An Eastern Princess

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7179, 28 March 1930, Page 11

An Eastern Princess

INDIAN WONDER PALACE • Salutes of guns were to be fired and all tho pomp and pageantry of State was to bo brought into play when the luckiest baby girl in the world arrived in the homo she has nover yet seen. She is Princess Sharada Rajc, daughter of the cx-Maharajah of Indore and his American wife, the former Miss Nancy Miller, of Seattle, whoso marriage and admission into the Hindu faith created attention from all tho world.

Elaborate preparations wore being made for her reception at tho wonder palace of Darya Mahal, in Indore. A sot of six magnificent rooms was set aside fqr herself and her attendants, and money was being poured out like water to ensure that the apartments would be the last word in regal splendour.

> The sleeping apartment- of the baby princess, who is not yet a year old, was designed with a pale rose colour scheme. Voluminous curtains of rose velvet rise from floor to ceiling. There is a thick rose carpet that feels like grass to the treqd, and the sleeping cot with its pale rose draperies is a massive work of art. She will have two nurseries—one furnished in European style and the other in Indian style. Eew babies in the history of the world have had toys approaching in magnificence those which are being specially made for the princess. There are huge ebony elephants-mounted on wheels and with bells a£ beaten gold

jingling in their tusks; gaily decorated jumping monkeys, long-horned bullocks and life-sized horses. A complete set of Western toys on more conventional lines has been sent from Europe. A new “auto-perambu-lator” is in readiness. It is more like a motor car than a “pram,” and has seating accommodation for a nurse behind the baby princess. A splendid carriago and pair will also be at her disposal. There will probably be a State grant of nearly £IOO a week to meet the personal expenses of tho princess, including her staff of servants and armed guard .of four mounted Sowars and four attendants. This amount will be increased from time to time as she grows older. The suite of tho Maharani is being specially refurnished. It will contain a music room furnished in European style in which sho will receive European guests. Another magnificent apartment furnished in Indian style will bo used for her reception of Indian guests. Tho christening of the baby princess, which took place in France, was the first naming of an Indian princess to take place out of India.