Visit India poster Land of Sunshine and Colour poster – Vintage Travel Poster

Visit India poster Land of Sunshine and Colour poster – Vintage Travel Poster

The artist, Fred Taylor was responsible for many British railway posters during the 1920s and 1930s. Here he has been commissioned to promote the Indian city of Benares. He has chosen to feature the temples and ghats on the banks of the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh. The scene across the Ganges is full of vibrance and energy as hundreds of people gather to meditate and worship their deities. It may look chaotic but there seems to be an underlying sense of awe and reverence for such ancient sites that ties together all visitors. Activities become special at Benares surrounded by such overwhelming spiritual energy and stunning scenery.

Benares is an ancient kingdom and a major religious centre in India. It is here Buddha is believed given his first sermon around 528 BCE, founding Buddhism. Banares also known as Banaras, Kashi and modern-day Varanasi, grew as an important industrial centre famous for its muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture. It is also a major centre for pilgrimage.

The city is known worldwide for its many ghats. Ghats are religious bathing areas where stone slab steps are laid along the river bank enabling pilgrims to wash, bathe and drink the water. The temples featured in this Fred Taylor poster from left to right, are Baba Mashan Nath, Tarkeshwara and Ratneshwara and up above Tripura Sundari and Ganesha temples.

This 1929 vintage Visit India Land of Sunshine and Colour poster was originally printed by Adams Bros & Shardlow Ltd., London.

How much is an original Visit India Land of Sunshine and Colour poster worth?

Because of its rarity and the significance of Benares as a religious destination original copies of this poster are very well sought-after by collectors. It also appeals to a wide variety of aficionados. People who collect railway-related posters, vintage travel posters, Fred Taylor posters, Hindu-related posters, religious posters and historical posters would all have an interest in the Visit India poster. This all helps to increase the price at sale or auction. We can’t find a current value for the poster but we do know that an original copy was sold in 2007 for $2,800. And that one was only given a Condition B rating which usually means that tears will have been repaired and image losses restored and that it will still have vertical and horizontal folds. Image what a copy in pristine condition would sell for today! If one exists.