THE MAHARAJA

The Museum was an unremarkable building, situated in the Palace grounds - it used to be the school house for the princes and princesses of the Ruling Dynasty of the State.  They would travel to school in a small model train, with a little steam engine and open carriages behind !

The Maharaja, the patron of the museum's art collection, had an interesting story....after the presiding Maharaja died in the 19th c,  after a sudden illness,  his young wife, who was pregnant at the time, gave birth later, to a daughter - with no male heir to the throne,  to succeed him,  she invited members of the extended family,  to present their sons at court so that a suitable successor could be found.

Kashirao, walked the distance of 600 kms, to present his three sons for consideration, but,  although he was of the Royal House,  he had married a commoner from a small village and therefore, their sons should not have been contenders.   Nevertheless, each boy was asked why he had come....the second son,  aged 12,  replied unequivocally,  'I have come to rule'.   Everyone was so impressed,  that he was duly selected.  And so he was adopted by the Maharani and came to live at the palace, where he was given an excellent education.  On reaching his 18th birthday in 1881, he was fully invested with the title of Maharaja and became ruler of the state.  He proved to be an inspired leader, ahead of his time - he founded a Bank, a University, a Park,  he cleaned up the water supply and introduced irrigation schemes.  He carried out social reforms and outlawed child marriage, the purdah system and encouraged education for women - he was also a great patron of the arts.....

Acquiring the services of a foreign architect, he built a palace of huge size and invited artists from Italy  to help in its decoration, commissioning sculpture, paintings and fine furniture.  He employed an unknown young artist from the south of India, Ravi Varma,  to be his court artist, and to paint portraits of the ruling family - this young man, came to be known later, as the 'Father of Indian Art'.

The institutions, founded by the Maharaja, still exist and give the city its inherent shape and character and here in the school house, some of the Maharaja's art collection, was on display, an enduring legacy of a wise man.  

VIEWPOINT

Liz had come from the Isle of Skye in Scotland - her first visit to India.  She had applied for a 'Residency' and been successful.  She had just graduated from Art College and was here for a month to teach print-making.  The studio cum flat was situated in a small gaited Society, in a new part of the town.  It was small and sunny and the upstairs had a small balcony.

This was a short 4-day course in print-making - a chance for local Indians to learn something from someone from the West.  She had travelled through Rajasthan for a few weeks, before coming to Gujarat and her sketch books were filled with her first impressions of crowded streets, women in saris and turbaned men sitting on their haunches, in characteristic style.  "What has made the most impression on you"?   I asked......thoughtfully, she replied..."the layering - the way the new is pasted on top of the old, without removing the original - the constant layering - it provides a slice of history"

CORPORATE EXPATS

Our host  was the CEO of a German Company, fast expanding in India.  In four years, the company had increased from 60 employees to 600 and more investment was planned.  They had recently migrated from a small office in the most exclusive neighborhood of the city, to a huge new corporate office in the newly developed outskirts.  The reality of the world economic situation is palpably obvious, as India doubles its gross domestic product and surges ahead, with a growth rate in double figures.  All around, are the echoes of a country under construction and at the expatriate dinner parties, this view is reinforced by top executives flying in and out of the country, from Europe.  Unlike, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy, the German economy is showing an improvement, based on its investments and expansion in emerging markets.

But tonight was a special occasion.....their home was some miles from the city, out in the countryside, of this part of Gujarat.  The moon was up and the sky was clear and dark,  the air felt fresher, cooler, than the city.   After a half hour drive,  along dark country roads, we arrived at our destination and passed through the double gates, as the armed guard waved us on.  Immediately, one entered a different world - coloured lights decorated everything -  Las Vegas style.  Shallow steps, led up to a wide open porch and entrance way,  which in turn led into a huge hall of enormous opulence.  The CEO and his wife were there to greet guests.  She, dressed from head to toe in scarlet, was the 'belle of the ball', diamonds glittered from her jewelry and sparkled from her high heel sandals!   This was her official Birthday Party,  but it was also an opportunity to show off their Corporate image in India and in Gujarat.

Their vast mansion glowing with lights, led out onto a vast lawn, whose perimeter was also encircled with lights, bright enough to rival an airport runway.  Enrico Englesias songs were piped from hidden speakers - drinks, from a well stocked bar, were served to the mixture of expats from a variety of European countries and local Indians, who ran high profile businesses in the town.  The host and hostess, being foreign nationals,  had a license to consume and serve alcohol on their premises.  Otherwise, Gujarat is a strictly 'dry' State, and imposes a two-day prison sentence and heavy fine,  on anyone breaking the law.  Foreigners are allowed a certain number of units of alcohol per week and their licenses are stamped accordingly,  in a carefully monitored system.

Speeches were made,  fireworks went off with precision, at just the right moment and the buffet dinner was provided by the best restaurant in town.  Here was Indian entertainment, colour, romance and emotion,  executed with German efficiency. A match made in heaven.  "It's difficult for us to understand their way of thinking"  said the visiting German Executive from Dresden.  "We expect them (Indian employees) to think like us,  but they don't - and so it's a challenge, as we aim to expand the company ...the potential is vast....but when I go back to Dresden, I appreciate what we have in Germany - it's taught me not to take things for granted back at home."

THE PUJA

Her sms read "I'm organising a prayer ritual at my place at 4.30 p.m. - please come"  She lives in the US and comes to India for periodic holidays.  Known as NRIs, (non-resident Indians), these expat. Indians, own farms and apartments in India, which they leave empty, to await their return, sometimes just for a week or two in a year.

Her apartment was on the second floor.  I emerged from the lift to find the front door open and as I looked into the living room, I was startled to see an immense blaze, flames shot two feet into the air - it was so incongruous in this elegant sitting room.  The fire was contained within a low cauldron, a group of seven sari clad women sat around it - an image of the deity presided over the proceedings.  She, Mata, the mother of all gods, sat enthroned with many garlands of flowers around her neck.  The women were chanting a mantra and throwing seeds and spices into the fire, as well as spoonfuls of ghee.  Every now and then the oldest lady would reach behind her back for another branch of wood to place on the fire.  The heat was immense and I wondered how they could sit so close to the blaze. The mantra went on for half-an-hour, 101 incantations, I was told afterwards and then suddenly it stopped.  The rhythm changed -  a tray with little lit lamps was slowly turned around in a clockwise direction - we were all invited, one by one, to participate in guiding its revolution - feeling the warmth of the fire, as we did so.  And then it was over - the food which had been offered to the God, known as prasaad (sanctified food) consisting of fruit, nuts and sheera (sweetmeat) was handed out to all present - we were being ultimately included in the blessing and purification of the home.

This religious ceremony did not need a priest - it was an emotional and personal family event.