File:Tukojirao Holkar II.jpg

Identifier: imperialindiaar00prin (find matches)
Title: Imperial India; an artist's journals
Year: 1879 (1870s)
Authors: Prinsep, Val C. (Val Cameron), 1838-1904
Subjects:
Publisher: London Chapman and Hall
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
brushed away by attendantslaves, and if his Rajahship leans back, a cushion is put underhead or elbow; in fact, a rajah for the Surrey Theatre—theGreat Mogul called Bello —the dream of ones youth ; yet assharp as a needle, and as cheeky and proud as the King of theCannibal Isles with nothing on but a club and a few beads. Thesecond day I went there the Rajah had to put on his jewels, andwhat a sight! It takes at least six men to dress him. There isthe Hereditary Master of the Jewels, an old man with spectacles,who puts them on with the care of a real artist, while four menstand around with trays, on which are displayed jewels worth Ido not know how many lacs. What shall I wear? says the Rajah. I think this hand-some. And he holds up a kind of peacock made of diamondsand pearls. Yes, that will do. And the peacock is offered up to his head while he lazilyturns from side to side, gazing with self-satisfied look into aglass, which originally cost eight annas (one shilling), and which,
Text Appearing After Image:
p. 282 H.H. TUKAJI RAO HOLKAK, MAHARAJAH OF INDORE, DHAR-INDORE—SA TNA. 283 held by a sixth man, contrasts strangely with the jewels it ispalled on to reflect. Squalor and magnificence are found side byside in all these rajahs abodes. None of them have any sense offitness—in fact, no native has. We wont put on these pearls, cries the Maharajah, forwithout them this looks more like a crown. And this in India, the land of caste, changeless through suc-ceeding ages ! Why, this mans ancestor was a goatherd, and hehimself, for all his airs, would cheerfully pay any sum of moneyto be considered a Rajpoot; and while many Brahmins standaround with clasped hands, and probably his cook is of Brah-minical caste, not one of them would eat with him, Rajah thoughhe be. And Indore ? Well, it is, like many other Indian towns, wellto do and modern. Driving from the Residency to the palace,you pass through the same kind of dirty suburbs ; you cross onerather good bridge over a river which, this dry

Note About Images