Lakshminarayan Roychowdhury – Father of India’s Professional Photography

‘Put your chin up, turn to the right, oh a little left,’ and then goes the shutter. And you are framed in a perfect photograph and the one who does that from behind the scenes is a ‘professional photographer.’ Over the last decade professional photography has taken a big leap in India where everyone is going for theme photography, be it nature, be it wedding, birthdays, parties, portrait – name any.

In 1886, Lakshminarayan bought one such camera and converted a room in his house into a Dark Room. And thus started his journey in Lahore as a professional photographer. He started his own company called Roychowdhury and Company – Photographer and Artists.

But who was the pioneer in this field? Incidentally professional photography was started in India by a Bengali, Lakshminarayan Roychowdhury, a name lost in the eons of time. His grandson Malay Roychowdhury reminisces his grandfather and tries to preserve his passion through his book. It was in the year 1866 when India was under British rule, Lakshminarayan was born in the Uttarpara household of Ratneshwar Roychowdhury, whose family was an off shoot of zamindar Sabarna Roychowdhury. He was the youngest son of Jadunath Roychowdhury and Matangini Devi. At the age of 16, he was married to Apurbomoyee, daughter of Mukherjee family of Potuatuli. It was through his in-laws that Lakshminarayan got introduced to the intellectual Bengali circle and his love for art developed. In the beginning, he took up painting as a hobby and was commissioned by the Aamirs of Bawalpur (who came to meet the British rulers) to paint portraits of the royal family. The royal family was so impressed with his work that they rewarded him a special certificate of honour. 

That was the beginning of Lakshminarayan’s artistic journey. He had even designed two stamps of Bawalpur. His name spread far and wide and he was also called by the Emperor of Afghanistan to do portraits of the royal family. Since he was equally conversant with many languages including Bengali, English, Arabic and Persian, it was easy for Laskhminarayan to go around the world. Later, he became the Dean of Arts at Lahore’s Mayo College. This is where he came across famous author Rudyard Kipling’s father John Wood Kipling and got a chance to work with him in his studio. This is where he was attracted towards photography and started learning professional photography. 

In 1880, a new type of camera came in the market, known as Bellow Lens Camera. For this a dark room was needed. In 1886, Lakshminarayan bought one such camera and converted a room in his house into a Dark Room. And thus started his journey in Lahore as a professional photographer. He started his own company called Roychowdhury and Company – Photographer and Artists. This is thought to be the first of its kind photographic business started by a Bengali. Due to lack of funds, he could not start a full-fledged photography shop, but he got several assignments from rich men, kings and zamindars to visit them and click their photographs. He had already been doing oil paintings and portraits of these men, but they liked the idea of a quick photography, compared to sitting for hours in front of the artist to draw a portrait. Also, the women of such rich families due to the ‘purdah’ system could not come in front of the artist. But this problem was solved with a camera.

That was the beginning of Lakshminarayan’s artistic journey. He had even designed two stamps of Bawalpur. His name spread far and wide and he was also called by the Emperor of Afghanistan to do portraits of the royal family. Since he was equally conversant with many languages including Bengali, English, Arabic and Persian, it was easy for Laskhminarayan to go around the world.

Though Lakshminarayan was a globetrotter, he and his family of wife, six sons and a daughter often returned to Bengal, to their roots, despite living in various cities like Lahore, Kandahar, Kabul etc. Every year during Durga Puja he returned to Bengal and married off his children here. Finally, he left Lahore and returned to Uttarpara and set up his photography company here. He was called to Patna by the Maharaja of Darbhanga where he died from a heart attack in 1933. Almost 90 years have passed and professional photography has seen much technical boost. Yet, one needs to remember the Father of Professional Photography, Lakshminarayan Roychowdhury.

(Translated by TTW)