The Terai (”moist land”) is an area of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests at the foot of the Himalaya Mountains in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. It was a popular area for hunting tigers and other wildlife when India was under British Rule. Here we see a fine Indian Elephant with a howdash on its back. The fellow standing in front with the helmet on is His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, later King George V of England.

This public domain image was taken in 1875 or 1876 and is attributed to Samuel Bourne (1834-1912), probably the most famous name in photography in India for the 19th century. But Bourne only spent seven years in India, 1863-70 — so either the date is wrong, or it was not Bourne who took this image. He did found a photographic gallery while in India, Bourne and Shepherd, that still operates in Calcutta to this day. Charles Shepherd may have taken this picture, as the Prince of Wales was too important to be left to one of his assistants.