Maharana

This history of the erstwhile princely state of Udaipur evokes the glory and grandeur of the Rajput courts. Here are tales of honour and chivalry, of magnanimity to enemies, and of a fierce pride that did not bow down before Moghul might or British power. Udaipur is the world’s oldest ruling dynasty, whose antiquity surpasses any European royal line—it spans 76 generations and some 1500 years. There are Maharajas aplenty in Rajasthan, but only one Maharana: Udaipur.

Many interesting episodes enliven this historical account—how Prince Khurram sought refuge in Udaipur, from where he was proclaimed Emperor Shah Jahan; how King George V had to visit the Delhi railway station to meet Maharana Fateh Singh; how a nautch girl nearly achieved the feat of walking a tightrope across the lake from the City Palace. The book culminates in a description of the palace, a splendid example of Rajput architecture that “combined building with poetry”. This section also offers an insight into the ongoing initiatives of the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation in conservation and planning of the palace spaces and their conversion into a living heritage museum of global significance.