Chapter IV - Vici
From out Sunrise came Guj the stella bright,
Stone to stone fitted Gaek again and Truth
Love, Peace and Justice came and dwelt therein.
K. N. P.
Our Hero: Krishnarao N. Panemanglor (KNP), appears to be a poet of sorts (this [abstract??] poem is from his one published work). He was a sort of polyglot as well: he appears to have been fluent in Kannada, Konkani, Marathi, Gujarati, English, Hindi and Latin. Possibly which is why he shared such a close rapport with SRG and was his Confidential Private Secretary and one of his close aides.
In 1920, KNP and Radhabai had settled in domestic bliss. The children, Anand and Kamala were attending English medium schools – Sayaji Boys High School and Maharani Chimnabai Girls High School respectively. The youngest, Bal was turning one year old.
Radhabai’s brother Shivshankar had got married in 1915 to Manorama Beltangadi (from Puttur) and they still stayed at KNP’s place initially.
After their first child Indumati was born in 1916, they moved to their own residence very close to KNP’s property.
Shivshanker had joined the Baroda Royal
Police Force as an officer, where he, no doubt, would have had to maintain a
horse – which I am certain would have been housed in KNP’s stables as KNP maintained a one-horse carriage till practically the end.
Radhabai in her mid-20s – would be around 1913-15..
The family retainer - Dwarkanath Bedhade - drove the carriage. He also practically brought up my Papa, during his childhood.
Besides his charming and engaging personality, KNP was also a bit of a spendthrift. It does appear that he was generous to a fault and possibly imprudent in the handling of his finances. Having been with the Gaekwad for over 11 years, he may have been "obliged" to maintain a lifestyle in line with being in the Royal service. Besides this, owing to his closeness to SRG – as well as his regal looks (as explained in the earlier chapter), amongst the family members in Bombay & elsewhere, he was called the “Royal Kuttan or Maharaj Kuttan” (Kuttan being the nickname for Krishnarao in colloquial Konkani)
During this decade, KNP also was instrumental in helping some Bhanaps, including his maternal cousin: Shankar Rao Nayampalli, in joining the state service. Shankar Rao would go on to become a District Magistrate in the Baroda Judiciary, later holding other high posts and finally in 1930, becoming the Private Secretary of Maharani Chimnabai. More about him later.
SRG, the Maharani (henceforth referred as MCG) and their entourage had gone to Europe in Sept 1919, and would spend over 16 months abroad: the anxiety about the welfare of Jaisinghrao – who was critical, as well as the shocking news of the death of Shivajirao, had taken a toll on the Royal couple. Along with their physical ailments, their mental state was also aggravated due to their sons’ states and they were in complete turmoil. These events reduced SRG to a state of inactivity, which was very unusual. They would spend weeks at spas & nursing homes in Europe and Scotland, as well as time in England at their Manor. In July 1920, the King and Queen had hosted a dinner for the Gaekwads. At that time, SRG had personally invited HH David Edward, Prince of Wales – to Baroda (He would be the future King – Edward VIII – who would later cause a flutter for marrying Mrs Simpson and abdicating the British throne). SRG & family finally returned to Baroda in Feb 1921.
However, after less than 2 months in Baroda, the couple left for Europe again – again for health issues. During this tour (April 1921), KNP also accompanied the party.
The Prince of Wales' visit to Baroda was confirmed for November 1921, during his “Empire” or “Dominions” tours. [He first toured Canada for three months in 1919, followed by New Zealand and Australia in the next year. India and Japan were the main destinations in 1921/22]
Very likely, KNP would have had to return to India earlier, to help with the preparations for the Royal visit. SRG & MCG returned to Baroda less than two weeks before Prince of Wale's scheduled arrival.
KNP had been nominated Officer on Special Duty for the occasion of the Royal visit.
KNP with a couple of colleagues in Europe, circa 1921. Impeccably suited, booted and “homburged”.
The Prince of Wales’ arrival in India by the Battlecruiser HMS Renown, was quite ominous. Upon his landing in Bombay on Nov 17th 1921, there is widespread agitation**. He was initially greeted with empty streets but later Bombay was marked with demonstrations, hartals and political meetings marred by scenes of mob violence and police atrocities. Europeans, Parsis, Anglo-Indians & Christians (and probably any other person in Western garb) – and their properties were attacked. There was police firing, and the three-day turmoil resulted in fifty-nine dead.
**The Indian Nationalists’ contribution towards the First World War was based on the understanding that after helping Britain win the war, the Emperor would be magnanimous and allow their demand for self-government within the British Empire. However, the ending of WW I did not see any progress in the swarajya’s demand. Here, over a million Indian soldiers (from the British Indian Army and the Princely State Armies) had served overseas and around 65,000 lost their lives,. Indeed, the Rowlatt’s Act (1919) only went on to infuriate the Nationalists. Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation & Civil Disobedience Movements became an important part of India’s freedom struggle especially after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre when Gen Dyer’s actions were lauded and endorsed by the British Parliament & people. The demand for “Home Rule” really gained momentum.
The “Native States” – as the British called them, comprised nearly 40% of the Indian sub-continent, and was ruled by Princes who were given protection against aggression, internal or external, in return for recognition of British paramountcy. All these feudal states maintained a cordial & submissive relationship with the Imperial Raj, so avoiding confrontation especially regarding the issues of agitations by swarajya & satygrahis. Again, will leave it at that, as this topic is vast and well beyond the scope of this tale here.
On the 23rd November 1921, the Prince of Wales arrived in Baroda for a two days visit as the guest of the Gaekwad. For the Prince, it must have been some relief to him to exchange the anxious tensions of Bombay for the freedom of Baroda. SRG had given up Lakshmi Vilas Palace to the Prince, and he and MCG had moved to the Makarpura Palace. The Royal visit had the usual formalities, varied by a garden-party and a buck-hunt with hunting cheetahs, which was a characteristic feature of Baroda entertainment, along with the customary State Banquet, where the usual cordial speeches by both SRG and the Prince spoke about loyal associations and tributes paid.
An interesting snippet: As mentioned earlier, KNP was nominated Officer on Special Duty for the occasion of the Royal visit, and was around the Prince for most of the time, putting up at the Lakshmi Vilas Palace for the duration.
The following is from a page of his published book:
" We are having the garden party in the evening, but I don't wish to miss my tennis at any rate," said His Royal Highness to Mr K. N. Panemanglor, the officer who was deputed to look after his comforts, "could you kindly arrange a game for us at this odd hour?" It was arranged and the Prince had three good sets, at the conclusion of which he was reminded of his appointment to call on Her Highness the Maharani Saheb at the Palace. "Oh, only one set more," said his Royal Highness and he finished the fourth and we left the grounds and walked to the Palace though a car was ready for him. The Prince was in tennis flannels and there was little time to change immediately. “I am afraid I shall keep Her Highness the Maharani Saheb waiting. Is it alright my seeing her in this tennis costume?” remarked His Royal Highness. “Oh, I enjoyed my game immensely but I can’t catch your name. I think I better call you ‘Pani’ “ The Palace was reached quickly, as His Royal Highness walked fast and there was neither the noise of the motor to announce the arrival nor could any messenger be sent in time…
A couple of notes: a) Was it KNP who played the 4 sets with the Prince of Wales? Can’t be certain from the wordings, but for speculation, might well have been! b) The other one - “Oh, I enjoyed my game immensely but I can’t catch your name. I think I better call you ‘Pani’ “ – an interesting precedence: my dad Lt. Col. C.K. Panemanglor – would be called Pani – by his colleagues and friends from the time he joined the Army. My sister Preeti was called Pani when she was in MSU Baroda.. And the author was called Baby Pani when he was in MSU for those one and a half years (before joining the Merchant Navy). A full circle 😄
At this time, Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad was 58 years old. He had always suffered from insomnia along with stress issues from running his domain and endured debilitating bouts of gout. This, along, colds, flu etc, resulted in their Highnesses travelling to Europe more than ever, especially during the latter years of his reign. Owing to a succession of very resourceful and competent Dewans, SRG managed to remotely run the government effectively. From the very beginning during his foreign trips, SRG would look out for promising or famous educators, curators, even artists and administrators, all for being employed in the State service, to further establish the well-run state machinery.
SRG was a teetotaller all his life, and all the toasts he may have had to raise, were always with plain water. He had mellowed down and was looked upon as an enlightened & benevolent ruler. However, his love for learning anything and everything about the world continued right till the end. As a Patron of the Fine Arts, he collected superb paintings, ceramics and other wonderful artifacts. He encouraged Indian painters, artists and gold & silversmiths and commissioned real works of art. He maintained singers, musicians and dancers in his court and set up both College of Music and Fine Arts. He was a prodigious and voracious reader and his personal library at the Palace is supposed to be mind-boggling. He truly was a remarkable man & ruler.
KNP travelled four times with the Royals to Europe in the 1920s.
KNP at the Matterhorn Glacier around 1924. Matterhorn can be seen in the background.
These European tours were turning out to be more like convalescent trips, and there were several tragedies: In 1922, their daughter Indira Devi’s husband - Jitendra Narayan, Maharaja of Cooch Behar, passed away in London aged just 36. Then in Aug 1923, their eldest son Jaisinghrao (who had been very ill and had been in various nursing homes & spas in Europe since 1919), passed away. So by this time, SRG had lost three of his sons, and MCG had lost two.
In 1923, SRG was 60 years of age, and our own KNP was then 41. We believe that SRG had a special affection for KNP; the Maharaja inspired him, gave him fatherly advice and impressed him “for the many proofs of his largeness of heart and nobility of mind of which I have been privileged to be witness” as KNP writes in his book.
SRG had also tried to address the caste prejudices in
Baroda. In 1925, a banquet was organised at Laxmi Vilas Palace in
Baroda, where men of all castes ate together. The same year he opened
the gates of a temple at Amreli to the Dalits. SRG also initiated opening
many schools for Dalits as well as encouraged their admission to
regular schools.
1925 was the Golden Jubilee Year for SRG, who was the Gaekwad since 1875. The Baroda State had planned on a grand celebration for him, however,
this was postponed till the advent of the cold season and took place only in
January 1926. The main event was the massive Durbar where members of all
communities addressed the Gaekwad and he in his turn spoke to all. Other
functions included a review of the army, a people’s fair with a fireworks
display, a garden party, a children' s
party, feeding of the poor, and public performances of plays In Marathi and
Gujarati, musical evenings and classical dancing. The foundation stones for
Kirti Mandir and the College of Science & Technology was laid. The Pilaji
Anathashram (Home for the Aged & Poor) was inaugurated. Additionally, some
relief was given to people for arrears in revenue collection, as well as some
prisoners pardoned & released.
My papa CKP (Bal) in 1926
I remember Papa telling me about his first visit to the Nazarbagh (Nazarbaug) Palace during the Golden Jubilee Celebrations when that was thrown open to the people for viewing the jewels & precious artifacts in the State Zaverkhana or Royal Repository located here. Situated in the old walled city near the Mandvi Clock Tower, it was the oldest palace built in old classic style by Malhar Rao Gaekwad in the late 19th century, although, I believe, there was an earlier structure built in 1721.
Used for ceremonial occasions such as marriage ceremonies of the Gaekwad family members, placing the new ruler on the gaddi etc., the palace also housed the heirlooms of the royal family.
The collection was estimated to be worth around Rupees Three Crores or US$10,000,000 in the year 1927. This included a diamond necklace that carried both the Star of the South diamond, weighing around 125 carats, as well as the English Dresden. Also, a part of the treasure was The Carpet of Baroda. Bejewelled with perfectly matched pearls, rubies, diamonds, sapphires & emeralds woven into a foundation composed of deer hide & silk (originally commissioned by Khanderao Gaekwad to cover the tomb of Mohammad – that’s another tale ). The famous solid guns made of gold and silver, with each barrel weighing over 100 kg were housed in the palace, along with the gold & silver ambaris (the royal elephant ornate howdahs) and the gold and silver carriages. The palace ground also housed the Sheesh Mahal, or the Palace of Glass.
Nazarbaug Palace. By the late 1970s, the Palace was used by the Income Tax Office.
I visited the place with Papa (who had some work with the IT Dept) in early 1980s – it was a pretty heart-breaking sight: the whole edifice had become dilapidated and looking quite run-down. Inside the lobby, the magnificent marble staircase was awesome, but the peeling walls and the cracked tiles painted a sorry picture. So unfortunate that the Central Government could not even maintain the historic structure and allowed it to run down so badly.
Today, alas, it exists no longer; a fancy
new mall with the same name is coming up.
The culmination of the Golden Jubilee Celebration was to be the Viceroy’s visit to Baroda. The Viceroy of India – His Excellency Rufus Daniel Isaacs, Earl of Reading, arrived at Baroda on 21st January 1926, accompanied by his wife and a suite of about 80 and an escort of 260 of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. This was a three-days and 2 nights visit and they left on the night of the 23rd.
H.E. Lord Reading was accorded a ceremonial reception at the railway station, driven in a procession through the town, taken to inspect the Baroda Jewels, treated to a Durbar, a garden party, a State Banquet, an informal dinner, a display of Fireworks and gymnastics show, as well as the Baroda specials – Sathmari – or elephant fights, buffalo fights, parrots performing tricks and the cheetah hunt (actually a cheetah hunting a deer buck).
For this Viceregal Visit, KNP had a special role- again as Special Duty Officer:
For this special visit, KNP was entrusted by SRG to also be the historiographer (besides the Special Duty Officer), and to ultimately prepare a souvenir leather- bound book to commemorate the visit. This endeavour was completed in Nov 1926 and titled – A Viceregal Visit to Baroda. 1926.
Papa had a copy of this rare book (I believe there were only a limited number published, and now comes under the “Rare Books” category). Unfortunately – this book was loaned to some acquaintance and hasn’t been seen since – now over 20 years back. The book itself – KNP’s sole published work – painstakingly details not just the visit but also includes a comprehensive detailed history of Baroda and the Gaekwads.
The Baroda Floods 1927: Whilst SRG was in Europe in summer of 1927 he was informed about the
devastating floods in North Gujarat & Baroda in July 1927. The 1927 season witnessed the highest recorded
rain levels ever recorded - 92 inches – as against the normal 30-35 inches - and
swelled the Vishwamitri so much that flood-water had touched the feet of Kala
Ghoda statue near the river and this event came to be famously known as Ghoda
Pur (Horse Flood).. The Severe rainstorm
of 26-28 July
1927 was caused
by a huge depression
which originated in the Bay
of Bengal on 23rd
July and moved across the
subcontinent as below:
The maximum rainfall was in the Dakor/Kalol/Halol area, which received around 100 cm rainfall in around 60 hours. Baroda was under 3 metres of water, which at places stood nearly 7 metres deep. All the rivers of this region rose in high floods and the Sabarmati River at Ahmedabad recorded a rise of about 7 metres. Many miles of railway tracks and bridges got washed away, and many places remained cut off for days.
This flood wiped off villages after villages and human, as well as animal corpses, had to be torched on common pyres in mass cremation. Practically all the animals in the Baroda zoo perished. The new Dewan - V. T. Krishnama Chari – was an exceedingly competent administrator, and handled the crisis very well.
Papa tells me that for 4 days, the family had to survive by moving to the first floor of the big house, and many people living close by, all the retainers and their families, as well as others, all camped on the first storey, till the waters subsided. Am not certain what happened to the family cattle and horses. I would not be surprised at all, if the petrol tramcars may have been so badly damaged, that after the floods, the company may have wound up.. in any case, these tramcars were already being replaced with pneumatic rubber wheeled stationwagon type buses.
Heroic tales of peoples generosity during the floods abound. Postal service continued throughout, using the elephants for fording the waters.
After the floodwaters had receded, the Dewan, V. T. Krishnama Chari organised the sanitation committee to clear the mud & silt build up in the city. Distribution of relief foodstuff, clothing and money was swiftly undertaken. In the affected districts, a total of 107 humans lost their lives, but over 90,000 houses were completely destroyed or affected by the floods and required reconstruction. However, standing crops were completely destroyed and subsequently, food had to be arranged from other districts and states.
The Royal Wedding:
The end of the decade would be marked with the wedding of 21-year-old Yuvrajsaheb Pratapsinh Rao Gaekwar with 14-year-old Shanta Devi, second daughter of Sardar Mansinghrao Subbarao Ghorpade of Hasur in Kolhapur state.
A Deputation which included Sardars as well as KNP - travelled to Kolhapur to escort the Royal Bride and her family to Baroda. They travelled on a special train, which included the Gaekwad’s personal Saloon Coaches.
The extravagant Royal Wedding took place at Nazarbaug Palace on 4th January 1929, with festivities and ceremonies, entertainments, the usual Baroda arena sports and a children’s gathering, garden parties and a banquet, stretching from the 1st through 6th of January.
Shanta Devi had first came to Vadodara as a child of 13 years to meet Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad, who liked her and immediately arranged her engagement with his grandson Pratapsinh Gaekwad.
The young Royal couple would live in the Pratap Vilas Palace, and they would be parents of eight children.
Subsequent events in Pratap Singh Gaekwad’s life will not be discussed here.
Throughout her life, first as Maharani and then as Rajmata , Shanta Devi was considered the guardian of the city, because she was involved in many activities of public welfare. She established the Maharani Shantadevi Hospital in 1952, which was run by a Trust.
Many years later (in 1969), when Papa retired from the Army and decided to settle down in Baroda, my parents paid their respects to Ma Saheb Rajmata Shanta Devi, and over the next 29 years that my parents lived in Baroda, they maintained their close connection with the Royals from the old family associations in Baroda.
This was especially so with my mother Mira, who was a very active member of the Kamati Baug Ladies Club, where Rajmata was the President.
Ma Saheb, as we called her, had visited our house 8-10 times over the years. On at least 4-5 occasions, Ma Saheb had dinner at our place. Papa (who was an excellent self-trained cook) would make some non-veg delicacies.
One of her favourites was “Patra ni Maach”, which she would request Papa to prepare.
I remember she would arrive in the distinct gunmetal Mercedes Benz driven by a liveried chauffeur, and we ensured the car was parked in our building's small parking lot. Our neighbours would be very curious about our visitor. Unfortunately, a couple of photographs taken of Ma Saheb at our place are untraceable..
And thus the turbulent 1920s were coming to an end.
Soon after the Royal Wedding in 1929, KNP was finally given a State Administrative assignment: he was appointed the District Collector for Navsari (or Naosari, as it was spelt in those days).
Radhabai had been keeping indifferent health. She suffered from diabetes
The upcoming decade will be covered in the next chapter.
Great....
ReplyDeleteFabulous, Rohit. A very engaging read, and your research and observation, linking relevant details, stand out. Many thanks for this. Can't wait to read the next piece.
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