Sutte Chawra Ghat, Cawnpore

To the British this photograph conjures up memories of the atrocities connected with what they called "The Mutiny"—and Indians call the Indian Rebellion of 1857, or the First War of Independence. After a long siege by Indian rebels against the injustices of colonization, the British were allowed to leave Kanpur. At Sati Chaura Ghat on the Ganges River, they set sail and were then shot upon and massacred.

There is much controversy over whether or not the attack was premeditated. Very few men were able to get safely downstream. The remaining men were killed and the woman and children were held captive in a garden; they were eventually butchered and their bodies thrown down a well. After they had regained control of the countryside, the British countered by being ruthless in dealing with the rebels. This photograph of a hexagonal temple (dedicated to Shiva) amid trees offers a rather idyllic view of a place with a recent history of such misery.

The use of photography for propaganda purposes is powerful. Depending upon the loyalties of the viewer, images could instill pride, sorrow, outrage, or mixed emotions at the outcome of events such as the one described here.