Maharaja

by Diwan Jarmani Dass

BRAND NEW, Exactly same ISBN as listed, Please double check ISBN carefully before ordering.

Genres: History, India, Nonfiction

342 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Diwan Jarmani Dass born in Punjab in 1895, was a minister in the Indian princely states of Kapurthala and Patiala.
Articulate in Punjabi, Urdu, English and French, he was highly decorated by the Vatican and the Governments of France, Spain, Morocco, Egypt and many other countries. He was also decorated by the Rulers of Kapurthala, Patiala and Bhawalpur States.

Reviews

[Hazeanni · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best book about Indian royalty if one written by insider is what you are looking for. The author was a minister in Kapurthala and Patiala states.

It featured lots of foibles from different Indian princely house from 9 to 21 salute states; with Kapurthala and Patiala, where he served before, getting the biggest pie. It's been divided into 2 parts; privy life and politics.

There's much of amazing, salacious, mind boggling, and sometimes scandalous stories featured here that were difficult to be found elsewhere.
- Who thought the zenana women of Patiala already done breast enhancement surgery or vaginal rejuvenation in early 20th century?
- A wedding of royal pet dog (with rank of princess) attended by British Raj officials and royalty from various states.

By reading this book, I got a better picture of things briefly mentioned elsewhere. In Maharani Brinda memoir, she mentioned a forced second marriage of her consort to a Rajput princess due to her inability to bore the Maharaja with the heir to the throne. Coincidentally, Mr Dass was one of the committee member for that second marriage. A chapter was even exclusively dedicated to this subject. It's interesting and even more complicated than what Maharani had thought.

Included here was a brief historical chapter of Kapurthala succession and inheritance dispute by collateral branches. I remembered at one time, Penelope Cruz wanted to produce a movie about the Royal House of Kapurthala. It produced a chain reaction that, the legitimacy and bloodline of Jagatjit Singh and his descendants being questioned up again. Reading this chapter and the immediate one gave me a better understanding about the origin of this long time disputes.

The author also revealed various tactics by princes to sabotage Indian Unification. Of how British Raj officers had to deal with their demands and fulfilled their whims to get agreements. Judging by their foibles and antics, no wonder public has little sympathy to them. Unfortunately at the expenses of good and responsible princes.

On the other side, he noted down positive change happening to the former ruling family. He was optimistic to the prospect of their integration to the mainstream society. Judging by the current development, he was quiet right.

I appreciated Mr Dass effort to write and publish Maharaja just after 13 years of India independence. I believed it presented a lot of risks to him. I think this book has a good historical value as well.

One needed to read this book slowly carefully. Sentences are quite long, full of descriptions and explanations at one go. I just closed my eyes to this. Details are rare.

[Nanda Wanninayaka · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Book “Maharaja” was written by Diwan Jarmani Dass. He was born in Punjab in 1895, was a minister in the Indian princely states of Kapurthala and Patiala. He was well-verse in Punjabi, Urdu, English and French. He was highly decorated by the Vatican and the Governments of France, Spain, Morocco, Egypt and many other countries. He was also decorated by the Rulers of Kapurthala, Patiala and Bhawalpur States.

The book reveals amazing lifestyles of Maharajas and the royal families, their sex lives, lavish and extravagant spending on their comforts, etc. Though the majority of Maharajas were selfish and extravagant there had been some generous Maharajas as well. Some Maharajas were educated and intelligent while majority of them were just prodigals. All Maharajas had harems and huge palaces. Most of them were into expensive liquor. Though rare, some Maharajas had been very duty conscious and executed the state’s duties towards the subjects in a fair and just manner.

Most of the Maharajas were highly interested in game hunting. They treat it as a way of showing chivalry. They did it in a highly organized manner.

Politics of Maharajas were dirty most of the time. Cheating and betrayal are part and parcel of their politics.

Diwan Jarmani Dass has been fiercely open and independent in revealing the secrets of Maharajas of yesteryear and we should be thankful to him for writing this exclusive book about Maharajas.

[Maliha · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting insight of the lives of the Maharajas', from the different states of India, in the subcontinent. It Opens up to;

1- their lavish social and personal life,
2-their self-centered perception of life,
3-their treatment towards common people,
4- how they had to surrender and integrate with the post-partition Governments.

Also, it gives a glimpse of the pre-partition struggle of Gandhi and Jinnah, just a few seconds glimpse.

[Simran Kaur · Rating 1 out of 5]

i cant say much i couldn't finish the book. it was all about the privileges maharajas had. i dont know i just found it gross.

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maharaja by Diwan Jarmani Das- 1.I read details of First, Second and Third Round Table conference (RTC) held in London in this Book. Earlier I have read about RTC in autobiography of Chimanlal Setalvad. 2. Marriage with a foreigner is quite an expensive affair. In this book, author narrates that he also married a Muslim lady in France. He could not maintain her expenses. Muslim society did not accept this fact and ultimately, he had to let go the marriage. 3. Those of maharaja’s children were educated in England and Europe were better because they learnt to work on their own and learn the respect for labour. Those children who were educated in India by British established colleges were spoiled. 4. Before independence, most of the kings wasted their money on their pleasure and did not bother much about the betterment of their citizens. 5. British had created a British Political Service officers who controlled the local maharajas. These political officers looted the maharajas. 6. After independence, Sardar Patel as Home Minister controlled them strictly thus they fell in line and signed the instrument of accession. 7. Details about 4 parts of Jammu and Kashmir has been described well.

[Munish Handa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up the book as it was lying for years on my FIL’s bookshelf… he being associated with Kapurthala himself

Considering that it was written in the mid 1900’s, the contents are interesting and explosive of the times, but the English used is banal and “bureaucratic” and hence the book was a bit of a slow read for me. Bad editing and judgemental statements take away the fun of the reading. This is surely not a book for historical references

It’s more of a memoir by a highly read, erudite, well placed individual in the employ of the erstwhile Royal houses, who himself enjoyed the exploits of the times but also saw the wrongs being done by his employers

Some intruiging anecdotes, like that of Royal canine wedding, What happens in the Zenana of the Maharanis, the Nawab of Hyderabad… which kept the book interesting

[Abrar saiyed · Rating 5 out of 5]

i had read this book few years back and reread it now and i enjoyed it again. this book is written proof of saying " power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely". these maharajas were demigods who enjoyed unparelled luxuries whereas their subjects were left to die in poverty. there was no accountability on part of maharaja and thats why some of them spent 90% state revenue after their luxuries whereas state subjects got only 10%, needless to say there was no infrastructure at all for common public. this book will make you realise we are living in best times of human civilization. go for it you will definately like it

[Kurbi Mehta · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is among the 3 worst books I’ve read in my life along with Half Girlfriend by Chetan Bhagat and that Ravinder Singh book. I don’t even know what was going on here with the editing and typeset, let alone the content. Inexplicable. Picked it up because Saurabh Dwivedi mentioned it on Lallantop but getting through it felt like a lobotomy without anaesthesia.

[Sonal Kumbhare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nicely written book, it mentions everything about Maharajas and their lifestyle without any coverup. Its very important if someone is very keen in Indian History and is expecting to know it completely, then the facts should be placed openly and correctly. Loved reading the book.

[Ahsan Butt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have translated this book from English into Urdu for Nigarshat Publishers, Lahore, Pakistan. The title of Urdu translation is Maharaja مہاراجا.

[Ashok Prabhu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Verynice

[Muhammed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

[Aditya Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

[Shihab Islam · Rating 5 out of 5]

i think it is a reayalite

[Joban]

its good

[NIKUL F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

[Sandeep kasera · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book, gives us a glimpse of how princely states functioned.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting topic. i enjoyed the historical aspect of it.

[Andy Bhatti]

Very nice book detailing the lives of Maharajas who were sensual people.

[Hrishikesh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The language is pathetic, the book badly edited, there are flowery adjectives that the author uses to pass judgement on the people that he talks about (the validity of the judgement is not the point here), ranging from innuendo to outright name-calling. These points chip away at the book's credibility.

This is a partial memoir, a glimpse into a specific period of Indian history, but by no means a historical reference book. At the same time, it is valuable for getting a peek at the lives of the Indian princes during the British era, from somebody who observed things first hand.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting anecdotes of a bygone era but it did wear on me.

[Navjot Sandhu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A

[Arjun Rawat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice and interested stories about the kings of India before independence

[Puneet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very unique book covering fascinating real incidents/stories as it occurred in the lives of Indian Maharajas. Particularly loved the chapters about Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala.

[Vittal · Rating 3 out of 5]

plis book downlod wat frobalams telmi plis from bvb cet vidyanagar huballi 31

[Madcbnl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zindagi, Pyar, Dokha of india Maharaj life

[Saju Pillai · Rating 1 out of 5]

trash

[ABHINEET DWIVEDI · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice book

[Amrit Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Precious

[Aditya Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good 1