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

God created the Maharajas to provide a spectacle to humanity,” wrote Rudyard Kipling. And what a royal spectacle they were, their lives, the stuff dreams are made of, their alliances, mis-alliances and, of course, their fabulous and fabled weddings.

This stunning black and white photograph of fourteen-year- old Princess Sri Jayachamundammanni with her just-wed groom H.H. Maharaja Brajendra Sawai Brijendra Singh Bahadur, Bahadur Jung, was shot at the magnificent peacock pavilion of the Mysore Palace on 18.6.1941.

The petite Princess of Mysore, who became the Maharani of Bharatpur, had a very short life of twenty-seven years (30.10.1927 to 26.7.1954). She had arrived at Mysore and was staying at her maternal mansion, Chamundi Vihar, after delivering
her fifth daughter at Bangalore on 9th July 1954. When she passed away, the Maharaja of Bharatpur was by her bedside.

A correspondent’s report in the 28th July 1954 Bangalore edition of the Indian Express states, “Major General B. Chatterjee, Military Secretary to the President of India, called at Chamundi Vihar, immediately after the receipt of the tragic news and personally conveyed a message of condolence from the President Sri Rajendra Prasad (who was on an official visit to Mysore) to the Maharaja of Mysore, Maharaja of Bharatpur, Yuvarani of Mysore (mother of the deceased) and other members of the royal family. The late Maharani’s body was removed by a specially chartered Dakota to Bharatpur for the last rites.”

She was cremated at the Bharatpur Rajaon ki Chhatri (cenotaphs) situated at Govardhan Hills, UP.

[Photograph Size: 13×20 cms;

Photograph and Invitation Collection: Ramsons Kala Pratishtana]