Royalty of the Indian sub-continent

[iceflower]

26 may 2009
The Prince of Wales and his wife The Duchess of Cornwall speak with
The Maharaja of Jodhpur Rao Raja Mahendra Singh and his wife Maharani
Kanwarani Mira Singh while attending the opening of the Garden and
Cosmos: The Royal Paintings of Jodhpur exhibition at The British Museum
in London May 26, 2009.

The exhibition features Indian royal court paintings ranging from the 17th
to 19th century. The exhibition consists of 54 paintings from the royal
collection at the Mehrangarh Museum Trust in Jodhpur, India.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 ** Pic 5 ** Pic 6 **

[tete]

Job for Indian royal descendant

A descendant of India's last Mughal emperor has been rescued from a life of penury in Calcutta by getting a job with the state-run Coal India.

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Job for Indian royal descendant

[said han]

The De Jure ruler of Baluchistan, Khan of Kalat Suleman Daud has rejected the idea of any talks with Pakistan minus international mediation and has vowed to knock the doors of the International Court of Justice at the Hague.
He said any Baluch talks with their tormentors in Islamabad will have to be mediated by the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the European Union.

On his maternal side, the Khan of Kalat has close blood relations with the last king of Afghanistan, Zahir Shah.
The Khan of Kalat has clearly said Baluch have just one demand: independence. In an interview, the De Jure Ruler of Baluchistan has also offered good neighborly relations with Punjab as sovereign states, after reverting Baluchistan to the status it enjoyed before March 27, 1948 -- an independent state.
On that date, at the point of gun Pakistan army forced his grandfather the late Mir Ahmedyar Khan to sign a so-called Instrument of Accession with Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The signature was forced is clear from the fact that they are signed on different dates by Ahmedyar Khan and Jinnah.

His grand uncle, Prince Agha Abdul Karim Khan was the first to rise in revolt against the illegal annexation of Baluchistan with Pakistan in March 1948 and spent nearly two decades in Pakistani jails.
He has accused the Pakistan army of committing war crimes against his people.

The Khan of Kalat called a historc jirga after the killing of former chief minister and governor of Baluchistan, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, on August 26 2006.

The jirga demanded stationing of NATO troops in Baluchistan and asked the international community to ensure that the military assistance being provided to Pakistan in the name of the war on terror should not be used on the people of Baluchistan.
The jirga was attended by political heavyweights and tribal chieftains of Baluchistan, including the present governor Nawab Zulfikar Magsi and chief minister Nawab Aslam Raisani, who roundly condemned Pakistan's policies in Baluchistan and demanded political independence for Baluchistan.

[lucien]

Gayatri Devi,former Queen of Jaipur,passed away aged 90 in a hospital in Jaipur.Gayatri Devi,a descendant of the
Royal House of Cooch Behar,married the Maharadja Sawai Man Singh of Jaipur in 1939.In the 1960's and 70's she
was a very popular politician at the National Parliament.She was known as one of the worlds most beautifull women
and a style icon like you don't see them anymore these days.

News Summary Royalblog.nl: Gayatri Devi, queen of Jaipur, dies at 90

courtesy hja

[Warren]

A comprehensive obituary from the London Telegraph: Rajmata Gayatri Devi - Telegraph
An extensive picture collection: The Maharani in Photographs
and here: http://maharaniofjaipur.tripod.com/id18.htm

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Warren

A comprehensive obituary from the London Telegraph: Rajmata Gayatri Devi - Telegraph
An extensive picture collection: The Maharani in Photographs

Thank you Warren.

Another obituary:

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Indian queen Gayatri Devi dies

[Al_bina]

It is sad that Maharani Gayatri Devi passed away. She was a stunning beauty.
Given the fact that her son predeceased her, who is to become an heir to the Jaipur royal house?

[Warren]

From Wiki...

The current Maharajah of Jaipur, Sawai Bhawani Singh, ascended the throne of Jaipur in 1970 following the death of his father.He married Princess Padmini Devi of Sirmur, with whom he has a daughter, Princess Diya Kumari.

In 1997, Princess Diya married Narendra Singh Rajawat, a commoner and distant cousin who had been a member of the household staff of the Maharajah of Jaipur. He is a son of Thakur Buddha Singh. They have a daughter, Gorvi Devi (born 1999) and a son, Kumar Padmanabh Singh (born 1997). The latter was adopted in 2002 by his maternal grandparents and is now heir to the throne of Jaipur.

[Al_bina]

It has been most kind of you to answer my question.

Here is the article with photos about the late Gayatri Devi, Rajmata of Jaipur. The Rambaugh Palace is very magnificent.
Sunshine and Rain | New York Social Diary

[Hereditary Thane]

I would be much grateful to any members who have information on the former ruling princes of the Indian empire. They lost their sovereinty in 1948 and their civil list status in the 1960s, however the Indian government has not abolished royalty or nobility. Many of the former ruling families are in full vigour in working for the betterment and welfare of their former subjects, but little is reported of them here in Europe.

[Wisteria]

I would like to recommend a book I have just read. "Maharanis" The life and times of three generations of Indian Princesses by Lucy Moore, my edition is Penguin.

[Hereditary Thane]

Thank you, Wisteria; I look forward to reading your recommendation, Maharanis. As do many British people my family have connections with the Raj. Reading some family papers I came across a reference to a slight vice-regal contretemps regarding a dispute between two princes as to what gun salute they were entitled to. The imperial power allowing a gun salute of between 9 and 21 canon depending on the appointed rank of the Maharaja, Raja, or Khan. As there are some 300 princely families in the sub-continent (I am led to believe) this puts the number of princely houses in Europe in the shade!

[Warren]

Originally Posted by Hereditary Thane

As there are some 300 princely families in the sub-continent (I am led to believe) this puts the number of princely houses in Europe in the shade!

I think the figure was 565 ruling Princes of various designations.

Another good book on the subject is "Highness - The Maharajas of India" by Ann Morrow, 1986. ISBN 81-87075-34-1
a blurb:
"Maharajas of India vividly conjures up their vanished world, where the women were guarded by eunuchs and the influence of the English nanny was even more prized than the Rolls Royce. Based on extensive travels in India, encounters with surviving princes and interviews with courtly retainers, this penetrating but affectionate study will delight all those with an interest in Indian culture."

[Kasumi]

Ben Kingsley, famous for his Oscar-winning portrayal of Indian independence hero Mohandas Gandhi, is reaching deeper into the country's history with a new role as the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan who ordered the construction of the Taj Mahal.
AP correspondent in Hong Kong
Guardian article

[pdas1201]

Originally Posted by Kasumi

Ben Kingsley, famous for his Oscar-winning portrayal of Indian independence hero Mohandas Gandhi, is reaching deeper into the country's history with a new role as the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan who ordered the construction of the Taj Mahal.
AP correspondent in Hong Kong
Guardian article

That would be taking incredible creative license. Shah Jahan was 1 year older than his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. While, Ben Kingsley and Aishwarya Rai have close to a 30 year difference between them. Hmmm....

[Kasumi]

The princess from Mayurbhanj kingdom is to wed to Jhabua royal family in Madhya Pradesh.
Her wedding in Orissa state on December 10th will attend former Nepali king Gyanendra with his spouse Komal.
An article

[Hereditary Thane]

Rajpipla have brought dishonour on their house and adherents by this sanctimonious disregard for humanity and charity. Maybe they like being a laughing stock; didn't the politicians in Delhi strip the Rajpipla's of their title 43 years ago this month?

[muriel]

I hear there is lovely exhibition on at the V&A Museum in London at the moment entitled "Maharajas: The Splendour of India's Royal Courts"

Maharaja: the Splendour of India's Royal Courts - Victoria and Albert Museum

[indian_royal]

Thank you for the information Muriel. It will be an interesting exhibhition. Especially the part about Princely India. Those must have been interesting and at some level sad times for the various 'princely' states. Reduced from being proud warriors to puppets of the British Raj, used as creatures defining 'exotic' and all that it meant . I know popular perception in India is against them but I think there's enough evidence to prove that some of the Maharajas especially those of the bigger states like Jaipur,Baroda,Mysore etc ruled very wisely and introducing all that was good from the west while keeping their traditions intact IMHO. However, sadly, they are still percieved in some corners as valueless trinkets indulged by the British.

One very interesting 'item' at the exhibhition, I've been told, was an old Newsreel of the then Maharaja of Baroda's 'rebellious' actions at the 1911 delhi durbar held for King george and Queen mary's visit to India. He did not bow in manner in which he was required to and turned his back on the king, adding further injury to insult he was not dressed as a Maharaja ought to be sans jewels and a huge turban. The King was not 'amused' and the Viceroy even less so

[muriel]

Originally Posted by indian_royal

Thank you for the information Muriel. It will be an interesting exhibhition. Especially the part about Princely India. Those must have been interesting and at some level sad times for the various 'princely' states. Reduced from being proud warriors to puppets of the British Raj, used as creatures defining 'exotic' and all that it meant . I know popular perception in India is against them but I think there's enough evidence to prove that some of the Maharajas especially those of the bigger states like Jaipur,Baroda,Mysore etc ruled very wisely and introducing all that was good from the west while keeping their traditions intact IMHO. However, sadly, they are still percieved in some corners as valueless trinkets indulged by the British.

One very interesting 'item' at the exhibhition, I've been told, was an old Newsreel of the then Maharaja of Baroda's 'rebellious' actions at the 1911 delhi durbar held for King george and Queen mary's visit to India. He did not bow in manner in which he was required to and turned his back on the king, adding further injury to insult he was not dressed as a Maharaja ought to be sans jewels and a huge turban. The King was not 'amused' and the Viceroy even less so

Very well written. There is little doubt that the British behaved very badly in India for an extended period of time, plundering the country and impacting social change through the princely states.

I have not yet had an opportunity to visit the exhibition, but I am sure your story about the Maharajah of Baroda's behaviour at the Delhi Durbar would make very interesting reading.

Not sure if you are aware, but the first tiara that Camilla used after her wedding was the Delhi Durbar tiara, ie the very tiara with which Queen Mary was "crowned" Empress of India. Camilla has not used it since, and I thing this is partially reflective of the history of the tiara.