The Royal Tour to India

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2, 13 January 1906, Page 41

The Royal Tour to India

Indore Durbar

The Rulers of Central India

Surely Indore must be esteemed the ugly duckling of the capital towns of India? (writes the special correspondent of the “Times of India,” on November 16). It is too modern to possess any antiquarian interest, for it was not until after the death of Malhar Row, the shepherd’s son who established the Holkar dynasty, that Ahalya Bai built the city, and in ISIS that the Court was removed to the new centre. It is too prosperous to have the picturesqueness sometimes associated with poverty, not prosperous enough to possess the architectural beauties in which from time immemorial, pious Indians have loved to spend their wealth. It is essentially middle class, unlovely and characterless and the only centres of any real interest are the Residency, where their Royal Highnesses.are staying, still scarred with the bullet wounds of the mutiny, and the Residency gardens. Now, hoxyever, it is relieved by the unwonted bustle and animation of the thousands who have streamed into the town to join in ’fhe general rejoicings. There are 60 chiefs in camp and their followers crowd the narrow streets. More interesting still are the rustics from the country side, hardy Ma rat ha peasants with wisps of turbans and coarse country dhoties. The English guests are splendidly housed in a mode! camp in the Residency grounds, each entrance io which is guarded by British Jr dry in scarlet and sepoys in their k.igat full dress. Quite early to day the st i Iness of the fresh morning air was 1 roken by the familiar booming of salutes. The assembled chiefs of Central India were performing the office of “imzaj pursi; ’ that is, calling at the Residency to inquire after the health of their Royal Highnesses. It was originally intended that the Prince of Wales should visit the camps of some of the chiefs informally, in the course of a morning ride, but, owing to the fatigues of the journey, this purpose had to be abandoned. The day, therefore, opened with the “mizaj pursi/’ and this was the premie to the great State event of the visit tlu' ‘•public durbar” at which the ruling princes, gathered in honour of the visit of their Royal Highnesses, were presented with the pom .10 ceremony, a venerable custcm that attaches to these functions. The scene of this Durbar was a large shamiana pitched near the Residency, with harmonious hangings of red and gold and the Star of India bhie and gold-embroidered. On a ermson carpet at the far end stood the dais, covered with cloth of gold, with the State chairs, a silvern one for the Prince and a smaller seat a little in the rear for the Princess, under a handsome canopy borne upon four silver pi’lars. On either side of the central aisle sit the chiefs in order of precedence. The Rao of Khilchipeer as the junior of tho-e received being the first to arrive and the Begum of Bhopal the senior, last. The chiefs wore their finest robes and most costly jewels and th ir scarcely less gorgeous follower-, >at immediately behind. Soon after the Begum ha 1 taken her seat Her Royal Highness the Piimess arrived, attended by the Lady Eva Dugdale: wearing a grac did co-tume of pale heliotrope with a t <pie to match. The Princess entered quietly through the portal behind the Dais: then to the thunders of the Royal salute His Royal Highness drove up and a stat ly procession of his staff and the political officers preceded him to the Dai*. His Royal Highness wore a white naval uniform, slashed with the Indian Empire ribbon, and his staff were also in white. Major Daly, agent to the GoJenera I in Central India, asked permission for the Durbar to op.'n and. consent having been given, the picturesque ceremony of the presentation commenced. „

First came the graceful litt e Biguin of Bhopal veiled in a lilac Burka :inl wearing a pale blue rob?. Her Highness. who was far wore self possessed than many of the robustly masculine chiefs, enjoyed a unique privilege; she alone among the assembled rulers offered no nazar. The Alalia rajah of Rewa. a dashing figure in lilac and green followed; he, like all the other chiefs, presenting his nazar which was touched and remitted. The Maharajah of Oreha was resplendent in a pale blue watered silk streaked with salmon, and the ribbon of the Indian Empire; the Maharajah of Datia was again conspicuous by the simplicity of his attire and his splendid jewels; the Raja of Dhar wore a royal blue surtout broidered with gold. His Highness of Dewas, senior branch, cardinal, ar.d his colleague of Dewar, junior branch, lilac silk. The Nawab of Jasra was splendidly arrayed in royal blue and a salmon pink turban; Rutlam in a white surtout and emerald green; Charkhari ma le a fine figure in royal blue and emerald green, and Basin in pale yellow and green. So the gorgeous procession went on. His Royal Highness graciously acknowledged every salute and the white and scarlet clad ehobdars behind the State stairs dipped their ehowries of yaks tails and bore aloft the golden ehatri and the blazing Surai Makhis. The mere recital of these primary colours may suggest something of barbaric crudeness and display, yet so perfectly did they harmonise with the environment and spirit of the scene that there was never a suggestion of harshness or of a jarring note. The retirement from the throne was an ordeal several chiefs found no little difficulty in facing, but although some boggled in walking backwards, there were no conspicuous lapses from etiquette. Is it not a remarkable illustration of the power woman wields in the world, even in the East,that the principal figure in this great gathering of Chiefs from all parts of Central India should be a woman. and one, too. who is closely veiled to all men save to those of her immediate family, the elever, capable, ruler of Bhopal? At the reception of the Royal visitors it was on the Begum of Bhopal, shrouded in her vurka, that all eyes were bent. At the Durbar the Begum was not only the first in order of precedence, but the cynosure of all eyes as she paid homage to the Heir-Apparent — alone amongst that assemblage offering no nazar, for that form of tribute was remitted in the ease of Bhopal by Lonl Lansdowne in 1891. This afternoon Iler Highness had the honour of being accorded a private audience by the Prince of Wales at the Residency, and of showing there the historic- treasures of Bhopal which are to be housed in the Museum, which is an important branch of the monumental Victoria Memorial at Calcutta. These treasures include priceless embroideries, the armour and weapons of the fighting chiefs, who carve.] out a kingdom for themselves in Central India in the chaotic days preceding the arrival of the British, and portraits ul Bhopal sovereigns. This afternoon, though in double purdah behind the veil, and within her tent, the presence of the Begum could be felt at the garden party. Iler Royal Highness. for whom Major Daly acted as spokesman, conversed with the Begum at first through the curtain of the tent, and then Iler Highness came forward in her Durbar Dress. To acknowledge lu r appreciation of this honour, her stalwart sons, the heir to the gadi. and the commander of the State forces, were presented to Their Royal Highnesses, as well as the youngest Sha. the charming boy of eleven years, who acted as Lord Curzon’s page at Delhi. To-night again Her Highness is to be invested with th” G.C.I.E. Who can say that woman has

not still a great put to |>ia> in India? t>ne other pleasant episode in the day merits chronicling. In the midst of these* state ceremonies the poor were tto. forgotten. Through the conriilerati. n of the cinip demonstration committee, tin* laataki beaten in the streets, inciting all who would to feast in honour of the Royal visit. So at five o', lo k the maimed and leper and the whole, the mendicant and the refugee from inhospitable Warwar. met at the Dhar Kot hi, an 1 were nobly regaled on purls of flour ar. I wheat fried in ghee, on sweetmeat* ami vegetables. After sunset the Malto me.lan* who gate. still celebrating their fast, joined the throng. No one in Indore necessarily went hungry, and Ml were made to feel that thi- feast was in honour of their future King and Qaeeih An eventful day closed with a stat* dinner, an investiture and a reception.