What it meant to be a Maharaja

A new coffee table book uses stunning images to help contemporary readers understand India's old aristocracy

A new coffee table book uses stunning images to help contemporary readers understand India's old aristocracy

A few pages into the stunning coffee table tome titled, Maharaja: The Splendour of India's Royal Courts is an opaque watercolour, created in Lucknow circa 1772 and (like most beautiful things belonging to India) currently at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

It depicts a rather forlorn Nawab Shuja-ud-daula of Awadh, a key player in the Third Battle of Panipat. Impeccably dressed, caparisoned elephant at his command, he still looks despondent, rather than impassiveu00a0-- the traditional look of choice for most blue-blooded folk.

According to the people behind the booku00a0-- Anna Jackson, Deputy Keeper of the Victoria & Albert's Asian Department, and Amin Jaffer, International Director of Asian Art at Christie'su00a0-- the title maharaja is rooted in the Sanskrit concept of maharajadhiraj: "king above kings". It lost much of its sheen in the nineteenth century, when it was liberally bestowed among Indian rulers by the British in recognition of loyalty and service.

Though true royals or notu00a0-- with titles ranging from Nizam to Raja, Nawab to Maharawal, Maharao to Ranau00a0-- what comes across loud and clear via these pages, is that these people knew how to live well.
u00a0
With the help of essays from scholars around the world, the authors aim to examine the real and perceived worlds of royals from the early eighteenth century to independence, when many ceded their territories. Sadly, much of the writing fails to rise above standard museum brochure copy, in contrast to the accompanying images.

What saves the book, eventually, are the glimpses it offers of a glorious, distant past: Maharaja Takhat Singh of Marwar watching an elephant fight, pistols belonging to Tipu Sultan, the durbar of Maharaja Jaswant Singh of Bharatpur, Shivaji's baghnakha, reportedly used to kill the Bijapuri commander Afzal Khan, even designs for the Maharaja's bedroom at Umaid Bhawan. Clamouring for attention are more photographs, paintings, textiles, jewellery, metalwork, even furniture.

Would these historical treasures still be cared for, and on display, were our government to gain control of them? Think about that for a while, won't you.

Maharaja: The Splendour of India's Royal Courts, Anna Jackson and Amin Jaffer, Lustre-Roli Books, 240 pages. Available for Rs 2,975 at leading bookstores

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