“The Maharaja of Nabha” by Mortimer Menpes, R. I.

The Maharaja of Nabha

Mortimer Menpes

1903

Watercolor

Source: The Durbar, facing p. 152

“This is one of the oldest maharajas in Delhi. When leaving Delhi he placed sufficient money on the bank to free the land where his camp had been from taxes for ever. ‘For,’ he said, ‘I, the king, have rested here, and henceforth the land must always be free from encumbrances.’ A truly kingly act.”

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Half-length portraits of individuals

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“Maharaja Nhama was there, that splendid, soldierly old Sikh, with his clear-cut features and long white beard : an ascetic -looking man. All seemed to be anxious to impress him with the Retainers' show : they did not want him to think that it suggested a circus or in any way lacked dignity. He was dying, and he knew it. This was the last procession he would see, and it was only by stupendous will-power that he was able to join in the Durbar celebrations. Even now Maharaja Nhama goes out hawking on his favourite horse, which is full of fire.

“British officials have often tried to persuade him to ride a tamer beast ; but Maharaja Nhama is such a stickler for etiquette and dignity that, so long as he has an ounce of energy left, he will appear as a king should appear. Indeed, one could not picture this splendid old man riding anything but this especial kingly steed” (95).

Bibliography

Menpes, Mortimer. The Durbar. Text by Dorothy Menpes. London: Adam & Charles Black, 1903. Internet Archive version of a copy in the University of California at Los Angeles Library. Web. 27 May 2017.

Last modified 29 May 2017