Gur Aam | Mango Pickle with Jaggery
1 year ago
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Traditional Indian blessings and congratulations
The birth of Indian Traditions.
The human world needed to be populated but Brahma’s elder son, Narad, refused to give up his bachelor status. Disappointed He turned to His younger, Manu.
Humans flourished and Manu laid down the set of laws that was to govern their every move.
Brahma turned to the monkey world….perhaps this event was the one that took place first for the so called monkey world is really that of the ancient Indian’s.
Riksharaja was born and Brahma spent many hours delighting in the company of his son. The monkey pranced about discovering the lovely world when for the first time he came upon a clear sparkling pool. But there in the depth of the waters, staring him in the eye, was another monkey. Riksharaja plunged in and when he surfaced he had taken on the form of a female monkey. Surya (the sun god) and Indra (the king of the gods) fell in love instantly and to Riksharaja was born Vali, the son of Indra and Sugreev, son of Surya. Riksharaja regained his original form and returned to his father’s abode.
Vali, the elder; the future king, was taken away amidst great rejoicing while Sugreev lived by himself and grew lonesome. Riksharaja was upset and he called for Vayu, the lord of the winds.
‘Father a companion for my son, one who will be his source of strength.’
Vayu chose Anjana and a child - the first of the Langurs - or genus Semnopithecus (click on coloured link) - was born.
The little one was full of mischief as all children are. He rose early one day to discover an orange red fruit hanging just above the horizon.
‘A mango!’
The infant leapt up into the sky. But it was a strange fruit and the little one’s face was scorched. Would he give up? No, he sprang up once again.
Rahu, the demon who had long lost his torso, was lurking close-by for a chance to swallow the sun. The solar eclipse was due. He rushed to Indra complaining.
‘There is another demon attempting to eat the sun.’
Indra kept a sharp lookout and sure enough spotted a tiny form flying furiously at the sun. He hurled his thunderbolt.
The little monkey fell back onto the earth hurt and confused. His chin … his poor little chin had been cleft in two. Sweeping down towards him was his father who gathered him into his arms and retired to a cave. Vayu was enraged. He would blow no longer about the world with his life-giving winds. He would not come out of the cave…why was his little son being persecuted?
As the world choked and gasped for breath the gods came rushing to apologise.
They looked at the little one and were overcome. One so young and beautiful and yet such a font of power and strength. As they caressed the beautiful little face they blessed every inch of it. Finally placing their fingertips upon the injured chin, which the ancients called Hanu in Sanskrit, they proclaimed, ‘herein lies all your beauty. May you be known hereafter as Hanumantha or Hanuman.’
Congratulating Olympic champ Abhinav Bindra (click for Abhinav's blog) in the traditional manner for winning a gold medal.
The human world needed to be populated but Brahma’s elder son, Narad, refused to give up his bachelor status. Disappointed He turned to His younger, Manu.
Humans flourished and Manu laid down the set of laws that was to govern their every move.
Brahma turned to the monkey world….perhaps this event was the one that took place first for the so called monkey world is really that of the ancient Indian’s.
Riksharaja was born and Brahma spent many hours delighting in the company of his son. The monkey pranced about discovering the lovely world when for the first time he came upon a clear sparkling pool. But there in the depth of the waters, staring him in the eye, was another monkey. Riksharaja plunged in and when he surfaced he had taken on the form of a female monkey. Surya (the sun god) and Indra (the king of the gods) fell in love instantly and to Riksharaja was born Vali, the son of Indra and Sugreev, son of Surya. Riksharaja regained his original form and returned to his father’s abode.
Vali, the elder; the future king, was taken away amidst great rejoicing while Sugreev lived by himself and grew lonesome. Riksharaja was upset and he called for Vayu, the lord of the winds.
‘Father a companion for my son, one who will be his source of strength.’
Vayu chose Anjana and a child - the first of the Langurs - or genus Semnopithecus (click on coloured link) - was born.
The little one was full of mischief as all children are. He rose early one day to discover an orange red fruit hanging just above the horizon.
‘A mango!’
The infant leapt up into the sky. But it was a strange fruit and the little one’s face was scorched. Would he give up? No, he sprang up once again.
Rahu, the demon who had long lost his torso, was lurking close-by for a chance to swallow the sun. The solar eclipse was due. He rushed to Indra complaining.
‘There is another demon attempting to eat the sun.’
Indra kept a sharp lookout and sure enough spotted a tiny form flying furiously at the sun. He hurled his thunderbolt.
The little monkey fell back onto the earth hurt and confused. His chin … his poor little chin had been cleft in two. Sweeping down towards him was his father who gathered him into his arms and retired to a cave. Vayu was enraged. He would blow no longer about the world with his life-giving winds. He would not come out of the cave…why was his little son being persecuted?
As the world choked and gasped for breath the gods came rushing to apologise.
They looked at the little one and were overcome. One so young and beautiful and yet such a font of power and strength. As they caressed the beautiful little face they blessed every inch of it. Finally placing their fingertips upon the injured chin, which the ancients called Hanu in Sanskrit, they proclaimed, ‘herein lies all your beauty. May you be known hereafter as Hanumantha or Hanuman.’
Congratulating Olympic champ Abhinav Bindra (click for Abhinav's blog) in the traditional manner for winning a gold medal.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Some glimpses of the book
The book has come home!
An esteemed guest is welcomed by women carrying pots of water...a scarce commodity in the desert. They will bathe their visitor's feet and sing the welcoming Suhaila.
I thought it fitting that my first sketch should welcome my readers in the traditional manner.
Look for pages with a pair of birds and pick out the bardic legends that have been frozen in time. Turn to the next page for the facts that formed the basis of the legend.
Look for Skinner's yellow boys as they escort Captain Tod across Rajputana. Together they have preserved the memory of the land as it was in the early 1800s.
For those of my readers who may be as geographically and directionally challenged as me, I have painted several maps superimposing modern India over ancient India.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The Royal Rajputs ...the Blurb
WHO gathered the riches of Amber (Jaipur)?
WHEN did Maharana Sanga lose his eye?
WHY is the raja of Bikaner called the emperor?
WHERE was Mira Bai’s home?
HOW did the Hadas get their name?
WHICH son of Lord Krishna became the king of a Sikh kingdom?
The story of the Rajputs is a colourful tapestry growing steadily on the loom of time. For centuries, their genealogical memory had been locked away in the custody of the Bhats (hereditary priests) while ballads sung by the charuns (bards) offered but a tantalizing view of a veiled world driven by honour and passion. Researching the land and its people yielded a bounty of surprising secrets. From the swashbuckling tales of gallantry and romance emerged the historical account of the men and women who call themselves the descendents of kings.
This is also a human tale of scandal and intrigue, moustaches and harems. Custom, tradition and memories born in those early days all have their reasons. So do the locations of battles and forts.
Narrated in the light of an unbroken factual history, Royal Rajputs teems with timeless tales waiting to be told. This book appeals to the lover of history, the tourist who wishes that his guide knew more, to the traveller spotting a chattri off the beaten track and to those who revel in a story well told.
WHEN did Maharana Sanga lose his eye?
WHY is the raja of Bikaner called the emperor?
WHERE was Mira Bai’s home?
HOW did the Hadas get their name?
WHICH son of Lord Krishna became the king of a Sikh kingdom?
The story of the Rajputs is a colourful tapestry growing steadily on the loom of time. For centuries, their genealogical memory had been locked away in the custody of the Bhats (hereditary priests) while ballads sung by the charuns (bards) offered but a tantalizing view of a veiled world driven by honour and passion. Researching the land and its people yielded a bounty of surprising secrets. From the swashbuckling tales of gallantry and romance emerged the historical account of the men and women who call themselves the descendents of kings.
This is also a human tale of scandal and intrigue, moustaches and harems. Custom, tradition and memories born in those early days all have their reasons. So do the locations of battles and forts.
Narrated in the light of an unbroken factual history, Royal Rajputs teems with timeless tales waiting to be told. This book appeals to the lover of history, the tourist who wishes that his guide knew more, to the traveller spotting a chattri off the beaten track and to those who revel in a story well told.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The Book is here
And this is what Giles Tillotson has to say:
Dr Bhattacharya's book is a mammoth achievement which should introduce Tod and the Rajputs to a whole new readership.
ISBN: 978-81-291-1127-2
size 9" x 6"
The Royal Rajputs
The Royal Rajputs
Strange Tales & Stranger Truths
Manoshi Bhattacharya
200000 words, footnotes, timeline of the kings of Rajasthan and Delhi, 19th Century travelogue, 20 maps, bibliography, index, glossary of Indian terms.
Introduction:
Young James arrives to find India nervously awaiting a military takeover – yet another in her long sanguine history. The merchants of Britain strike the jackpot. Starting from the uncertain beginnings of a career in the East India Company’s army, James Tod discovers his passion for survey. But the highlight of his career in India is his appointment as political agent to the western Rajput states, which awakens his interest in the genealogy and the history of the Rajputs.
Mewar:
Tod arrives to find the court of Mewar in mourning. The Maharana, beleaguered by the current situation in Rajasthan, has been forced into pronouncing a death sentence upon his sixteen-year old daughter. The tale unwinds… We are transported to the 2nd Century AD, and the descendents of Lord Ram wander through Punjab and Gujarat, creating glittering legends, losing royal titles and living in obscurity until Bappa Rawal Guhilot snatches the throne of Chittaurgarh. After several ups and downs, Rawal Ratan Singh, with the legendary beauty – Padmini, by his side, ascends the throne. Her face is the cause of Mewar’s woes for Sultan Allauddin Khilji is determined to have her. The eighteen-year old queen eventually leads the women and children of Chittaur into the flames of Jauhar. Padmini, as it turns out, is no more than a myth and though Allauddin did indeed sack the great fort prompting Chittaurgarh’s first Jauhar, it was not for lust but for a vision far greater - that of securing a trade route. The Guhilot throne passes into the hands of the Sisodias. The story continues examining many legends until the age of the Mughals when the documenting of history receives a boost. Yet bardic tendency to add colour never pales. Jahangir is victorious eventually over the Sisodias, the last of the independent Rajputs. For years, Rana Pratap, despite having lost his kingdom, had held out against Akbar, spawning admiration and envy while Maan Singh craved Pratap’s surrender. Why did Maan Singh, crown prince of Amber – the great general who created Akbar’s Indian empire, find it so necessary to overcome a fellow Rajput who had fallen upon hard times? Jahangir and Shah Jahan turn out to be more than sympathetic towards the Mewaris. But their graciousness is salt to an open wound and no sooner does Aurungzeb mount the throne that the Rajputs break out in open rebellion. The story of Mewar ends with depredations by foreign marauders and Marathas and the arrival of the British – one-time trade allies, now colonial masters.
Marwar:
Setram and Sihoji ride into the land of death - Maroo. The Rathores deny their ancient roots and instead fabricate a beginning from the ashes of Kannauj. They struggle to gain recognition battling tribals and Bhati Rajputs who for centuries have laid claim to the title of Desert Lord. Suddenly there is a chance to grab at the throne of their overlord for the child that sits upon the coveted throne carries Rathore blood. The result is a falling out with the house of the Sisodias, the seperation of Marwar and Mewar forever. Jodha starts afresh and builds a new capital - Jodhpur. His brothers and sons father their own clans and the equations that are set in those early days are to last forever. Thus will the descendents of Jodha’s eldest brother, the thakur of Bagri, always be the first to anoint a new Rathore king and the sons of Champa and Kumpa retain their place as the premier nobles of Maroo. The sons of Jodha rally to Maharana Sanga’s side on that fateful day at Bayana when Babur takes on the Rajput forces. The victorious Mughal erects a pyramid with the heads of the slain and declares himself – Ghazi. The stories provide an insight into the popularly held concept of Sati – so vilified today. When Jodha’s great-grandson, Ganga, dies, he is joined on his pyre by five of his queens. Yet Padmavati, Maharana Sanga’s daughter, chooses not to be one of them. She is allowed to return home to Mewar. Sanga himself does not force Sati upon his unfortunate daughter-in-law, Mira – the self-proclaimed bride of Lord Krishna. It is clear that Sati is a choice that the woman makes. Ganga’s successor, Maldeo, succumbs to Akbar. These are elderly men, experienced in the craft of diplomacy and war, who cow down before the youth. But in the long run Marwar is saved, as its kings accept Mughal offices and win for their people peace and prosperity. The gallantry of the Rathores fills their annals with swashbuckling tales and legends of love that overwhelm the visitor to the desert. The story of Marwar ends with Tod paying Ajit’s great-grandson a visit. He discovers an intelligent man who puts up a guise of insanity to keep his scheming nobles at bay.
Bikaner:
Jodha’s son, impatient to test his fortune, builds for himself the junior Rathore kingdom of Bikaner. But destiny hands to him heirlooms that belong with the head of the Rathore clan or perhaps it is the will of Karni Mata who laid Bikaner’s foundation stone herself. Her temple at Deshnok, a haven for divine rats, still draws devotees from around the world. But Bikaner, prone to attack lying out in the open desert, sees wisdom in joining hands with Akbar. Its princes rise to become distinguished generals.
Bundi & Kota:
The Hada Chauhans, offshoots of the Chauhans of Ajmer, are deprived of their kingdom by Allauddin Khilji and receive sanctuary in Mewar. Gradually edged out, they become confined within a valley - Bundi. Mewar continues to demand unending loyalty but the Hada spirit cannot be subdued. Rao Hamoo chases Maharana Lakha away and Kumbho Bair Singh Hada, who despite being in the Maharana’s personal service, insists upon defending a clay model of Bundi that has been set up only to be destroyed and appease the miffed sovereign. Rao Narayan Das springs to the defence of Chittaur and wins himself the hand of a princess. The ancient Chauhan fort of Ranthambhor, lost for centuries, is returned to Bundi and to celebrate, a wedding is held within its precincts. Within days, the armies of Akbar knock at its doors. A treaty is negotiated and Ranthambhor changes hands yet again marking the beginning of the Hada-Mughal alliance. Though legend speaks of Akbar’s impatience with Rao Raja Bhoj, who refuses to shave his moustache despite an imperial command, the bond remains firm. Kota is carved out of Bundi and made independent when Jahangir wishes to honour a younger son of the Bundi Rao.
Amber & Jaipur:
Princess Heera weds Akbar and changes the destiny of her people. Mirza Maan Singh and Raja Sawai Jai Singh get to play roles of a lifetime. Jai Singh and Ajit of Marwar are contemporaries and when Ajit dies Jai Singh is quick to snatch the new raja of Marwar - young Abhay, for his daughter. But the scholarly father-in-law and brawny son-in-law are often at loggerheads, much to the amusement of the Mughal court. Jaipur suffers the rise of the Marathas and its share of changelings and malicious gossip. Raja Sawai Jagat Singh competes with the raja of Marwar for the hand of the princess of Mewar driving the poor girl to suicide. Jaipur resists the British and is the last to sign a treaty with them.
Jaisalmer:
Soon after the great battle of Mahabharat, Lord Krishna’s descendents are ousted from Dwarka. They travel west and set up kingdoms in Afghanistan. Ghazni belongs to them and the proof lies in a wooden throne that they treasure. Though the ancient capitals of Tanot, Deorawal and Lodurva lie in ruins, Jaisalmer maintains its distinction as the oldest fort in Rajasthan to remain in continuous occupation. Its rawals make their money looting imperial caravans and despite severe retaliation will not give up their lucrative trade. Love and magic blossom on the desert sands and tales of tantra are woven to explain their unaccounted wealth. Their women are remembered in song - Padmini - queen of Chittaur, Mumal - whose ready wit enchanted the prince of Umarkot and the graceful Maru - who drew to her side Dhola prince of Narwar. Rawal Sabal Singh is the first to join the Mughals but the court of Jaisalmer like that of Bundi and Kota falls prey to domineering ministers. It all ends on a happy note – the kingdoms are at peace and Rajasthan celebrates a triple wedding.
Strange Tales & Stranger Truths
Manoshi Bhattacharya
200000 words, footnotes, timeline of the kings of Rajasthan and Delhi, 19th Century travelogue, 20 maps, bibliography, index, glossary of Indian terms.
Introduction:
Young James arrives to find India nervously awaiting a military takeover – yet another in her long sanguine history. The merchants of Britain strike the jackpot. Starting from the uncertain beginnings of a career in the East India Company’s army, James Tod discovers his passion for survey. But the highlight of his career in India is his appointment as political agent to the western Rajput states, which awakens his interest in the genealogy and the history of the Rajputs.
Mewar:
Tod arrives to find the court of Mewar in mourning. The Maharana, beleaguered by the current situation in Rajasthan, has been forced into pronouncing a death sentence upon his sixteen-year old daughter. The tale unwinds… We are transported to the 2nd Century AD, and the descendents of Lord Ram wander through Punjab and Gujarat, creating glittering legends, losing royal titles and living in obscurity until Bappa Rawal Guhilot snatches the throne of Chittaurgarh. After several ups and downs, Rawal Ratan Singh, with the legendary beauty – Padmini, by his side, ascends the throne. Her face is the cause of Mewar’s woes for Sultan Allauddin Khilji is determined to have her. The eighteen-year old queen eventually leads the women and children of Chittaur into the flames of Jauhar. Padmini, as it turns out, is no more than a myth and though Allauddin did indeed sack the great fort prompting Chittaurgarh’s first Jauhar, it was not for lust but for a vision far greater - that of securing a trade route. The Guhilot throne passes into the hands of the Sisodias. The story continues examining many legends until the age of the Mughals when the documenting of history receives a boost. Yet bardic tendency to add colour never pales. Jahangir is victorious eventually over the Sisodias, the last of the independent Rajputs. For years, Rana Pratap, despite having lost his kingdom, had held out against Akbar, spawning admiration and envy while Maan Singh craved Pratap’s surrender. Why did Maan Singh, crown prince of Amber – the great general who created Akbar’s Indian empire, find it so necessary to overcome a fellow Rajput who had fallen upon hard times? Jahangir and Shah Jahan turn out to be more than sympathetic towards the Mewaris. But their graciousness is salt to an open wound and no sooner does Aurungzeb mount the throne that the Rajputs break out in open rebellion. The story of Mewar ends with depredations by foreign marauders and Marathas and the arrival of the British – one-time trade allies, now colonial masters.
Marwar:
Setram and Sihoji ride into the land of death - Maroo. The Rathores deny their ancient roots and instead fabricate a beginning from the ashes of Kannauj. They struggle to gain recognition battling tribals and Bhati Rajputs who for centuries have laid claim to the title of Desert Lord. Suddenly there is a chance to grab at the throne of their overlord for the child that sits upon the coveted throne carries Rathore blood. The result is a falling out with the house of the Sisodias, the seperation of Marwar and Mewar forever. Jodha starts afresh and builds a new capital - Jodhpur. His brothers and sons father their own clans and the equations that are set in those early days are to last forever. Thus will the descendents of Jodha’s eldest brother, the thakur of Bagri, always be the first to anoint a new Rathore king and the sons of Champa and Kumpa retain their place as the premier nobles of Maroo. The sons of Jodha rally to Maharana Sanga’s side on that fateful day at Bayana when Babur takes on the Rajput forces. The victorious Mughal erects a pyramid with the heads of the slain and declares himself – Ghazi. The stories provide an insight into the popularly held concept of Sati – so vilified today. When Jodha’s great-grandson, Ganga, dies, he is joined on his pyre by five of his queens. Yet Padmavati, Maharana Sanga’s daughter, chooses not to be one of them. She is allowed to return home to Mewar. Sanga himself does not force Sati upon his unfortunate daughter-in-law, Mira – the self-proclaimed bride of Lord Krishna. It is clear that Sati is a choice that the woman makes. Ganga’s successor, Maldeo, succumbs to Akbar. These are elderly men, experienced in the craft of diplomacy and war, who cow down before the youth. But in the long run Marwar is saved, as its kings accept Mughal offices and win for their people peace and prosperity. The gallantry of the Rathores fills their annals with swashbuckling tales and legends of love that overwhelm the visitor to the desert. The story of Marwar ends with Tod paying Ajit’s great-grandson a visit. He discovers an intelligent man who puts up a guise of insanity to keep his scheming nobles at bay.
Bikaner:
Jodha’s son, impatient to test his fortune, builds for himself the junior Rathore kingdom of Bikaner. But destiny hands to him heirlooms that belong with the head of the Rathore clan or perhaps it is the will of Karni Mata who laid Bikaner’s foundation stone herself. Her temple at Deshnok, a haven for divine rats, still draws devotees from around the world. But Bikaner, prone to attack lying out in the open desert, sees wisdom in joining hands with Akbar. Its princes rise to become distinguished generals.
Bundi & Kota:
The Hada Chauhans, offshoots of the Chauhans of Ajmer, are deprived of their kingdom by Allauddin Khilji and receive sanctuary in Mewar. Gradually edged out, they become confined within a valley - Bundi. Mewar continues to demand unending loyalty but the Hada spirit cannot be subdued. Rao Hamoo chases Maharana Lakha away and Kumbho Bair Singh Hada, who despite being in the Maharana’s personal service, insists upon defending a clay model of Bundi that has been set up only to be destroyed and appease the miffed sovereign. Rao Narayan Das springs to the defence of Chittaur and wins himself the hand of a princess. The ancient Chauhan fort of Ranthambhor, lost for centuries, is returned to Bundi and to celebrate, a wedding is held within its precincts. Within days, the armies of Akbar knock at its doors. A treaty is negotiated and Ranthambhor changes hands yet again marking the beginning of the Hada-Mughal alliance. Though legend speaks of Akbar’s impatience with Rao Raja Bhoj, who refuses to shave his moustache despite an imperial command, the bond remains firm. Kota is carved out of Bundi and made independent when Jahangir wishes to honour a younger son of the Bundi Rao.
Amber & Jaipur:
Princess Heera weds Akbar and changes the destiny of her people. Mirza Maan Singh and Raja Sawai Jai Singh get to play roles of a lifetime. Jai Singh and Ajit of Marwar are contemporaries and when Ajit dies Jai Singh is quick to snatch the new raja of Marwar - young Abhay, for his daughter. But the scholarly father-in-law and brawny son-in-law are often at loggerheads, much to the amusement of the Mughal court. Jaipur suffers the rise of the Marathas and its share of changelings and malicious gossip. Raja Sawai Jagat Singh competes with the raja of Marwar for the hand of the princess of Mewar driving the poor girl to suicide. Jaipur resists the British and is the last to sign a treaty with them.
Jaisalmer:
Soon after the great battle of Mahabharat, Lord Krishna’s descendents are ousted from Dwarka. They travel west and set up kingdoms in Afghanistan. Ghazni belongs to them and the proof lies in a wooden throne that they treasure. Though the ancient capitals of Tanot, Deorawal and Lodurva lie in ruins, Jaisalmer maintains its distinction as the oldest fort in Rajasthan to remain in continuous occupation. Its rawals make their money looting imperial caravans and despite severe retaliation will not give up their lucrative trade. Love and magic blossom on the desert sands and tales of tantra are woven to explain their unaccounted wealth. Their women are remembered in song - Padmini - queen of Chittaur, Mumal - whose ready wit enchanted the prince of Umarkot and the graceful Maru - who drew to her side Dhola prince of Narwar. Rawal Sabal Singh is the first to join the Mughals but the court of Jaisalmer like that of Bundi and Kota falls prey to domineering ministers. It all ends on a happy note – the kingdoms are at peace and Rajasthan celebrates a triple wedding.
Friday, August 8, 2008
And then there was James Fraser
Skinner's durbar
:
: William Fraser was the regiment's second-in-command. His brother, James, arrived from Britain in search of his fortune and the two toured the Himalayas. James Baillie Fraser sketched all along the way, fascinated by the clothes, the appearances and the diversity of all that he saw.
It was James that looked after Skinner's children during the holidays in Britain. But his new wife, who had seen nothing in her life but Scotland, could not stand the half-bloods running through her house.
Skinner sent a letter from Delhi thanking his friend for looking after his 'poor black children' and requested him to keep his distance.
St James's Church built by James Skinner in Delhi
William Fraser 'Agent to the Governor General of India and Commissioner of the Dehly Territory' was assassinated within a few yards of his own Residence on Sunday evening the 22nd March 1835 about ½ past 7 o’Clock when returning from a Visit of Ceremony to Maharaja Kalyan Singh, Chief of Kishengarh, then residing in our city. It was an assassin employed by Nawab Shams-ud-din of Ferozpur (said to be Mirza Ghalib's cousin who had been trying desperately for years to get the British government to release the family pension). William was given an hasty burial near the Residency and later exhumed and reburied in the churchyard of St. James's church.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
James Tod & James Skinner
Udaipur, 12 October 1819: the time of departure had arrived. Since his appointment as political agent, Captain James Tod had remained stationed in Udaipur, overseeing the signing of the agreements between the princely Rajput states and the East India Company. Nearly two years had been spent in the most romantic spot in India. The valley had been explored until every rock, tree and tower had become familiar. It was time to pay an official visit to the court of the desert king, Maharaja Maan Singh, who ruled from Mehrangarh, the great fort of Jodhpur.
The mission included the captain’s cousin, Captain Patrick Waugh, Lieutenant Cary and Dr Duncan. Accompanying them was a large retinue of cooks, stewards and helpers, baggage camels and elephants, while two companies of foot soldiers and sixty Skinner’s Horse formed the escort.
Trumpets sounded at the crack of dawn and the men were ready to move. Skinner’s yellow boys and their Indian commandant looked cheerful. Smartly turned out in bright yellow tunics and scarlet turbans with silver edged girdles and black shields, they were the most orderly and efficient of soldiers in the Company’s service. The palace drums sounded. Maharana Bhim Singh had sent a guard of honour to see off his British friends.
The mission included the captain’s cousin, Captain Patrick Waugh, Lieutenant Cary and Dr Duncan. Accompanying them was a large retinue of cooks, stewards and helpers, baggage camels and elephants, while two companies of foot soldiers and sixty Skinner’s Horse formed the escort.
Trumpets sounded at the crack of dawn and the men were ready to move. Skinner’s yellow boys and their Indian commandant looked cheerful. Smartly turned out in bright yellow tunics and scarlet turbans with silver edged girdles and black shields, they were the most orderly and efficient of soldiers in the Company’s service. The palace drums sounded. Maharana Bhim Singh had sent a guard of honour to see off his British friends.Skinner's Yellow Boys
STAMP: Painting of Skinner's Horse released as a stamp on the 175th Anniversary in 1978.
James Skinner, born of a Scottish father and a Rajputni mother, led an irregular cavalry division. Rejected by the British for his Indian blood, the eighteen-year-old found employment with the Marathas. In 1803, as the Marathas prepared to take on the British, they were forced to discharge all those with foreign blood, despite their proven loyalty. Whereas the Holkars beheaded theirs, the Scindia general – Perron – preferred to discharge his lot.
Skinner leaves behind a graphic account of his vain attempt to get himself reinstated.
Perron’s words were, ‘Go away Monsieur Skinner. I no trust.’
The same fears prevented him from receiving a commission in the Company’s service but eventually Lord Lake, the British commander in north India, permitted Skinner’s Horse to fight as an irregular cavalry troop.
As the Company’s mounted guerrillas, their job was to ride ahead of the main force and worry the enemy cutting off their supply lines. In time, Skinner’s Horse was absorbed into the Company’s army and James received the rank of captain. But a condition remained. Never would he send his yellow boys against his first master – Scindia.
James Skinner, born of a Scottish father and a Rajputni mother, led an irregular cavalry division. Rejected by the British for his Indian blood, the eighteen-year-old found employment with the Marathas. In 1803, as the Marathas prepared to take on the British, they were forced to discharge all those with foreign blood, despite their proven loyalty. Whereas the Holkars beheaded theirs, the Scindia general – Perron – preferred to discharge his lot.
Skinner leaves behind a graphic account of his vain attempt to get himself reinstated.
Perron’s words were, ‘Go away Monsieur Skinner. I no trust.’
The same fears prevented him from receiving a commission in the Company’s service but eventually Lord Lake, the British commander in north India, permitted Skinner’s Horse to fight as an irregular cavalry troop.
As the Company’s mounted guerrillas, their job was to ride ahead of the main force and worry the enemy cutting off their supply lines. In time, Skinner’s Horse was absorbed into the Company’s army and James received the rank of captain. But a condition remained. Never would he send his yellow boys against his first master – Scindia.
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