Website tochka.net together with Forbeswoman they will tell you what modern maharajas have to sacrifice for the sake of status.
Now the descendants of the Maharajas - the ancient Indian rulers - lead that bright and fairy tale image life that we are used to seeing in Bollywood films. But they have to pay for this with personal freedom. In order to become full-fledged heirs to their family's wealth and status, they must meet expected standards of behavior. Let's take a look behind the scenes of such a life.
- Marriages
Restrictions are imposed primarily on the choice of a life partner. If representatives of most classes, especially in cities, can enter into love alliances with almost any candidate they like, even of a different nationality, then for the higher castes there are very strict restrictions.
In India, marriage is a pain. And this is forever...Descendant of Maharajas and heir to a huge fortune
Wedding ceremonies usually cost between one and five million dollars, since such an event occurs only once in a lifetime. IN modern conditions There are also some concessions, for example, both in a couple can have a relationship before marriage. Previously, this was considered unacceptable for women. Now only children on the side are excluded. Marriage is the joining of two families and a business settlement. Typically, both families share the costs.
- Professional activities
All important posts in the state are occupied by representatives of noble families. They are the ones who join the diplomatic service, build large companies and work as high-ranking officials. They are prepared for this from childhood, and the young generation receives at least a year higher education abroad in the best universities in the world. They all speak excellent English, since it is the language used for most communication in a business environment.
Moreover, many parents deliberately create a highly competitive environment for their children at the beginning of their careers and cut back on their sponsorship in order to instill in them an entrepreneurial passion. It is still believed that a woman does not have to work, so men always have better starting positions and opportunities. Influential relatives often help daughters build creative career, for example, actresses or singers. Previously, this type of occupation was considered unacceptable for representatives of the noble classes. Now this helps to attract a more favorable groom for marriage.
- Relationships with relatives
The eldest in the family is always right, and the word of the parents is law. Without their approval, not a single major step is taken, be it the purchase of real estate, a long trip, or the choice of a bride. As a rule, adult children live separately from other relatives, but very often come to visit each other. Moreover, rich Indian families maintain relationships not only with close relatives, but also with all distant relatives. Business is often also built only on blood ties.
- Living conditions
Each family member has, in addition to the common property, his own personal property. Usually this is a large house, which is the main place of residence in one of the large cities, and several villas in favorite places - for relaxing and meeting with friends. It is considered profitable and promising to invest in luxury foreign real estate.
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The filling of the car park depends on the level of family well-being. At a minimum, this is one car for special occasions, several for everyday trips and one or two for servants. Everyday life is provided by a staff of servants.
- Appearance
The descendants of the maharajas also pay great attention to their own appearance. For example, before going outside, apply sunscreen with the maximum filter, because more light shade skin is a sign of nobility. And, indeed, one can notice that representatives of the poorer strata of the population are darker by a tone, or even two.
When choosing casual and business clothes, many people prefer local designers. In terms of quality of work, they do not differ from popular ones European colleagues, and at the same time take into account local trends and introduce national elements. The cost of one high-quality men's suit is 2000 - 4000 dollars.
- Pastime and relaxation
In a country where the bulk of the population lives below the poverty line, there are oases for luxurious holidays, where wealthy Indians go.
In northern India, at a distance of about 250 km from Delhi to the south and from Agra to the west, lies a city with a centuries-old history, which is called “pink” because of the special hue of the houses and the surrounding landscape. Jaipur is one of the most famous fortresses in the country; since the 16th century, it was ruled by the Singh family of Maharajas, who amazed the world with the wealth of the Palace of the Winds (Hawa Mahal) and other numerous residences. Today there is a museum in the city, where among silver jugs and luxurious clothes, exhibits unusual for the Indian “entourage” have recently appeared. This is a collection of photographs taken between 1857-1865 - glass negatives that remained untouched for a century and a half.
The photographs depict unique portraits of ministers, military advisers and guests of the government palace, as well as absolutely priceless shots for historians - the maharaja's wife and the harem matron posing in front of the lens in their usual clothes. Who could take pictures of women that were not visible to the eyes of mere mortals? It was the Maharaja himself - Prince Savai Ram Singh II (Ram Singh II), an avid follower of progress and amateur photographer. It is thanks to him that we can see the life of an Indian palace mid-19th century, strange dervishes with whitened faces, magnificently dressed courtiers; look at the somewhat tense faces of the harem wives.
The women's worries can be understood - photography was a novelty in the most civilized states of the world, not to mention the remote, albeit extremely rich, appanage principality on the outskirts of the British Empire. However, it was during the reign of Rama Singh II (from 1835 to 1880) that Jaipur received all the benefits of progress. The Maharaja was a real educator - under him, the Ram Niwas garden was laid out in the city, which helped fight droughts (today there is a city zoo, places for recreation and picnics), and a full-fledged water supply system was built.
Under the “photographer prince,” as he was sometimes called, the city was gasified using the latest Victorian technology, schools and museums were built there. The princely family of Jaipur was generally rich in progressive, rationally thinking rulers - the successors of Rama Singh II traveled to London and Europe (except for the women of the harem, of course), and played polo. After India became independent, they managed to preserve property from looting by turning the palaces into luxury hotels (a revolutionary step at that time) and transferring many valuables to the museum - maybe that’s why the photographs of the Rajah have survived to this day.
Life of a Maharajah Photographer - fairy tale, which remained in the photographs
Keenly interested in scientific achievements and the then increasingly popular art of photography, the Maharaja formally ascended the throne as a child. He was born on September 27, 1835 and at the same time received the principality of Sawai Jaipur. He began to fully manage his lands in 1851 (from that moment on, many historians count the dates of his reign), but even before that, the young Maharaja knew what worried his subjects. He observed the townspeople and the work of officials incognito, found out how they live and “what they breathe.” During the reign of Rama Singh II, slavery and the cruel customs of medieval India (for example, sati) were abolished, and he realized that the empire must keep up with the times.
Recognized as the main reformer in the dynasty, the Maharaja founded the Mayo Hospital in Jaipur (it still operates), an art school, Public library, installed the country's first lithographic press. With him the right to visit educational institutions girls received, roads, irrigation dams were built in the state, and European-style departments were created. He was a good writer, he loved ballroom dancing and spent a lot of time in the darkroom - as it was called then, photukhana. It became the main hobby of the ruler, who not only created a studio in his palace, but also proclaimed an official “course” in photography, photographing residents of the principality and officials in institutions.
Ram Singh II was a member of the Bengal Photographic Society and visited Calcutta for study purposes, where he met English photographers. Together with them, he photographed the inhabitants, the culture of his native principality, traditional costumes and everyday life is a real treasure for modern historians. The Maharaja's progressiveness was also recognized by the British government: he was twice appointed to the Legislative Assembly as Viceroy and bore the title GCSI (Commander of the Order of the Star, Grand Commander of the Empire). Ram Singh II died in September 1880, leaving behind him India's most developed city - and pictures of it.
Portraits from the prince-photographer - latest technologies and aura of India
In 1860, the prince met English artist and photographer T. Murray from Nainital (Uttarakhand), whom he first invited to visit. Then the Maharaja hired the British to study and work together in Jaipur, where he remained for a long time. The ruler wanted to fully master the technology of using wet collodion plates and sensitized albumin paper - the main materials for photography at that time. Spending hours in the laboratory, Ram Singh II became a true master.
The technology, which replaced daguerreotypes in the 50s of the 19th century, is quite complex, and it was probably strange for contemporaries to see that the Maharaja, fed up with entertainment, worked it out so carefully. In the photography process, a composition applied to glass plates treated with a chalk-alcohol solution is used. The emulsion (two percent collodion, potassium iodide, cadmium bromide) acts as a binder for photosensitive halogenated silver crystals.
“Wet” technology involves immediate exposure - you need to immediately treat the finished emulsion with iron sulfate (this takes 4-5 minutes), since it loses its properties when it dries. Moistened photographic plates have a much higher photosensitivity than dry ones, although they cannot be taken with you - for example, on a trip. You can work with them at short exposures, and portraits of maharanis (harem wives) and their servants came out clear and contrasting. The wet collodion method saved posing people from the painful need to sit in front of the lens for several hours, and the Maharaja took many photographs.
He also worked with albumen photographic printing, which was invented in 1850. Paper with a photosensitive layer quickly replaced calotype - on it the image appeared when exposed to daylight, it was sharp, all the finest light and shadow nuances were clearly visible. Immediately before printing, the photographer had to sensitize the material (treat it with silver nitrate in solution) - its sensitivity remained no longer than 12 hours.
The dried paper was placed under a negative and developed in the light, which is why it was called “day paper”. To prevent the photographs from having an unsightly reddish tint, they were treated with vibrating gold (the Raja probably liked this). With fairly simple technology, albumen photographs can be stored for several decades, and with proper storage, even longer. It is worth thanking the workers of the palace (and subsequently the museum) for their efforts, thanks to which the beautiful portraits have reached us.
Amazing women in luxurious saris, with complex hairstyles, heavy jewelry in their hair, ears and even noses look at us from the photographs. They do not smile - after all, it is completely indecent for the wife of a ruler to show her face in public. However, the Maharaja's educational talent is obvious: his wives, elderly attendants and the common people of Jaipur calmly pose in relaxed poses. Princesses and courtiers in turbans, military advisers filmed against the backdrop of amazingly luxurious palace interiors, warriors with shields and spears - how would we have seen all this if Ram Singh II had not been such an intelligent and enlightened person? And, in the end, descendants remember artists, scientists, reformers better than lazy eastern princes - and speak about them with warmth and respect.
Before inviting you to visit, I must tell you something. First of all, tell me about the magical place where my hotel is located, my “Maharaja House”! Tell us about what you will get from this trip and why it will remain in your memory as the most vivid tourist experience for the rest of your life!
Why I love Goa
1. India and Indians
India is the country of Love!
Many of you have heard that India is the country of Love. But probably few of you have thought about what is behind these words in reality? Your friends who have visited India often assume a significant fog, but almost no one can really explain what is so special there. But everything is very simple!
2. About reptiles and creatures
The secret of your wonderful, elated and joyful state in Goa largely lies in the fact that your body is always comfortable: day and night, on land and in water!
For reference: According to official data from the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, India and, in particular, Goa are not among the places where visiting requires any vaccination. Neither you nor your children need any vaccinations!
3. Goa - Heaven on earth
Going to Goa for the first time, I already had a good idea of what awaited me from the stories of my friends. I knew that Paradise was waiting for me! You don't know what Paradise is? Heaven is a state of love and peace within you. That's it. And don't be smart!
Moscow, New York, London, St. Petersburg - all these megacities, inside which people, like crazy rats, run every day in search of money, hoping to live happily with this money someday in the future - all this is Hell.
4. Being in India changes people
Of course, absolutely random people also end up in Goa. A sort of drunken misunderstanding, which for some reason did not have enough tickets to the usual Turkey or Egypt this year. They are called "wild" in Goa. As a rule, they start drinking on the plane and then drink throughout their stay in Goa. They swear at hotel staff, quarrel with their wives and mistresses, shake their wallets...
5. Not all entertainment is equally useful...
The only problem is that many of our fellow citizens have absolutely no brakes. Indians themselves practically do not use chemical poisons. You may be surprised, but during my many months in India I hardly met any drunk or stoned Indians. Indian culture and religion are characterized by respect for one's body and social morals.
6. Ocean
Many times have you swam in rivers, lakes, the sea... Few even swam in the ocean... Have you ever felt that you were entering the space of a huge living organism?! But that’s how it is!..
The western coast of Goa is washed by the huge Arabian Sea - in fact, part of the Indian Ocean, since the sea is completely open and is called a sea only formally.
7. Souvenirs
I am often asked what souvenir can be brought from India or Nepal. What is interesting in local souvenir shops. I decided to show approximately what you are unlikely to see on the shelves of Goa, but you can get it if you ask the Maharaja! :)
8. Yoga. Pranayama
Yoga. Yogic breathing - Pranayama. Perhaps this is the most valuable knowledge I have ever received in my life. I am a very emotional person. In childhood and youth, I could have died many times from the irrepressible passions that overwhelmed my nature. I never knew when to stop anything.
9. Tantra
Tantra is the oldest knowledge of all existing on earth. And the most important! You know, it’s so strange now to see how incredible the amount of information is stuffed with modern man, despite the fact that all this knowledge not only does not bring him happiness, but, on the contrary, makes him more and more unhappy! While ancient knowledge, which can really make him happy, are in complete oblivion!
10. Ayurveda
Ayurveda is the oldest system of knowledge about proper nutrition and body care. Ayurveda includes many things: cooking, massage, medicine...
Many of you have long been convinced that treatment with chemicals from pharmacies is very expensive, and most importantly, ineffective, because... The disease is not cured, but only stopped temporarily.
11. Reiki
It is difficult to give precise formulations about reiki, just as it is difficult to put energy into words. I will only say what I understand. The Universe is filled with the energy of Love. For me, Reiki is the energy of Love! That is, in other words, Divine energy. All living things are born from Love. Love can heal all living things. But in order to heal with this energy, a person must have three basic abilities.
12. "Dangers" of Goa
It is my duty to warn you about the important aspects of traveling to Goa! In other sections, I have already mentioned more than once that Goa is not just a resort. Goa is part of India ancient civilization on Earth! India - The Heart of our Planet! India - great country, in which everything breathes Love!
13. Sketches from Paradise
My first day in Goa. In the evening I go alone to the ocean. Waves. The moon is a huge sanctuary! Clean, warm, light air. Kilometers of deserted beach. Palm trees quietly swaying their branches. And an incredible amount of Love dissolved in space!.. I realize that I am in Paradise! It turns out that there is heaven on earth! And the Lord is so generous to me that he granted me a stay in Paradise!
14. Treats
Cooking in Goa is a completely separate topic for endless pleasure! Everyone loves to eat delicious food! I'm no exception either. During my life I have traveled a lot and lived, including in the best five-star hotels. I thought that there was nothing special to surprise me in terms of food. Imagine my surprise when in Goa I was surprised by culinary discoveries every day!
Maharaja - this word alone immediately conjures up images of magical palaces full of servants and lovers, bejeweled elephants and treasuries bursting with diamonds and emeralds. Since ancient times, Indian princes have owned fabulous values; conquest of India by the Great Mughals XVI-XVII centuries did not destroy its wealth, unlike the conquest of India by the British in the 18th century. The Mughal Islam was not fanatical, they did not persecute Hinduism and implanted a refined, refined Persian culture in India. In addition, they loved to show off their wealth, and from that moment on the treasures of India became a great temptation for Europe.
Indian and European tastes for precious stones and jewelry techniques met in the 16th century, when Portuguese merchants settling in Goa first saw huge, engraved emeralds, and local rulers became closely acquainted with European weapons.
The heyday of mutual influences occurred in the 17th century. It was then that European craftsmen began to cut precious stones for the Maharajas, because the Indian tradition preferred to only emphasize the natural properties of the stone. By covering, for example, a huge emerald with fine carvings on all sides, the craftsmen sought not so much to hide the defects of the stone as to emphasize its natural qualities.
Portrait of the Maharaja of Mysore.
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
And from that moment European artists(and their local followers) began to paint ceremonial portraits of the Maharajas, decorated with pearl threads, earrings and plumes, with necklaces, bracelets, rings and daggers studded with rubies, emeralds and diamonds.
Yellow jadeite box, decorated with rubies, diamonds, emeralds, 1700-1800
WITH early XVII century, European jewelers and goldsmiths appeared at the Mughal court. Shah Ja Khan, according to some reports, invited a certain Austen of Bordeaux to make two peacocks from precious stones for his throne and ordered five panels of gems from Italy for the balcony of his palace in Delhi. European jewelers taught Indian techniques of multi-color enamels - and they themselves learned a lot, for example, the method of continuous band or rail setting of stones, recessed throughout the gold surface, covered with a thin engraved pattern of curly leaves and shoots.
The Mughal Maharajas lost much of their luster during the colonial era. Nevertheless, even at the beginning of the twentieth century, they amazed Parisian, London and New York jewelers, appearing in their workshops with entire suitcases of precious stones, which eventually migrated to other owners.
Jacques Cartier with Indian gem traders, 1911 (photo from the Cartier archives). From his first visit to India in 1911, Jacques Cartier (1884-1942) became familiar with the extravagant tastes of the Maharajas. Fabulously rich and greedy for precious stones, the Indian princes stopped at nothing to satisfy their eternal appetite for jewels.
Design for a ceremonial necklace for the Maharaja of Nawanagar, 1931 (photo from Cartier London archives). Jacques Cartier presented the Maharaja with his dazzling sketch. Unfortunately, the Maharaja of Navanagar did not wear this starry cascade of colored diamonds for long. He died in 1933, two years after the necklace was delivered to him.
Perhaps the most famous of all the treasures of the Maharajas is the "Necklace of Patiala", the ceremonial necklace of Maharaja Bhupindar Singh: it was made by the Parisian house of Cartier for the Maharaja of Patiala in 1928. It weighed almost 1,000 carats and included the famous De Beers diamond weighing 234.69 carats.
Patiala is the largest Sikh state in India, and its rulers retained their treasures even under British rule. Its ruler, Maharaja Bhupindar Singh (1891-1938), was a true eastern ruler. He ordered his guns from Westley Richards in Birmingham, Dupont in Paris supplied him with unique, precious lighters, and Rolls-Royce built bespoke cars. The Maharaja was fabulously rich and he provided work not only for Cartier jewelers, but also for the craftsmen of the Boucheron house.
The history of the necklace began in 1888, when a diamond weighing 428.5 carats was mined in South Africa - the seventh largest stone in the world.
After cutting, it was exhibited at the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris, where it was purchased by the Maharaja of Patiala and the Prince of the Indian province of Punjab, Rajendra Singh.
In 1925, the Maharaja's son Bhupindar brought the diamond to Paris and asked the Cartier jewelry house to create an extravagant necklace based on it.
For three years, Cartier craftsmen worked on this necklace, in the center of which the De Beers diamond shone. The finished piece was a cascade of 2,930 diamonds weighing a total of 962.25 carats and two rubies set in platinum. Once completed, the necklace of the Maharaja of Patiala had no equal in the world. Cartier was so proud of his work that he asked permission to display the necklace before it was sent to India. The Maharaja agreed. Later, he was often photographed wearing this necklace. The necklace was last seen intact on his son, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, in 1941.
In the late 40s - early 50s. Hard times have come for the Maharajas of India. Many families had to part with some of their jewelry. The famous necklace of the Maharaja of Patiala did not escape this fate: the largest stones, including the De Beers diamond and rubies, were removed and sold. The last to be sold were platinum chains.
And after many years, these chains appeared in London in 1998. Cartier accidentally came across them, recognized them, bought them and decided to restore the necklace, although he believed that it would be almost impossible to find a worthy replacement for the De Beers diamond and rubies.
This work was incredibly difficult, especially since the only evidence of the existence of the necklace was a black and white photograph taken in the first half of the 20th century.
Over the years, the necklace has suffered greatly. In fact, little remains of the original: most of the stones, including the giant diamond and rubies, have disappeared. It took almost two years to restore the necklace again. In 2002, the restored necklace was exhibited in Paris. The new necklace looks exactly the same as the original, at least to the untrained eye. Synthetic stones almost unmistakably convey the splendor of the original, but Cartier does not lose hope of one day replacing them with genuine ones.
One of the significant jewelry collections of the 19th century was that of the Maharajas of Baroda, which contained the Star of the South, a 129-carat Brazilian diamond, and the English Dresden, a tear-cut diamond weighing 78.53 carats. But the biggest jewel in the Baroda treasury was a huge, seven-row necklace made of natural pearls.
In the 20th century, this collection was inherited by Maharaja Pratapsingh Gaekwar, who reigned in 1939-1947, then they went to his young wife named Sita Devi. The young wife lived mainly in Europe and ordered fashion jewelry with hereditary gemstones from renowned Western jewelers.
Prince Gaekwar of Baroda
Among these items are a necklace with emeralds and diamonds and earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels, which were sold at Christie's in Geneva on May 15, 2002.
Apparently, Sita Devi also ordered the men's seven-strand necklace, which was too bulky for a woman's neck, to be remade. In 2007, at a Christie's auction, what was left of the Baroda necklace—two strands of huge pearls with a Cartier cushion-cut diamond clasp, a brooch, a ring and earrings—sold for $7.1 million.
There was something else in Baroda's treasury. In 2009, at Sotheby's auction in Doha, a pearl carpet was sold (for $5.5 million), woven 150 years ago by order of the richest Maharaja Gaekwar Khandi Pao as a gift to the Prophet Mohammed. The carpet is embroidered with two million pearls and decorated with thousands of gems - diamonds , sapphires, emeralds and rubies. The total weight of the stones is an astounding 30 thousand carats.
Maharaja Dilip Singh of Lahore. 1852 Portrait of George Beachy. Depicted at age fifteen. Among many other gems, he wears a diamond aigrette with three diamond feathers and an emerald placed in the center.
Egret made of diamonds, sapphires, rubies, pearls and gold
The world's largest engraved emeralds apparently come from the collection of the Maharaja of Darbhanga Bahadur Singh. In October 2009, at Christie's auction, the Taj Mahal emerald, so named because its engraving motifs - lotus, chrysanthemum and poppies - coincide with the patterns in the Taj Mahal, was sold for almost $800 thousand. The hexagonal emerald weighs about 141 carats and dates back to around the middle of the 17th century. There was another stone in the collection of the Maharajas of Darbhanga - the “Mughal Emerald”, it dates back to 1695-1696. Five lines of a Shia prayer are engraved on one of its sides, the other side is decorated with a floral pattern. was sold at Christie's auction in 2001 for $2.3 million to a private individual.
This breathtaking 61.50-carat whiskey-colored diamond, called the Eye of the Tiger, was set in an aigrette turban by Cartier for the Maharaja of Nawanagar in 1934.
The incredibly beautiful sword was presented to King Edward VII by the Maharaja of Jaipur, Sawai Sir Madho Singh Bahadur, in honor of his coronation in 1902. It is made of steel and gold, covered with blue, green and red enamel and inlaid more than 700 white and yellow diamonds weighing 2000 carats, making up a pattern of flowers and lotus leaves. Photo: PA
Chalma of Maharaja Singh Bhupendra Patiala. 1911 is finished with Cartier aigrette in combination with other turban embellishments. While the front of the aigrette is adorned with diamonds, rubies and emeralds, the sides are a masterful, intricate pattern of foliage motifs crafted in red, green and blue enamel. The Maharaja also wears a necklace made of fourteen strands of natural pearls.
Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh Bahadur of Alwar, born in 1882. In addition to traditional Indian jewelry, he wears a star, the highest Indian insignia bestowed upon him by the king, which was considered part of the royal regalia at the time.
Maharaja Saraiji Roa, Gaekwar, Baroda. 1902 features seven rows of its famous diamond necklace and other diamond jewelry. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, virtually every Indian Maharaja had an official photograph in which he displayed his most important jewelry as a symbol of power and status.
Intercultural exchange, Pictorial miniature from the National Gallery contemporary art, New Delhi, India. 1902. An unknown Indian artist depicted King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra as King Emperor and Queen Empress of India.
Egret for a turban made of platinum with diamonds and emeralds. Private collection. 1930 year
Jewelry for the Maharaja's ceremonial uniform, late 19th century .
Ceremonial turban from Cartier for the Maharaja of Kapurthala
Maharaja of Kolhapur
Maharaja of Darbhanga
Maharaja of Alwar (1882-1937).
The famous Star of Asia sapphire weighs 330 carats
Emerald and diamond necklace containing 17 rectangular emeralds, 277 carats. The emerald in the pendant weighed 70 carats and was known to come from the collection of the former Sultan of Turkey.
Jacques Cartier made an Art Deco necklace for the Maharaja of Nawanagar.
Maharana of Udaipur
Maharaja Bhupindra Singh of Patiala
Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir
Emerald necklace with pendant that belonged to Maharani Prem Kumari, wife of the Maharaja of Kapurthala, 1910
A scattering of flowers made of precious stones - an aigretto on a turban made of rubies, emeralds and beryls on one side, and with the same stones? but with added diamonds on the other side. The stem and side branches of the jewel are covered with transparent green enamel. Egret once belonged to the Maharaja of Jaipur.
Nowadays, most of the ancient jewelry of the Indian Maharajas has been altered many times and has changed several owners. But to this day, the provenance “belonged to the Maharaja” significantly increases the price of stones and necklaces for everyone significant auctions peace.
http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/1551963
http://www.reenaahluwalia.com/blog/2013/5/18/the-magnificent-maharajas-of-india
Slums, unsanitary conditions and cows are the first images that arise when mentioning India. Palaces, diamonds and Rolls-Royces - this one associative series It certainly doesn’t pop up in my head. But it is the second chain that reflects the everyday realities of modern maharajas.
Classmates
In modern India, the boundaries between castes still remain, but are no longer as clear as before, especially for representatives of the lower and middle social classes.
Those who were born into rich families with a long pedigree have to adhere to the model of behavior accepted for their position and a whole set of unspoken rules.
Now the descendants of the Maharajas - the ancient Indian rulers - lead that bright and fabulous lifestyle that we are used to seeing in films.
But they have to pay for this with personal freedom. In order to become full-fledged heirs to their family's wealth and status, they must meet expected standards of behavior. Let's take a look behind the scenes of such a life.
Marriages
Restrictions are imposed, first of all, on the choice of a life partner. If representatives of most classes, especially in cities, can enter into love alliances with almost any candidate they like, even of a different nationality, then for the higher castes there are very strict restrictions.
– In India, marriage is a pain. And this is forever... - one of the descendants of the maharajas and the heir to a huge fortune will say with bitterness in his voice.
– Could you marry a foreigner? - they ask him.
– I could... But it would be the last thing I did in my life. The tradition is still very strong and I need to choose a girl of the appropriate level. Because only a person of the same background can share all my responsibilities and enter my family. Only in this case will the parents give their blessing.
– Do you choose it yourself or do they already have some options? - they ask him a question. “They constantly offer me someone.” But it's not the same. Even though I’m 29, I’m not yet ready for a family; I want to live without a wife for at least two more years... – How do weddings generally go for you, your representatives? upper caste?
- Very pompous. The event is celebrated for three days and many guests are invited. There were 50 thousand people at my sister’s wedding, they rented a football stadium... And, by the way, we are not getting divorced, no matter what happens later. The budget for such wedding ceremonies usually ranges from one to five million. dollars , since such an event occurs only once in their life.
In modern conditions, there are some concessions, for example, both in a couple can have a relationship before marriage. Previously, this was considered unacceptable for women.
Now only children on the side are excluded. Marriage is the joining of two families and a business settlement. Typically, both families share the costs.
Professional activities
All important posts in the state are occupied by representatives of noble families. They are the ones who join the diplomatic service, build large companies and work as high-ranking officials.
They are prepared for this from childhood, and for at least a year the younger generation receives higher education abroad in the best universities in the world. They all speak excellent English, since it is the language used for most communication in a business environment.
Moreover, many parents deliberately create a highly competitive environment for their children at the beginning of their careers and cut back on their sponsorship in order to instill in them an entrepreneurial passion.
It is still believed that a woman does not have to work, so men always have better starting positions and opportunities. Influential relatives often help daughters build creative careers, for example, as actresses or singers.
Previously, this type of occupation was considered unacceptable for representatives of the noble classes. Now this helps to attract a more favorable groom for marriage.
Relationships with relatives
The eldest in the family is always right, and the word of the parents is law. Without their approval, not a single major step is taken, be it the purchase of real estate, a long trip, or the choice of a bride.
As a rule, adult children live separately from other relatives, but very often come to visit each other. Moreover, rich Indian families maintain relationships not only with close relatives, but also with all distant relatives. Business is often also built only on blood ties.
Living conditions
Each family member has, in addition to the common property, his own personal property. Usually this is a large house as the main place of residence in one of the large cities and several villas in favorite places for relaxation and meeting with friends.
It is considered profitable and promising to invest in luxury foreign real estate. The filling of the car park depends on the level of family well-being. At a minimum, this is one car for special occasions, several for everyday trips and one or two for servants. In general, India is one of the leaders in the number of Rolls-Royces in the country. Among the main buyers of expensive yachts, Indians follow the Arabs and Americans. Everyday life is provided by a staff of servants. Each of them has clearly defined responsibilities. It is considered prestigious to hire famous chefs who will cook daily for the inhabitants of the house.
The salary for the cook, security guards and drivers is about one hundred dollars per person per month. Others, such as cleaners, receive slightly less. On average, it costs 2000 – 5000 dollars per month to maintain all staff.
Appearance
The descendants of the maharajas also pay great attention to their own appearance. For example, before going outside, apply sunscreen with the maximum filter, because a lighter skin tone is a sign of nobility.
And, indeed, one can notice that representatives of the poorer strata of the population are darker by a tone, or even two. When choosing casual and business clothes, local designers are highly preferred. In terms of the quality of their work, they do not differ from their popular European colleagues, and, at the same time, they take into account local trends and introduce national elements.
The cost of one high-quality men's suit is 2000 - 4000 dollars. Women's spending on clothes is even higher, because the price of a good Indian sari can be more than one thousand dollars . And a girl from a noble family should have several dozen such saris.
Accessories constitute a separate expense item; for example, the cost of one good pashmina can reach 5,000 dollars.
Pastime and relaxation
In a country where the bulk of the population lives below the poverty line, there are oases for luxurious holidays, where wealthy Indians go.
“It’s not at all necessary to travel somewhere abroad, we have entertainment for every taste: mountain resorts, safaris, spa hotels, excellent beaches, and private islands that can be rented or bought,” he shares his experience descendant of maharajas.
Members of rich Indian families value a good rest and always leave time for themselves, even when they are busy. Many hotels are designed specifically for locals: for example, they necessarily have separate buildings or rooms for servants traveling with the owners.
Excellent service and amazing attentiveness of the staff, ready to fulfill any guest’s whim - distinctive features such hotels.
For example, it is considered quite natural to serve breakfast for a guest without additional payment not in a general restaurant, but somewhere in nature or on the roof, even if the employees need several hours of preparation to provide this service.
Hindus who grew up in rich families often see dirt and poverty only from car windows, spending their leisure time in places reserved only for the elite of society.
This is how it is – another India, hidden from the eyes of the majority of the local population and tourists. Closed and elitist, formed over centuries.
The belief in the laws of karma has also remained unchanged: after all, if you were born into such a family, it means that you deserve this incarnation and must live it with dignity and honor.
