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24 December 1905 — Bikaner | |
Sunday. 24th [December 1905]. We breakfasted at 10 & at 12 all went off in carriages to the town & fort to see the old Palace under the guidance of the Maharaja himself. He evidently showed it all off with great pride. He has everything in first rate order. The upper part which is evidently still occupied by some of the ladies of his family is particularly interesting—the rooms being decorated with look glass & plaster mosaics—& some tiled with china. One room is altogether tiled with willow pattern china fish streams. In these rooms we saw bedsteads (charpoys) still remaining wh had evidently been recently used– In the divan Hall was the royal throne seat of state with the sword & piece of linen wh belongs to it & as used on great occasions. We saw the state jewels—the usual sort worn in this country—large uncut precious stones & huge rather discoloured pearls—all very handsome & picturesque. We went into the great new hall wh had been built, I think by his brother who was his predecessor. He showed us the room where he was born & an apartment where he had lived as a boy. All this took some time & we only got back to Lallgarh after 2 to lunch—everybody cheery & hungry. Immediately afterward the whole party excepting Nela & myself prepared to depart as the Maharajah was taking them out on a shooting party some 90 miles off. He expressed his regret at not having known earlier of my visit as it was now too late to make arrangements to take us with him—but he would not hear of our leaving this till after Christmas Day as he declared we could not travel on that day so we accepted his invitation to remain till Tuesday. Just before he started with his party a carriage was seen to drive off entirely covered over with a pink cloth & accompanied by an escort of lancers. This was evidently the ladies of the Zenana who were also going to camp out. We watched the party start in 2 motor cars & 4 carriages & then feeling rather flat returned to the guest house—where we wrote & had tea & later on took a turn round the garden. We once thought of walking out thro’ the gate but were stopped by the sentinel & not understanding why, gave up the attempt. We went over to the Palace for dinner & spent the evening in our rooms. | |
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