By R.G. Singh, Secretary, Ramsons Kala Pratishtana

Title                       :        The State Entry into Delhi.1907.

Artist                     :        Roderick Dempster Mackenzie, (1865-1941)

Size                        :        366×289.8 cms. Oil on canvas.

Collection              :        Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery

This painting captures the impressive grandeur of the 1903 Delhi Durbar main entry procession which consisted of 48 Maharajas seated on their respective State elephants. The trail wound its way past the north side of Jumma Masjid towards the Red Fort. It was led by the then Viceroy and Vicerine of India, Lord George Curzon and Lady Mary Victoria Curzon, who are seen seated on the elephant ‘Lutchmann Pershad’ belonging to the Maharaja of Benaras, followed by Prince Arthur and Princess Louise Margaret, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, representing the British royal family, seated on the elephant ‘Maula Baksh’ belonging to the Maharaja of Jaipur.

‘The hierarchy of Indian royalty was formalised with a new ranking system, the size and importance of a State was defined by the number of gun salutes it was accorded and the five largest States of Hyderabad, Mysore, Baroda, Jammu & Kashmir and Gwalior were awarded a 21 gun salute,’ writes Ritu Kumar in her book, Portraits of Royalty.

The same hierarchy is followed in this procession. Atop the third elephant is the Nizam of Hyderabad HEH Mir Mehboob Ali Khan (VI) followed by Maharaja of Mysore HH Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV Bahadur, then HH Maharaja of Baroda HH Sayaji Rao Gaekwad, then the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir HH Pratap Singh and the Maharaja of Gwalior HH Madho Rao Scindia. The standard bearers of Mysore State carrying the shields depicting Gandabherunda and Hanuman are seen near the Mysore Maharaja’s elephant.