INDIAN RULERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 37, 8 February 1912, Page 7

INDIAN RULERS.

There are some six hundred ruling princes in India, and although only two hundred of them are of much importance, all of them must be present at a Durbar such as was held in Delhi last month. \ In these six hundred there are many differences, not only in race, but in habits, methods of government, and general conduct of life. Some of them adhere rigidly to caste rules. One of the Rajput Maharajahs was so determined ic stick to the old customs when' ; ho travelled (says a writer in the “Westminster Gazette”) that ho chartered a steamer to take him to England, carried enough Ganges water to last the trip, had a temple erected on board, and carried witli him Indian earth to serve instead of soap. The Maharajah of Travancore is a. very progressive prince and a fine English scholar, but ho is so caste-ridden that lie will not break bread with his wife or accept a glass of water from her, because she- must needs, according to the custom of the country, be of low birth. He will not drink or eat after having, shaken hands with a foreigner, until he 'has taken a purifying bath. But an increasing number of the princes are breaking away from the old customs, and some of them, including our old friend Ranjitsiphiji, live just like Europeans. Two or three of the chiefs have wholly or partly emancipated their wives and daughters. The Thakore of Gondal heads this company, since his Rani and the princesses go about unveiled at home and abroad, speak in public meetings, and accompany the ruler to functions of all kindfl/' Next to Min' comes the Maharaja of Baroda, whose Mahafani and daughter observe semipurah at home, .butllhnve unlimited’ liberty' away from India, and even go •dbotlt uAveiled. outside' 'the State. It may surprise some people to know that, although they are under the .eye of. Britain, the 'Hdin'* prihhes' a’i‘6' still active despots. ’’ They" deport men out of their territory within 24 hours without assigning any reason or giving them a trihl, and prohibit any. meetings’ that may dlfc displeasing to thciU. Even in thtl 'best of the native 'States there' is 'ho freedom‘of speech or press. The Maharajas, as a ’ Vide, consider their States to fie estates and the revenue of their principalities their, privy purse. They' spend money lavishly upon themselves, the people having nothing to say in regard to the apportioning of'the civil list, and not one-hundredth part of the voice in framing legislation affecting thorn that the natives in British India possess.