70 Years Post Independence, This Royal Family Continues to Rule

Converting their palaces into global enterprises, these royals have embraced history and heritage in a modern way.

Umaid Bhawan Palace, once the abode of the Rajas, now belongs to the people

(Photo: AP)

At the onset of India’s Independence in 1947, all rajas ruling various princely states under the British were to abandon their kingship and assimilate themselves into the nation called ‘India’. Though monarchy died its death, the royalty of some families in Rajasthan stood the test of time and carried on through generations.

One such story is of the family of Maharaja Gaj Singh of Jodhpur, which owns the famous Umaid Bhawan Palace, a magnificent sandstone fort, that has been standing tall since 1944.

Gaj Singh inherited the palace at the tender age of four after his father Hanwant Singh died in a plane crash. Even though he never formally took the title of the king, his daughter Shivranjani Rajye believes that her father considers himself to be a king since he has always led the people under him.

Even after signing the accession, most maharajas retained their formal titles and royal lifestyles till the Constitutional amendment in 1971 when all privileges were formally lost. Most kings were then faced with an uncertain and insecure future.

At such a time when most kings abandoned their claims to royalty, Gaj Singh held on to it even stronger which, according to his daughter, turned things for them at a time when most monarchs considered royalty a ‘bad word’.

I remember my father never gave up his title. He doesn’t have it officially but he knew who he was and that he commanded respect of the people. In those days people shied away from the titles but he didn’t. I think that’s the change today. Now, you don’t have to shy away from it.

Shivranjani Rajye, daughter of Maharaja Gaj Singh

The major problem that all the kings faced was the dilemma of keeping or giving away their assets. This is what upset England return Gaj Singh, when he inherited a relatively modern palace with other family mansions, in a newly created India.

The properties that they (kings) inherited were in a true sense, white elephants. The royal families were high on assets but low on liquidity. They didn’t have large bank balances to turn their family properties into something grand or sustain it for the future.

Karni Singh Jasol, Director, Mehrangarh Museum

Thus, Shivranjani Rajye, a conservationist, decided to take matters into her own hands and transformed the usage of the royal forts as residences, while keeping their heritage value intact.

The Umaid Bhawan palace which was once a sanctuary of just the royalty, now belongs to the people who wish to visit or stay in it. In order to make their assets into business enterprises, Rajye turned the palaces into part residence and part hotels, thus embracing their history in the most modern way possible.

For her, this arrangement serves multiple purposes and helps keep the heritage value intact and thus, provides more relevance to the city of Jodhpur as a whole.

Apart from the hotels, the forts also have museums that serve as a major tourist attraction for people from across the globe who wish to get a taste of Marwar history and trace the family tree of the Maharajas.

These places have local dancers, showcasing the folklore of Jodhpur to add to the tourists’ experiences and make them more authentic. Several workshops on water, animal and environment conservation also take place in the fort regularly.

For Shivranjani Rajye, the definition of royalty is what her parents have shown her by example, beyond the stereotype of riches which people perceive royal families with. Acknowledging her family’s privileges, she claims that the lavish lifestyle also comes with great responsibility on their shoulders.

Throughout his life, I have seen my father give time to the people, to Jodhpur, education, water projects and I see them working. I don’t see royalty as coming to parties and entertaining people. That’s one part of it, but it’s for a reason. I have seen how hard my parents have worked and that, for me, is royalty.

Shivranjani Rajye, daughter of Maharaja Gaj Singh

Video Editor: Sandeep Suman