Friday 27 July 2012

Maharaja Pratap Singh of Kashmir


Now Maharaja Pratap Singh of Kashmir had come for the darshan of Babaji Maharaj and requested Him to bless him with a son. Maharaj said that you can only get it if you serve me with your own hands, then your Karmas will be washed away. The Maharaja was willing to put at army of servants at Babaji’s disposal but felt that serving Him with his own hands is not befitting the dignity of a Maharaja of his stature.
Now Despite all efforts he was not able to have an issue so his nephew Hari Singh, son of his brother Amar Singh become King of Kashmir. Hari Singh was also not able to have an issue despite being married three times. After a long time only with his fourth wife, Maharani Tara Devi he was able to have a son Karan Singh.

Pratap Singh (18 July 1848 - 23 September 1925) was the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, and head of the Jamwal Rajput clan. During his time there was tremendous growth and modernization of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, specialy in construction of roads and in agriculture. 
Indian Maharajas wore over sized turbans called Pagris to show off their power and splendor. Being subdued to be mere vessels of the British Raj they didn’t had any real power to show except the inappropriately sized large Pagris. In this photograph Maharaja Pratap Singh of Kashmir seems overburdened by his turban. HH Nath ji who was the real Emperor of this world and had all the powers of the universe at his disposal, wore the most beautiful and handsome Pagri. I recall this Story as told by Priyaji –
When Nath ji went to the party of Maharaja Panna he was photographed in amidst other Maharajas who had assembled there. That photo was published in the newspaper and a shopkeeper who knew Nathji came up to Nathji when he was on his walk and showing the photograph said, that among all these Maharajas only you were looking like a real Maharaja. You had the perfect Pagri. The other Maharaja’s wearing their large Pagris were looking like clowns. (His exact words in Hindi were – Vo to sab Aire Gaire Nathu Khere Lag Rahe Thee.) Now Maharaja Sarila (also in the photograph) who was also walking with Nathji at that time was feeling uneasy hearing the statements of the shopkeeper. Nathji also felt a bid embarrassed and assumed by the comments made by the shopkeeper in presence of His neighbour Maharaja Sarila. 


Comments -

Priya Nath Mehta -  Dear Siddharta! You are brilliant! Wonderful essay! I never knew why their turbans were so large and unwieldy as if they were going to fall off! I wish I had preserved that issue of the Onlooker Magazine in which the photo appeared, sometime in the 50's. Maybe you will locate that too with your uncanny ability to locate all the past figures in the life of HH Shri Nathji and Shri Babaji Maharaj!
 

No comments:

Post a Comment