Life & Times of the Tanjore Princess: Vijaya Mohana (1845-1885) (2011)

By Jeetendra Hirschfeld TQ/PAPER/059/27092011 27 September 2011 Life & Times of the Tanjore Princess: Vijaya Mohana (1845-1885) Introduction This essay is the follow-up of my earlier 2009 “Princess of Tanjore, Vijaya Mohana (1845-1885)”. I provide additional details of the life and times of Princess Vijaya Mohana. There are numerous studies which trace the maharajahs of the Tanjore Kingdom. The royal women, however, are surrounded by an aura of mystery. Details are sparse, and often, apart from their names, nothing is known about the lives they led. Many years ago, when I began researching another woman of the 19th century, dancer Tanjore Gnyana, I also chanced upon the details of the Tanjore Princess Vijaya. After much additional searching, I found many specifics about her life. And later, photos of her two daughters and consort. Princess Vijaya was the daughter of the last Maharajah of Tanjore Sivaji, who held sway over Tanjore from 1832 till his death in 1855. Princess Vijaya was a welleducated woman. As a young adult, the princess stepped into modernity, leaving the confinement of the palace walls, and fought to restore her royal dignity. She repeatedly travelled to Madras and Delhi to meet officials on the highest level. During the Delhi Durbar of 1877, the princess departed from royal conventions and “broke her purdah”—she made an appearance in public unveiled and allowed herself (and her daughters) to be photographed. SATHIR DANCE ART 2011 1 Princess Lakshmi Bai (Chimna Bai I) When her daughters pass away, Princess Vijaya adopts three orphans from a related Mahratta royal family. Princess Lakshmi, born in 1864, was one of three adopted daughters.1 Details about Lakshmi Bai’s life are sparse, but she received her education at the Tanjore Fort. She could play the veena and was trained in Sadir Attam, likely by nattuvan Mahadeva (1832-1904), the son of the Sivanandam of the notable Tanjore Quartet.2 Sivanandam and his brothers were dance masters at the court of Princess Vijaya’s father (Sivaji) and grandfather (Serfoji). In 1879, the Maharani Jamna Bai of Baroda was on the lookout for a suitable bride for her young son Sayaji Rao III Gaekwad, Maharajah of Baroda.3 Many aspiring girls were considered, but none of them could live up to the expectations of the Maharani. But at last, a young girl was found in the princely house of Tanjore. The Maharani and the Princess make the arrangements for the marriage of their children. And on the 6th of January, 1880, Lakshmi Bai married Sayaji Rao III Gaekwad. After her marriage, Lakshmi Bai becomes Her Highness Shrimant Akhand Soubhagyavati Maharani Chimna Bai I Sahib Gaekwad of Baroda. Out of their marriage are born two daughters and a son. Princess Vijaya meets her daughter, now Maharani Chimna Bai, likely for the last time, in December of 1881, when she visits Baroda State; for the accession of the throne of her son-in-law Sayaji Rao (Murray, After the death of her two daughters, Princess Vijaya adopted the orphan nieces of her husband. Lakshmi Bai Mohite (1864-1885), Sethu Bai Mohite (born in 1866, and married Maharajahkumar Jit Jung Bahadur of Nepal in 1880), and Minam Bai Mohite (b.1868) were the daughters of Haibat Rao Chavan Mohite and Akhand Soubhagyavati Nagamma Bai. In 1884, Princess Vijaya adopts a son, Chiranjiva Shambu Singhji Rao Sahib Mohite. After the death of his adopted mother, Shambu inherits her property. His adoption and succession to the titular title ‘Prince of Tanjore’ were not recognised by the British Raj and the Government of India. 1 Tanjore Quartet: Chinnayya (1802-56); Ponnayya (1804-1864); Sivanandam (1808-1863); Vadivelu (1810-1847). The brothers were a notable quartet who played an important role in adapting dance theory into practice from the 1820s on. They created the “Margam” repertoire which became the standard of the courtesan dancer and her musical band. 2 3 Sayaji Rao III Gaekwad, Maharajah of Baroda (1863-1939). SATHIR DANCE ART 2011 2 1885: 100).4 Unfortunately, Maharani Chimna Bai’s life is cut short, she died from tuberculosis on the 7th of May, 1885 (Rice, 1931: 67).5 Figure 1: Princess Lakshmi (1864-1885) Source: Royal Collection Trust (www.rct.uk) The Maharajah Sayaji Rao was installed to the throne without powers in 1875, and was formally invested with authority on the 28th of December, 1881. 4 5 Some sources note her date of death as May, 1884. SATHIR DANCE ART 2011 3 Figure 1—albumen print (restored) of Lakshmi Bai taken at the Delhi Durbar in 1877, when she was around thirteen years. The photo print comes from an album (Indian Chiefs, 1887) featuring Indian royals photographed by Bourne and Shepherd (active 1864-the the 1900s) and other photographers. The album was presented to Queen Victoria in 1887. Also included in the album are the photos of Princess Vijaya, her husband and her younger daughter. Additional details noted in my 2009 essay “The Princess of Tanjore Vijaya Mohana (1845-1885)” TQ/PAPER046/13042009. When her daughter married the maharajah of Baroda, Princess Vijaya sent a Tanjore Nautch (Sadir) troupe to Baroda as part of the dowry. This famous troupe of dance masters and musicians introduced Sadir Attam in Baroda. Figure 2: Tanjore Nautch Party Source: public domain. Restored Image by SDA2009 SATHIR DANCE ART 2011 4 The members of Tanjore Nautch troupe (figure 2) were the courtesans Gowri and Nagai, Nattuvanar Tanjore Kannuswamy assisted by his brother Tanjore Vadivelu nattuvanar (the brothers were the grandsons of Tanjore Sivanandam). Sabapathi and Subramaniam (mridangam), Kuppuswamy and Muthukrishnan (nagaswaram), Karandai Ratnam (thavil), and Ramaswamy (otthu, drone).6 The studio photo, by an unknown photographer, is likely taken in Baroda a few years later, in 1886/1887. Tanjore Durbar of 1879 On Saturday, the 24th of July, 1879, a grand durbar took place at the Sivasaudha hall of the Tanjore palace in honour of Queen Victoria’s 60th birthday. The Sivasaudha hall was of stately proportions, with polished floors and pillars, and decorated with modern ornaments such as carpets, mirrors, and chandeliers. At 1 p.m., a gun salute was fired, followed by a general salute by the sepoys and palace officers on the eastern ramparts. At 4 p.m., the Tanjore Band played the national anthem. After the anthem, the princess took her seat behind a translucent cotton curtain, and the proceedings officially opened. Her husband and two daughters were seated on the left next to her. Placed on a seat in front of the princess are portraits of Queen Victoria and Prince Edward of Wales. Other officials present were the secretary of the princess, the Dwastanam manager, palace functionaries, and about two hundred spectators. The celebrations commenced with speeches and lectures in Marathi and English read out by the Dewatanam Manager. The durbar concluded with a nautch party, followed by the distribution of rose water,7 pan supari, and flower garlands. At six o’clock, the assembly rose and paid their respects to the princess. She, in return, offered them her gratefulness for attending the durbar. The princess rose and went inside the palace, the assembly dispersed, and the durbar was closed.8 6 Source: Mohan Khokar Collection. Rose water sprinkling is an accompaniment to celebrations. What in a cold climate would be considered somewhat disagreeable lives grateful and refreshing in tropical weather. 7 8 Journal of The National Indian Association, 1879: 411-412. SATHIR DANCE ART 2011 5 The 1879 Durbar indicates the continuation of official functions at the palace even years after the Tanjore Raj lapsed into the East India Company. Princess Vijaya, though only a titular princess, continued holding durbars as was done for centuries by her ancestors. It is interesting to note the inclusion of a nautch party during the event, contrary to statements of historians or dance practitioners, of a mass migration of dancers and musicians from Tanjore to Madras after the death of Sivaji in 1855. A few years before the 1879 Durbar, in 1875, a historic event happened at the Royapuram Railway Station in Madras. A cultural event to celebrate the visit to the city of Prince Edward of Wales during his tour of India. On the night of December 17, there were Pinnal Kolattam, Vina, vocal, and drama performances. But the highlight of the evening was a one-hour solo nautch by the famous Tanjore Gnyana. Interestingly, the dancers and musicians were brought-in from Tanjore. And even about a decade later, in 1887, Maharani Kamatchi Bai9 held an elaborate durbar in honour of the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria, and a nautch party was part of the celebration. Dance and music were alive and well at the Tanjore palace, scaled-down perhaps, but not a relic of the past. I have given an account of the Golden Jubilee event in the essay, “One Hundred and Seventy-five Nautch Parties on February 16, 1887” (2008). Charities and Legacy of Princess Vijaya As I have noted in the introduction, the princess received her formal education at the Tanjore Fort, where she studied privately with a resident, Mrs Gahan, a teacher at an English School and College not far from the palace. Besides Tamil, the princess was well-versed in Marathi and Sankriet. Additionally, she could read and write English. She played sports (badminton) and played the Vina, and was known for her pleasing manners and outgoing personality. Dowager Queen of Tanjore, Kamatchi Bai Saheba (1838-1892). Kamatchi Bai was the 8th wife of Maharajah Sivaji. 9 SATHIR DANCE ART 2011 6 William Hickey (1874: 130-132) notes a list of donations to charities by the princess (and her consort) from 1860 to 1874.10 Princess Vijaya donated generously to the choultry11 at East Raja Street near the palace; the arrangement of marriages of the poor, pilgrims passing through Tanjore, repair of temples and tanks, the building of a library at Tanjore, scholarships to the High School at Tanjore, and donations to widows and orphans. The princess promoted education at Tanjore, Madras, and other places. In February of 1873, she established a Sanskrit school near the palace, which she maintained out of her income.12 Besides Sanskrit, English, German, and history were in the scheme of study. The school flourished and branched out to other places. In November 1878, the princess opened a girls' school and an asylum for the poor in Tanjore. From 1873 till her death in 1885, Princess Vijaya was one of the VicePresidents and life members of the National Indian Association. The association aided with advancing social reform and education in India, particularly in educating the female child. To encourage female education, the princess awarded scholarships and grants to Hindu and Muslim girls and female teachers under training in the Madras Presidency. The princess encouraged young women to become proficient in drawing, handwriting, and needlework. The artworks sold at exhibitions provided these women with a small independent livelihood.13 Life & Times of Princess Vijaya Mohana The princess was well-educated, well-versed in many languages and known for her pleasing manners and outgoing personality. As a young adult, she stepped into modernity, leaving the confinement of the palace walls, and fought to restore her royal dignity. She repeatedly travelled to Madras and Delhi to meet officials on the highest level. Although she could not reinstate the pride of the Tanjore Raj, she was recognised as the titular successor of her father, Maharajah Sivaji, by the East India The list of disbursements was originally published in the Madras Mail, dated November the 26th, 1874. 10 Choultry is a resting house for travelers and pilgrims usually near to a temple. The house provides rooms, water, and food, often free of cost, and maintained by a charitable organisation. 11 The princess paid for the cost of the building Rs. 2,000 and deposited funds of Rs. 30,000 for maintenance, salaries of teachers, and school materials. 12 13 Details furnished in the Journals of The National Indian Association between 1872-1885. SATHIR DANCE ART 2011 7 Company, the British Raj, and the Government of India. The recognition is evident in the honour of the salute of guns and the royal decorations bestowed upon her. Princess Vijaya Mohana was known for her empathy and compassion for the people of Tanjore and the Madras Presidency through her charities and acts of kindness. Figure 3: Key events in the life and times of Princess are compiled in the timeline below. Figure 3: Timeline Princess Vijaya Mohana (1845-1885) Photo: Private collection of the author. All Rights Reserved © 2009. SATHIR DANCE ART 2011 8 Bibliography —Balfour, B. 1899. The History of Lord Lytton’s Indian Administration, 1876 to 1880: compiled papers from Letters and Official Papers. Longmans, Green, And Co. London, New York, and Bombay. —Gay, Drew J. 1877. The Prince of Wales in India. R. Worthington, NY. —Hickey, William. 1874. The Tanjore Mahratta Principality in Southern India: The Land of the Chola; The Eden of the South. First edition. —Hirschfeld J. 2006. Essay: Courtesan Tanjore Gnyana, A Pas Seul at Royapuram, Madras, December 17, 1875. 2006. Essay on: https://independent.academia.edu/ jeetendrahirsch —————. 2006. Essay: One Hundred and Seventy-five Nautch Parties on February 16, 1887. Essay on: https://independent.academia.edu/jeetendrahirsch —————. 2009. Essay: The Princess of Tanjore Vijaya Mohana (1845-1885). Essay on: https://independent.academia.edu/jeetendrahirsch —Journal of The National Indian Association, in Aid of Social Progress in India. London, C. Kegan Paul & Co. 1872 (Page 58); 1879 (Page 411, 412); 1880 (Between page 482 and 484); 1881 (Page 512); 1883 (Page 172); 1884 (Page 73); 1885 (Page 206, 231, 246). —Lawson, Charles. 1887. Compilation of the “Narrative of the Celebration of the Jubilee of Her Most Gracious Majesty, Queen Victoria, Empress of India, in the Presidency of Madras”. London, MacMillan, and Co. First Edition, June 1887, and the Second Edition, August 1887. —Lord Roberts of Kandahar. 1897. Forty-One Years In India, from Subaltern to Commander-in-Chief. Vol-II. Richard Bentley And Son. —Murray, Aynsley, J.C. 1883. Our Tour in Southern India. London, F.V. White, And Co. —Murray, M. 1885. In Southern India, a visit to some of the chief missions in the Madras Presidency. The Religious Tract Society, Piccadilly. —Russel, William H. 1877. The Prince of Wales’ Tour: A Diary in India. Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, London. —Seetha, S. 1981. Tanjore as a Seat of Music, during the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries”. Madras: University of Madras. —Sewell, Robert. 1884. “The Archaeological Survey of Southern India, Vol II, List of Inscriptions, Sketch of the Dynasties of Southern India”. Madras. —Stanley, Rice. 1931. Life of Sayaji Rao-III, Vol I. London: Humphrey Milford. —Subramanian, K.R. 1928. The Maratha Rajas of Tanjore. K.R. Subramanian, Mylapore, Madras. —Wheeler, George. 1876. The Visit of the Prince of Wales: A Chronicle of His Royal Highness’s Journeyings in India, Ceylon, Spain, and Portugal. London: Chapman and Hall. SATHIR DANCE ART 2011 9 —Wheeler, Talboys, J. 1877. The History of the Imperial Assemblage at Delhi. Vol I & II. Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer. Figure 1: “The Princess of Tanjore's daughter (fl. 1887) c. 1885”. Source: Royal Collection Trust (www.rct.uk). Figure 2: “Tanjore Nautch Party” Source: public domain. Restored Image by SDA2009 Figure 3: Timeline Princess Vijaya Mohana (1845-1885). Private collection author, All Rights Reserved ©2009. COPYRIGHT “Life & Times of the Tanjore Princess: Vijaya Mohana (1845-1885)” Author: Jeetendra Hirschfeld Sathir Dance Art Trust Amsterdam-Chennai All Rights Reserved © 2009-2011 The content of this essay, text, photos, and videos is for private use alone, unauthorised publication in any form, is prohibited without the prior written permission of the author. SATHIR DANCE ART 2011 10