Maharani Gayatri Devi was the last of the Queens of Jaipur in Rajasthan , India.Gayatri Devi was listed by the Vogue as one of the world's most beautful women, and was a favourite of society columnists and photographers.Gayatri Devi was the daugher of Maharaja Jitendra Narayan and Mahrani Indira Devi of the 'Koch' dynasty of Cooch Behar.Born in 23rd May, 1919.Gayatri Devi travelled extensivley with her mother and family in Europe.Gayatri Devi Studied at Shantiniketan and abroad, and speaks several languages.At the age of 19, she fell in love with Man Singh, the heir to the Jaipur throne.Their marriage was initially opposed by her parents, as Man Singh already had two wives, the daughters of the Maharaja Jodhpur.However, they gave in to her determination, and she was married in 1939.The jaipur royal family lived a lavish life with hunting, summers in London,children educated in England, and streams of famous visitors which was normal for rulers of principalities at that time.
Man Singh was the last ruler of Jaipur and oversaw its transition to a secular part of rajasthan state in independent India.He served as India's first ambassador to Sapin.Maharaja Man Singh died in 1970 while playing polo.
Gayatri Devi started schools for girls education in Jaipur, and promoted the dying art of blue pottery.
In 1962 she entered politics, and won an astounding majority to become the Lok Sabha representative.(She still holds the Guiness record for this electoral majority).She won the seat again in 1967 and 1971 from the Swatantra Party , running against the Congress party.This enraged Indira Gandhi, who retaliated in 1971 by abolishing the pivy purses, and stopping all the royal privileges, breaking the treaties agreed upon in 1947.Gayatri Devi was accused of breaking tax laws, and served 5 months in Tihar jail.She retired from politics after thet experience and published her autobiography "A Princess Remembers" written with Santha Rama Rau in 19776.She was also the focus of a film called "Memoirs of Hindu Princes" directed by Francois Levie.
Gayatri Devi (23 May 1919 - 29 July 2009), often styled as Maharani Gayatri Devi, Rajmata of Jaipur, was born as Princess Gayatri Devi of Cooch Behar. She was the third Maharani of Jaipur from 1939 to 1970 through her marriage to HH Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II. The royal titles and the accompanying privy purses were technically abolished through a constitutional amendment in 1971.
Following India’s independence and the subsequent abolition of the princely states, she became an extremely successful politician. Gayatri Devi was also celebrated for her classical beauty and became something of a fashion icon in her adulthood.
She passed away on the July 29, 2009 aged 90 in Jaipur. She was suffering from paralytic ileus.
Let us be united internationally under one command.We are more than 60 lakh Koch-Rajbanshis in Assam.The Khsatriyas never bow down= atleast not against tyranny or imposition.
ReplyDeleteUtpal Rajbanshi
Assam
Thats what the ambition of this blog is to make known to all abt out community.The support & co-ordination is required by all the rajbanshi related to our community.Thanks for your kind supportive information..
ReplyDeleteUnity among our factions is the most important need of the of the hour. But , sadly many of us have not understood the importance. By observing the various activities of our people living at different places , that call for unity appears to fall on deaf ears. Still, some are trying to divide the community in the name of koch and Rajbongshi , in the name of spoken languages , in the name of Aryan , mongoloid etc, the list is more long. We have minor differences called regional differences , that is an accepted fact in us. These regional differences are there due to vastness of the regions our people are living,due to the influences of neighboring languages , cultures ,traditions etc. Also there are influence of political systems , geographical situations. That is why these regional differences are seen among us. But whatever it may be, our core values are same. We are koch Rajbongshi people . We are all brothers and sisters.
ReplyDeleteThe sooner we understand these the better for us. Else , our identities shall be lost at a faster rate, We are becoming stranger to one another. This is a very dangerous trend for the community.