Love Has No Boundaries: The Maharajah and the Majors Daughter

Maharajah Devender Singh popularly called Maharajah Davy was a 41-year-old Ruler who ruled over the small state of Ramnagar in Central India. The year was 1936 and Europe was in ferment. India was not an exception and though the Raj was omnipotent the Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi had launched his non-violent movement to throw the British Raj out of India. In such a scenario Maharaja Devinder Singh visited Europe. He spent over two months there and met the leaders of the continent. Report of his meetings in Europe filtered to the headquarters in Delhi and the government was alarmed.

The maharajah on his return to India was blissfully unaware of the goings-on in the capital and continued with his life as usual. Though 41 and still a bachelor he ruled with zest and verve. He loved horses and women in equal proportion and was an exceptionally good horse rider and player of the game of polo. The general opinion was that nobody could beat Maharajah Davy when he sat on a horse and played polo. He also maintained a stable of the best-bred horses which were the cynosure of the knowledgeable persons connected with horses.

His subjects, well-wishers, and the Queen Mother were however concerned that the maharajah was still a bachelor and they wondered who will rule the state if he continued to be a bachelor. After he had returned from Europe the Queen Mother called him to her chamber. She told him.

"Davy, its high time you chose a princess or a good girl as the queen."

" I agree, mother."

"Good, I have received a proposal from the adjacent state of Balllabhgarh. The Raja has sent a proposal for the 24-year-old daughter. What do you think of her? Why not have a meeting with her and decide your course of action."

Maharajah Davy just shrugged his shoulders and said, "all in good time mother but not now. Let me get ready for the polo match with a team from Europe."

The maharajah bowed to his mother and left. In the capital, however, a momentous meeting was taking place. It was attended by the chief executive, the chief secretary, and the commander-in-chief of the Army.

The chief secretary opened the meeting and said, "gentlemen, we are here to take cognization of an important fact concerning Maharajah Devinder Singh. You are all aware that he has spent almost 2 months in Europe and has just returned. I have information that during his visit to the continent the Maharajah was invited by one of our enemy leaders for a meeting. As per the reports available with us, this leader who is inimical to us had slotted a 15 minute time for the maharaja but it appears he was so much charmed by him that the meeting continued for three hours and after that, he took his guest for lunch."

" What do we do now?" asked the C-in-C, " after all, it could be a harmless meeting."

" Very possible, but we must be alert. I suggest we send a reliable officer of the British Indian Army to Ramnagar to keep an eye on maharajah Davy."

The C-in-C interjected and said, "I know Davy very well, he is a great pal of mine and I have played horse Polo with him. We can't fool him by sending a regular officer to Ramnagar as he will not accept it. I, however, have a plan as I know that Davy is very fond of horses and I will send an officer of the Royal Indian Remounts and Veterinary Corps to Ramnagar and this my friend Davy will accept."

Everybody nodded in agreement with the wisdom imparted by the C-in-C.

"Ok," the chief secretary said, "look, Bertie, you make the arrangements and inform the Maharajah and take his concurrence."

"Sure sir,"

The C-in-C, a little later picked up the telephone and rank up Davinder Singh. He told him, "Davy, this is Bertie, how are you? I am planning to come down for a game of Polo with you but before that, I thought it a good idea to send you an officer from the Royal Indian Remounts and Veterinary Corps to help you with your horses. How about it ? would you like it?"

The maharaja was delighted and passed instructions to earmark a small bungalow and get it ready for the officer who would be coming to look after his horses.

The officer selected was major Jones and he made preparations to go. He informed his wife, who was delighted and said softly, " I think the maharaja is a bachelor. He would be such a wonderful match for my daughter Sally. What a beautiful thing if Sally could marry into royalty. it will silence all our community who look down on us because you are a member of the veterinary Corps and not from the cavalry and the tank regiment."

Major Jones and his family left for Bilaspur from where they changed to a meter gauge train to proceed to Ramnagar. It had a small railway station and as the steam engine rolled in the major and his family had a first look at Ramgarh. The train halted and Major Jones got down. He was greeted by a tall liveried man who introduced himself as an aide of Maharaja Devendra Singh. Jones and his family were taken to the bungalow and Mrs. Jones was positively delighted with it, as it also had a small garden. Sally also looked around and liked the place.

Mrs. Jones looked at her daughter and said, "Sally you know the Maharaja is a bachelor so you behave properly with him, who knows what is in store for you."

Sally was a little irritated and replied "mum you always keep talking something silly. Don't think the Maharaja is just waiting for me. In the meanwhile let me enjoy my self. I hope the Maharaja will let me ride one of his horses."

Next day major Jones had an audience with the Maharajah. It went off very well and the Maharaja was satisfied that a professional would look after his horses. The Maharajah also learned that major Jones had a 20-year-old daughter but he did not question anything about her.

In the meantime, Mrs. Jones received a note from the queen mother asking both of them to come to her chamber. Very soon a Rolls-Royce pulled up outside the bungalow. Both the ladies knew that it had been sent by the queen mother. Mrs. Jones was positively delighted and she dressed up her daughter to the best of her ability, even applying the shade of lipstick to her and tying her hair in a ponytail so that her large expressive eyes stand out.

Both the women were ushered into the Chamber of the queen. Mrs. Jones and Sally were overwhelmed with the splendor of the place.

The Queen mother saw Sally and immediately liked her. They had small talk and drank a cup of tea and then Mrs. Jones reluctantly got up and said, "your highness please give us leave to go now."

"Wait," the Queen Mother said and from the drawer, she took out a small necklace. Sally and Mrs. Jones could make out that it was pretty costly as it was studded with diamonds.

" Come, my child, " the queen mother said, " let me put this round your neck, you are so beautiful that you deserve to wear it."

"No, your highness please, I can't....,." but Mrs jones pushed Sally forward and the deed was done. The Queen Mother put the necklace around the slender neck. Both women left after that.

Back at home, Sally was absolutely nonplussed while Mrs. Jones was delighted.

The Queen Mother summoned the maharajah. As he entered she told him, "I have just seen the daughter of Major Jones and I like her very much, I would like you to meet her."

The maharajah met Sally two days later in the stables. While major Jones by showing him two Arabian Pedigree horses, Sally emerged and major Jones smiled and introduced her to the maharajah. Sally had seen the maharaja earlier and she had liked him but now when she saw him at close quarters she realized what a magnificent man he was. Davy on his part realized that Sally was an extremely beautiful girl and he was also certain that she was pure and virginal.

He readily acceded to her request for horses and told her that from tomorrow onwards he would be riding with her over the hill and dale and jungles. Major Jones looked not unhappy at this development.

Sally now began to ride every day with the maharajah. But she could not keep pace with him as the maharajah was too good a horseman and he was remarkably fit as well. Many a time she would get tired and they would tether their horses to a tree and relax in the salubrious countryside and the thick jungles around. Once they were relaxing under the trees Maharaja Davy told her that the jungles had a fair amount of panthers and leopards. On hearing this bit of information, Sally was a little frightened but he told her that there was no danger as these animals rarely attack humans unless they were unable to get any prey for themselves.

After about 10 days of constant riding together a bond seems to have built up between the maharajah and Sally. Both of them had not yet realized that they were in love. But when they were apart they longed to be together again.

One day both the maharajah and Sally rode out. Major Jones and Mrs. Jones waved them off. Mrs. Jones, in particular, was praying every day in the church that the maharajah would propose to Sally. She was confident that her prayers would be answered.

That day the clouds darkened and lightning flashed in the sky. Thunder boomed and boomed again and it turned chilly. Rain began to fall on the earth. The sudden spurt of the rain made both the riders pull up and they took shelter under a tree. Davy pacified both the horses and tethered them to a branch of a tree and then he came close to Sally. Her heart was beating widely and she was wondering what is going to happen. Rain now gathered momentum and visibility was reduced to zero and that is the time the maharaja put a hand in his pocket and took out a massive diamond ring. He looked at Sally who was now drenched to the bone and looking extremely sexy and beautiful. He said, ' I'm going to ask you something now. will you be my queen?"

Sally did not answer anything as her throat became dry and tears welled in her eyes. All she could do was to nod and Davinder put the ring on her finger, gathered her in his arms and both of them kissed hungrily. Something which both have been waiting for days.

In the rain, Sally clung to the maharajah and her mind told her that nothing would make her happier than to be the mistress and queen of this man. They continued kissing as passion overwhelms them. After a few minutes Davy broke away from her and told her,' I shall wait for the nuptial night, in the meantime, I will ask for your hand from your father and mother."

The marriage of Sally and the maharajah was fixed. Everybody was delighted with it and the C-in-C rang up to the maharajah and told him, " this is Berty here, I'm so glad that you are getting married my friend I shall be coming to Ramgarh to attend the wedding and also play a polo match with you."

Mrs. Jones informed all her relations that her daughter was marrying into royalty and would become the Queen of Ramgarh. She exulted in her victory over relations. The Queen mother was the most delighted as she had liked Sally from the first moment she saw her. Now she went to the Gurdwara temple to pray to the Guru so that Sally conceives and presents her with an heir.

After the wedding festivities were over the maharaja carried his pride to the ornate silver plated bed. All Sally knew was that she was going to give something precious to the maharaja and her heart thanked the Maharajah for waiting for this moment. As the Maharajah kissed her she felt like a fairy transported to a beautiful world with goblins, fairies, and princesses. She gasped when it was all over.

Everything doesn't end in an idyllic way and the C-in-C received a message that two special assassins had been deputed by the dictator in Europe to poison or kill the maharaja for what he felt betrayal to him. Immediately he rang up Major Jones and told him, " look major there is a grave danger to the life of the maharajah. Two of the most dreaded and professional killers have been deputed to poison or kill him. You must make all attempts to save the maharajah."

"Why can't we arrest them Sir.?"

"You are being silly. We are not yet at war with the enemy and secondly, we do not know who they are. There are so many men coming from Europe to India. Who are these two we do not know."

Major Jones was perturbed. He was wondering what to do. Should he tell the maharajah? He was too good a man and would not believe him. He decided to step up his vigil around the palace. He took out his revolver and loaded it. He resolved that he would be going around the palace every night on his horse and keeping guard. He remembered the words of the C-in-C not to leak any information about this to anybody, lest the assassins get wind of it and change their plans and raise their guard. The C-in-C had also told him that there could be enemies in the palace as well.

In the palace, Sally felt changes in her body and she knew she was with child. She decided to tell the Queen Mother first and then her mother. Needless to say, this news delighted the Queen mother as well as the maharajah and the entire palace was lit up with colored lights.

In the meantime, the two dreaded killers specially deputed by the dictator to poison and kill the maharajah were on their way. Did they reach the maharajah and could they kill him or as it is more likely the maharajah killed them. But friends, that is another story.