Mysore - Farming Scenes, Dussehra Festival and Mysore Zoo

Two sides of Mysore (now Mysuru): down to earth with the field workers and an Indian spectacle for the Maharaja

The methods of Karnataka farmers show some of the state's character but the spectacular traditional Dasara festival in Mysore (now Mysuru) casts a different light. Its procession of painted elephants, the night time illuminations of the Mysore Palace and other spectacles in an epic ten-day celebration date back to the early 17th century. Elsewhere, the Maharajah's zoo presents exotic fauna and flora, while Shivanasamudra Falls show nature in the raw.

This amateur film was shot by a British Army doctor serving in India - and capturing views that were sure to delight the family back home.