“End of an Era”

Rajmata Sa for people from Jaipur and Maharani Gayatri Devi for the world - passed away this week. All of a sudden I feel that my childhood is over. I was fortunate enough to have met her a few times very early in my life - an advantage of being a Mansinghite.

I can very vivdly recollect moments when I along with my friends would sneak into the gardens of her home to fetch our ball while playing tennis at Lilypool Garden. She always ensured that all was well with her disciples (however outdated the word might sound). The major part of the city of Jaipur was developed by an active contribution from her and her husband – His Highness Maharaja Sawai Man Singh –II. She was full of energy even at an age of eighty and that too to the extent that she would leave my classmates behind while inspecting the parade during Republic Day celebrations at school.

She had an aura around her and a charm which cannot be expressed through this medium. She would come down to my school in her vintage car along with her ADC and would ensure that she leaves everyone spell-bound with her anecdotes usually talking about her brothers and family during her early days at Cooch Bihar.

At times I wonder how anyone could be nasty with a lady like her but then maybe that is the way the world is supposed to be. Indira Gandhi, whom I respect for her handling of foreign affairs and the setting up of our intelligence service – RAW, had also been nasty with Rajmata Sa. Indira Gandhi tried to clip her wings in every possible manner through making His Highness an ambassador, by putting her behind the bars, by abolishing privy purses (breaking GoI’s treaties with independent kingdoms), by playing around with the list of the electorate when she contested for the legislative assembly and by numerous other ways. It is said that at Indira Gandhi’s behest Rajmata Sa’s palaces and vaults were looted so as to reduce her financial independence. To make matters worse her own grandchildren tried to sue her for property and that too then when their father, Prince Jagat Singh had disinherited them. Rajmata Sa had opened a school in Jaga ki Bawri which was named Lalitya Kumari Bal Niketan after her grand-daughter and this very grand-daughter of her was up in arms against her. Rajmata Sa gave away all of her and her deceased son’s property to these grand-children but their conduct towards her was not appreciable.

The lady who gave her everything to her disciplines received lots of love and respect from them and I suppose that more than made up for all thge hardships that she had to face.

May Rajmata Sa’s soul rest in peace.