successfully managed the business, offering luxury accommodation to an elite clientele. Hotel Cecil, while in competition with other prestigious hotels such as Maidens Hotel (now Oberoi Maidens), found a steady flow of business. Robert, also an avid photographer (the financial success, it seems, gave him a lot of time to pursue his hobbies), captured images of Delhi during this time, many of which were published in postcard booklets and tourist guides.

While the Hotz family’s business flourished during the colonial era, their fortunes began to change after India’s independence. By the late 1940s, the family was reportedly under investigation by India’s income tax authorities! This marked the beginning of the end for Hotel Cecil, which was sold off in the 1950s. Today, the site is home to Saint Xavier’s School.

Delhi's double-decker buses in the 1970s and 80s

 

A throwback to what was once a popular mode of transport in Delhi: the double-decker bus (the image above was taken from the internet). While the appearance of these buses is part of a British Empire story (they were first introduced in India in the 1920s), in Delhi, they became a prominent mode of transport during the 1970s and 80s. Although capacious, these buses were ultimately discontinued in 1986, as they were not financially viable.

In recent years, there has been some discussion about reintroducing the double-decker bus service in Delhi. Much of this debate stems from the success of the Delhi Metro and the growing concerns about private hire cabs, which are both expensive for the masses and unsustainable from an environmental perspective.

While, in principle, double-deckers in Delhi could be a welcome development, any 'public' initiative must stay true to its core purpose. It should ensure that all bus users feel safe using the buses—something that is sorely lacking in Delhi’s public transportation system.

A short post today, I'll see you next Friday for more on Delhi's history.

Lighting and electrification in Delhi

 

The Durbar of 1911 marked a significant moment in showcasing the material advancements of colonial rule, including efforts to electrify Delhi. The image above shows the ‘state entry’ during the Durbar, where a procession passes an electric lamp in front of the Red Fort.

Despite the symbolic presence of electric lighting, large-scale electrification was not yet realised (and, in many ways, still isn’t). Oil lamps continued to be used in Delhi alongside newly installed electric lights, which were strategically placed from Kashmiri Gate to Faiz Bazar and from Lothian Road to the Railway Station. Oil depots were set up at the Turkoman Gate and Nigambodh Gate to clean, refill, or repair the lamps.

It was only after Delhi was announced as the capital of India that multiple lighting depots were established, with funding arriving at a critical time for political grandstanding. This, however, was a relief for the Delhi Municipal Committee, which had long advocated for an improved lighting system. Before this, oil lamps from all over Delhi had to be transported to the Turkoman Gate, where a small department of poorly paid workers maintained them.

The history of Delhi’s lighting and electrification, along with other aspects of its urban development, was shaped by political concerns—some of which continue to define the city today.

See you next Friday for more on Delhi.

The Perils of the Yamuna in the 1860s

The title of this post, ‘The Perils of the Yamuna’, might make you think about the chemical effluents dumped into Delhi’s river, which have damaged its biodiversity, or perhaps the flooding caused by torrential downpours. However, as the sketch above shows, the dangers associated with the Yamuna in the 19th century were quite different.

The sketch, showing a bather fighting off a snake with a lathi (long stick) in Delhi's Yamuna river, was published in The Illustrated London News in 1864. The accompanying text reveals that large, non-venomous water snakes, sometimes reaching up to 6 feet in length, would often make their way into the Yamuna from canals and drains connected to it. As shown in the picture, Delhi’s intrepid bathers came prepared with their lathis, expecting such encounters from time to time. The Delhi Gazetteer of 1912 corroborates this, noting that the most common water snake in the Yamuna was the chequered water snake, likely the same as the one depicted in the sketch.

Unlike the 19th century, today’s threats to the Yamuna are far more insidious. Industrial waste and untreated sewage have severely harmed the river’s health. Despite promises to restore its ecological balance, successive governments have failed to deliver significant improvements. Ultimately, restoring the Yamuna is essential—not just for the people of Delhi, but also for the wildlife that once thrived in its waters.

See you next Friday.