The Mahattas of Connaught Place: A 100-year-old Photographic Legacy

When was the last time you visited a photo studio? Perhaps for your visa for an upcoming international trip? But when was the last time you went to a photo studio, posed for the camera, and got yourself clicked for no reason but to freeze-frame a memory? The Enroute Indian History team is constantly searching for hidden gems in Delhi, and one such example lies in the heart of the city, Connaught Place. On a late weekday morning, we found ourselves at M block in Connaught Circus, looking up at an Art Deco-style signboard that read Mahatta and Co., one of the oldest photo studios in India. 

Mahatta & Co., M Block Connaught Circus, 1951

Source: Photo taken by Madan Mahatta https://www.instagram.com/mahattacp/

The Mehtas turn Mahattas

The entrance to this establishment was towards the side of the block, through a narrow lane. Seeing the original door frame surrounded by a maze of electrical wires and a staircase leading to the studio excited us, as we knew we were in for a treat. On the main landing, to the left of the entrance, was a big signboard that read Mahatta & Co. Photo Dealers. We peeped inside in amazement, seeing shelves lined with equipment we have only seen in photos or old documentaries. From the back room, a gentleman looked up from behind his desktop, signalling us to come in with a pleasant smile. After a short round of introductions, we realised we were speaking to Pavan Mahatta, grandson of the founder of Mahatta & Co., Amar Nath, and son of renowned photographer Madan Mahatta.

The Mahatta & Co. is a family business founded by self-taught photographer Amar Nath Mahatta. I found the name Mahatta unusual, so upon enquiring, Pavan Mahatta clarified that they were originally Mehtas, and the name got anglicised courtesy of the British elite and soldiers. “… so that it could sit properly on their lips,” said Pavan Mahatta (as mentioned in Mahatta & Co: The original Photoshop, by Soofi, M.A. 2015, Mint). However, it was these soldiers and army personnel, that introduced Amar Nath to photography, enabling him to discover his passion for photography. Ultimately, this led to the establishment of a photo studio in the Swish Bund area in Srinagar in 1916 and one on a houseboat on river Jhelum, a first of its kind! The photo lab was set up to ease the process of developing photographs. In the 1930s, Amar Nath set up his first studios in Srinagar and Gulmarg in Kashmir. Within a few years, he expanded the Mahatta name to Muree and Rawalpindi in Pakistan (then undivided India). A few decades later, in 1948, after the partition of India and Pakistan, the Mahatta Studios at Connaught Place was inaugurated. Subsequently, the photo studios in Pakistan were closed down.

Pavan Mahatta at the Mahatta & Co. Studio

Photography by Mir Musavir Shabir https://www.instagram.com/mirmusavirshabir?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Many firsts for a 100-year-old Business  

Since 1916, Mahatta & Co. is one of the oldest photo studios in the country. For more than 100 years, not only have they preserved the bygone era of the Capital but also persevered against all odds and kept the photo studios alive in the digital age. Considering how long this family business has survived and thrived, it is no surprise that the Mahattas are adaptable to the tide of time. Moreover, the Mahttas have been trendsetters from the get-go. Alongside the studio, the Mahattas also opened a store selling cameras and photography equipment, one of the first studios to sell Kodak films in India. And speaking of adapting to changing times, the Mahattas were the first to introduce colour negatives in India, all the way back in 1950, around the same time these started getting popular worldwide.

In our conversations with Pavan Mahatta, we took a trip down memory lane and were fascinated by the trajectory of the brand, its ethos, vision, and ambitions. While shutting down their storefront on the ground floor was a logistic and practical choice, they have expanded in other areas. For instance, Studio Mahatta, established in 2012, caters to everything from still photography to feature films, documentaries and broadcast films.

An indomitable legacy

We were honoured to have Pavan Mahatta engage in a riveting conversation with us, taking out the time even though we showed up unannounced. As he was explaining the workings of particular cameras (some are from the 1800s!), Anoushka Jain, founder and head of Enroute Indian History, showed an interest in having her photo clicked. It was her way of celebrating her birthday, and what better way than to have a Mahatta & Co. photo taken at their esteemed studio? But the cherry on the cake was when Pavan Mahatta took the photos himself!

If you are mesmerised by Delhi’s past and want a glimpse, look no further than Mahatta & Co. The studio is like a living museum, with old photography equipment, books and magazines on photography, old camera cases, you name it! It still stands tall and proud at Delhi’s favourite shopping and commercial hub, Connaught Place, since 1948.  

References

https://www.mahatta.com/milestones

Soofi, M.A. 2015. Mahatta & Co: The original Photoshop, Mint.

https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/15o0JIEzCeihkxX5mlVBXN/Mahatta–Co-The-original-photoshop.html

Chadha, A. 2022. Delhi-based photo studio Mahatta and Co is documenting India’s past, present and future, The Indulge Express. 

https://www.indulgexpress.com/msociety/2022/Jun/20/delhi-based-photo-studio-mahatta-and-co-is-documenting-indias-past-present-and-future-41584.html

Ghosh, A. 2015. Unbeaten-at-100-mahatta-co-is-a-cp-landmark, The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/unbeaten-at-100-mahatta-co-is-a-cp-landmark/articleshow/47942469.cms

Bhakuni, T. 2021. Delhi and a Photo Studio, Zikr-e-Dilli. https://zikredilli.com/delhi-depository/f/delhi-and-a-photo-studio