Military encampment in Delhi’s Khanpur/Tughlaqabad, 1932

 

The above photographs come from an album documenting a military camp and exercises held on the outskirts of Delhi in 1932. Taken by a British officer, the images capture not only the military activity but also the entourage of Indian servants who accompanied the British Indian Army. These images offer valuable insight into the scale of such military manoeuvres, which became a routine aspect of life in Delhi after the Rebellion of 1857, and they underscore how caste-based employment was reinforced in the army.

In the photographs, we see Indian farriers tending to horses and ‘boot boys’ responsible for repairing and polishing military boots. These workers were either part of the army’s permanent staff or locally recruited. Given that the officer was stationed at the Delhi barracks in the Red Fort, it is likely that the Indian men pictured were also from Delhi.

Beyond military life, the photographs also capture glimpses of everyday rural life, including scenes of local agriculture (an example is below). The encampment at Khanpur and Tughlaqabad would have required steady supplies, likely sourced from nearby cultivators. A fascination with ‘cultural difference’ led to the inclusion of rural communities in such visual records, highlighting the intersection between military presence and local livelihoods.