'MR A.'s PENANCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 22 December 1925, Page 10

'MR A.'s PENANCE.

MAHARAJA UNRECONCILED. THE LOSS OF CASTE. The aged Sir Pertab Singh, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, died without formally being reconciled to his nephew and heir, Sir Hari Singh. An Indian correspondent of “The Sunday News” discloses below how Sir Hari retired into seclusion, on his return from England to Kashmir and w ais ito have been received back into favour by his uncle at the Festival of Lights, which occurs about the first week in November. But the death of the old ruler prevented these plans from being carried out. Two' days’-. rigorous ceremonial, on absolutely restricted diet, with, constant offerings of clarified butter and Tice in'-the. sacred sacrificial fire specially lit for 'the occasion, formed part of • the penance.-Sir Hari Singh had to pay on his return to India after his visit to Europe, where, as all the world knows, there came into his life the figures of .Mr and Mrs Robinson, of Montagu. Noel'Newton, and of William Cooper Hobbs. When afterwards the case of Robinson v. the Midland Bank came into court, it was-stated that Sir Hari Singh hud given two cheques for £150,000 each; in respect- of alleged blackmail. One of these cheques was cashed'.. During Sir Hari's European visit, among his personal attendants were some who were the eyes and ears of his f uncle, the Maharaja. They faithfully carried to the old ruler a day-to-day diary of his nephew’s doings, and when

he returned to Kashmir,* lie was astounded by the demand-made by his uncle, insisting* on the performance of tlie Prayash-cliitta ceremony. Although the disclosure of Mr A.’s name did not arouse chei consternation and surprise to the Maharaja it would have caused had lie not had private sources of information, there were some disclosures during the hearing of the case which liatl. not come to the notice of even t’ge watchful attendants of Sir Hari Singh. A SECOND PENANCE. It was held that Sir Hari Singh had done tilings which wen; derogatory to his high caste and station. Sir Hari Singh had also to bear a far more rigorous penance for breaking of these caste rules. ' Ten days’ observance, including the obvious sign of mourning—the shaving off of his moustache—had to be followed. So that lie eou*d retire into cornpara- ' tive seclusion, his close friend of boyhood, the young Nawab of Palanpur, offered his'vast jungle 'estates and | castle. / But, as a. result-of his diplomatic yielding to the wishes of his uncle, Sir Hari Singh was assured of being restored to favour.on an appropriate occasion of the Deepavali festival —or the Festival of Lights—whielr falls- about the first week in November. But Providence lias willed it otherwise. Aged Sir Pertab Singli has passed away, without the formality of reconciliation, and there yet remains room for the plotter to create further troubles.