You know how cameras freeze moments? Some of them do even more. They carry memories, emotions, and stories. In Jaipur, I met a man who owns one such gem. And trust me, his camera has a lot to say. During my recent trip to Jaipur, I met someone who has kept a piece of history alive. He owns what is known as the oldest camera in the city. Seeing it up close was truly an experience. I had a chance to chat with Tikam Chand, the man behind this vintage beauty. He shared some truly fascinating stories. This world’s oldest camera in Jaipur was passed down from his grandfather to his father, and then to him. Now he is guiding his own children, teaching them the value of this rare and timeless box of memories.
I Found the World’s Oldest Camera in Jaipur… And It Still Clicks Stories!
The world’s oldest camera in Jaipur originally belonged to Pahari Lal, Tikam Chand’s grandfather, who began this incredible legacy. The camera was gifted to Pahari Lal by the Maharaja of Jaipur himself. A true photography enthusiast, Pahari Lal had a deep love for cameras and capturing moments. It’s believed that this particular camera was manufactured back in the 1860s. This vintage, oldest camera has been passed down through two generations, and today, it rests in the hands of Tikam Chand. He now owns and lovingly cares for this unique piece of history, the world’s oldest camera in Jaipur. His father handed it over to him in 1977, and since then, Tikam Chand has carried this legacy with pride and dedication.
When People Lined Up for Passport-Size Photos
Tikam Chand recalls the old days when people would visit him just to get their passport-size photos clicked. Most of them were for official documents like application forms and IDs. It was the era of black-and-white photography, and sometimes people even asked for sepia-toned prints. Color photography was a luxury at that time, usually reserved for the wealthy. The colors weren’t printed but hand-painted by artists using brushes and actual paint.
The world’s oldest camera in Jaipur is a studio in itself. It has its own fixer, film box, developer, and even a tiny darkroom tucked inside. The entire setup weighs around 20 kilos. But this heavy black box holds something special. It takes you back to the charm of black-and-white photography in just a few minutes.
Near Hawa Mahal Lives a Legend: The Oldest Vintage Camera in Jaipur
What was once a box of happiness has now become a charming tourist attraction near Hawa Mahal. Every day, Tikam Chand brings out his vintage camera and invites curious visitors to get their photos clicked the old-school way. People stop, stare, and often smile in wonder. Tikam Chand says…
“The younger crowd often walks up and asks if it’s a bioscope,” Tikam Chand says with a faint smile. “Most of them don’t really understand what it is or why it matters. Some even make fun of it, which honestly feels a little sad.”
As Tikam Chand shared his story, there was a heaviness in his voice. A quiet kind of sadness that only comes from years of being overlooked.
“This is the age of smart devices,” he said, gently brushing his hand over the camera. “Now, nobody wants to be clicked with this anymore. Reel cameras have disappeared from the market. The companies that made them have shut down. Digital cameras took over for a while, and now, everyone has a phone that does everything.”
He paused for a moment, eyes lingering on the street.
“But the feeling my camera gives, that experience, it doesn’t exist anywhere else. It’s personal. It’s soulful. It’s alive.”
He recalled the days when even people from the Vidhan Sabha would come to him for photographs. His expression grew quiet.
“No one from the government has ever come to ask if this needs to be preserved. They call it heritage in speeches, but no one actually cares. Sometimes I wonder what will happen to all of this when I’m no longer here.”
When I asked Tikam Chand about the challenges he faced with the camera, his expression turned heavy.
“The toughest time was when Kodak stopped producing black-and-white paper in India,” he said quietly. “That broke me. I had no plans of continuing. I thought, this is it. The end.”
He leaned back, recalling the memory.
“Then one day, a gentleman named Mr. John came from France. He was curious about the camera, so we got talking. I told him how the photography scene in India had changed, how film and paper had disappeared. He listened patiently and said one thing very clearly. He told me not to stop. He promised to arrange Kodak paper from France. He believed it was too special to give up. And true to his word, he went back and sent me everything I needed.”
Tikam Chand paused, then added,
“If it weren’t for him, this heritage would have ended. He wanted the younger generation to see it, to feel it, to experience it.”
When I asked about his future plans, his eyes softened and a quiet hope mixed with sadness touched his voice.
“I carry this heritage because it was handed down to me by my father who got it from my grandfather. But my children don’t seem to share the same passion, maybe because there is no money in it. That hurts. Still, I want to teach them everything, every story, every moment captured by this camera. I want them to feel what I feel. My greatest hope is that this legacy does not die with me. That somehow, it lives on, shining light in a world moving too fast and forgetting its past.”
We sat down for a long talk, one that stretched beyond words and carried the weight of years. When I gently asked if anyone had ever come forward to support him in preserving this legacy, his voice grew heavy with disappointment and a quiet hurt.
“This heritage has been my burden and my pride, but no help has come from the government,” he said, eyes clouded with sadness. “I have appeared in movies likeShudh Desi Romance, Sher Khan, Bhool Bhulaiyaa. A camera museum once invited me, but I chose not to go. There are documentaries made about me in France, Brazil, and Argentina, where they cherish this history. But here, where this camera belongs, no one really cares. It is the world’s oldest camera in Jaipur, a treasure of memories and moments, yet the government has turned a blind eye. Sometimes I wonder if all of this will just fade away with me.”
His words hung in the air, a painful reminder that some treasures are only truly valued when they are almost lost.
Tikam Chand’s story is more than just about a camera. It is about preserving a living memory, a bridge between the past and the present. The world’s oldest camera in Jaipur is not just an artifact; it is a testament to craftsmanship, history, and passion passed down through generations. Yet as technology moves forward, this legacy risks being forgotten. This is a call for all of us to cherish, protect, and celebrate the stories held within that black box before they disappear forever. Because once this heritage is lost, a part of our collective soul fades with it.
How Does the World’s Oldest Camera in Jaipur Work?
At first glance, it looks like a big black wooden box sitting on a tripod. But wait till you hear what’s inside. It’s not just a camera, it’s an entire photo studio packed into one magical box.
Tikam Chand, who proudly owns and operates this piece of history, gave me a live demo right on the streets of Jaipur. “This isn’t just a camera,” he smiled, “it’s a complete darkroom.”
Inside that box, there’s everything he needs, trays for developing chemicals, a tiny built-in darkroom, a water basin, and even a film paper storage section. Yes, no digital, no film roll, no fancy screens. This is pure old-school black-and-white photography, done right there in front of your eyes.
Here’s how it works:
A person sits down for a portrait.
Tikam Chand carefully loads a sheet of photographic paper inside the camera.
He focuses the lens manually and controls the exposure by simply removing the lens cap… timing it perfectly.
Within seconds, he removes the exposed paper, opens the back of the box, and dips it into the developer tray.
The magic begins. The image slowly starts to appear on the paper.
After that, it goes through a fixer and wash. The final result? A beautiful black-and-white negative.
He then creates a positive print by contact-printing that negative onto another sheet.
And just like that, in 10 to 15 minutes, you’re handed a portrait that feels like it came straight out of the 19th century.
Watching it happen is like stepping back in time. No filters, no retakes, no digital edits. Just light, paper, and chemistry. And a lot of heart.
Is Jaipur’s the Oldest Camera in the World?
Not exactly, but it’s certainly one of the oldest cameras still in use today, and that’s what makes it truly special.
Historically, some of the earliest surviving cameras include the Giroux Daguerreotype Camera from 1839, considered the first commercially produced camera. There’s also the Niépce Heliograph device, which helped capture the world’s first permanent photograph in the 1820s. These cameras are now preserved in museums and are no longer functional.
Tikam Chand’s camera, on the other hand, is different. Built in the 1860s, this wooden box camera is still alive and working. Every day, right on the streets of Jaipur, it captures black-and-white portraits, develops them using traditional methods inside its built-in darkroom, and hands over prints within minutes.
There are very few such cameras still in operation anywhere in the world. In places like Afghanistan, street photographers once used similar handmade devices called Kamra-e-Faoree, but those have nearly disappeared due to changing times and lack of support.
So while this may not be the oldest camera ever made, it could easily be one of the oldest that still works, still creates, and still tells stories, right in front of your eyes.
