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Queen-sized escapades

Royal alliances Photos from the book (from right): Rani Anari Devi, Germnine Pollegrino and a princess of the royal family

The general feeling is that the lives of maharajas and maharanis are synonymous with license, but in case you are interested in the details, Hind Pocket Books, in association with Full Circle, has come out with “Maharani — A fabulous collection of adventures of Indian Princesses and Royal Mistresses”. Authored by Diwan Jarmani Dass, the book relates the ‘escapades’ of the royals of various Indian princely states as well as of some European countries. The unmistakeably moralising tone is somewhat quaint. No wonder, since the author was born in 1895.

On the motivation for bringing out the book, Priyanka Malhotra, Publisher, Hind Pocket Books and Full Circle, says, “There is a large audience for this genre of books, and there also remains a big readership of today’s generation that has not witnessed this era. After the stupendous success of ‘Passion India’ and ‘Maharaja’, we felt this was the right time to bring out ‘Maharani’.”

The author makes sweeping statements about falling morals across India and other countries. You might laugh at times. You also cringe. But the publishers have not edited out statements that might sound politically incorrect. “Obviously it is a book that reflects a cultural and social representation of that period in history,” says Priyanka. “The book remains as is, with some editing, to retain the flavour of that era. This is not a book reflective of today’s ideas and opinions, it is a telling of history.”

She adds that the book is intended for a wide range of people who read books on history, lifestyle, culture and society. “This book offers a mix of all, depending how far the reader wishes to delve into its meaning. Written in a light and easy manner, ‘Maharani’ could also be seen as a leisure read,” she notes.

What gives the writing a personal touch is the fact that the author was a minister in the states of Kapurthala and Patiala and served a number of Maharajas for half a century. Intimately acquainted with many members of royal households, he was even invited by them on their amorous adventures.

Convinced that the entry of women in the workplace is a major factor in the disappearance of morals from society, and that the British living in India were a corrupting influence on the character of India’s maharanis and princesses, Jarmani also declares that temples such as Khajuraho and others should be “demolished” as they tarnish the image of Indian culture.

Though the author’s declared intent is to show how societal mores have changed, the book is not always a detached survey. However, one can’t disagree with Priyanka when she says, “It fulfils the curiosity of readers by its little stories and anecdotes that relay not only the socio-economic understanding but also their thrills and fancies.”

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