MAHARAJA BHUPINDERSINGH OF PATIALA

MAHARAJA BHUPINDERSINGH OF PATIALA

12 October, 1891 marks the birthday of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, named as one of the most indulgent and kinky princes of India. After the death of his father Rajinder Singh, Bhupinder was crowned the Maharaja at the tender age of nine.
Maharaja Bhupinder Singh has left a deep impression on the sands of time and was not only symbolised as the epitome of luxury but was also popular for his, ahem, kinky ways of life. And when we say kinky, we mean really kinky.

Source: Wikipedia
Maharaja Bhupinder Singh ruled the princely state of Patiala from 1900 to 1938. Among his many accomplishments, from being an Indian representative at the Imperial War Council in World War I to donating a considerable amount for the Ranji Trophy and representing Sikhs during the Round Table Conference — was his major affinity for opulence.
He was the first man in India to own an aircraft, which he bought from the United Kingdom.

In 1926, he sent a trunk full of precious gems, jewellery and the seventh largest diamond in the world to Parisian Jeweller Cartier SA to get Patiala Necklace made. It is said to be one of the most expensive pieces of jewellery ever made at a whopping $25 million.

Source: Mint

If this wasn’t enough, he is also said to have an entire fleet of Rolls Royce at his disposal, their number estimated anywhere between 27 to 44 with more than 20 of them forming a part of his motorcade.

Source: DailyBhaskar
In 1922, he commissioned a 1400 piece dinner set — made wholly in silver and gold — to mark the Royal tour by the Prince Of Wales. He was also a dear friend of Hitler's, who gifted him a rare Maybach car.

Source: Dailymail
Impressive, isn’t it?
But according to several books and resources, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh’s lavish lifestyle wasn’t all about charity and goodwill. In a review of a book titled ‘The Magnificent Maharaja’, Khushwant Singh remarked: ‘He was a headstrong bully, a debauch, drunkard, womanizer and philanderer.’

Source: Pinterest
In another book called Freedom at Midnight by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins, they said, “it had been the custom of the Maharaja to appear once a year before his subjects naked except for his diamond breastplate, his organ in full and glorious erection.”
This walk of his was greeted with great enthusiasm by the spectators in appraisal of his organ and it's apparent possession of magical powers, which could drive evil spirits from the land.
He was married five times and fathered 88 children while also having numerous concubines. It is said that during the summer months, he would make his concubines sit bare-chested at the rim of his pool while he enjoyed a swim, and would at points come fondle a breast or two and sip on some whiskey.

Source: DailyBhaskar
In ‘Maharaja’ — a scandalous book by Diwan Jermani Dass  — the credibility of which is still being questioned, it is said that the man himself took part in massive orgies where men including the Maharaja poured alcohol over virgin women and suck the liquor off their bodies.

His sexual hunger was way more than his appetite and he allegedly consumed 20 pounds of food in a day. He had personally curated a harem of 350 women (concubines) who he would remodel as he pleased taking help from beauticians, jewelers, dressmakers and ever plastic surgeons from Indian, France and England. 

Source: Bhaskar
His end described by Collins and Lapierre in their book reads: "It was not a lack of virility that afflicted the jaded and sated prince. His was a malady that plagued not a few of his surfeited fellow rulers. It was boredom. He died of it."
Intense!

If alive, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh would have been 125-year-old today. Crowned the Maharaja of Patiala at the mere age of nine, he went on to become one of the most indulgent princes of India.

The book — Freedom at Midnight, narrates that “it had been the custom of the Maharaja to appear once a year before his subjects naked except for his diamond breastplate, his organ in full and glorious erection.”

Married five times, the Maharaja of Patiala, who fathered 88 children, had numerous concubines. Some accounts say that during the summer days, Bhupinder Singh would make his concubines sit bare-chested at the rim of his pool while he enjoyed a swim.

But it was the excessive pleasures of opulence that defined Bhupinder Singh’s lifestyle. Be it a 1,400-piece gold and silver dinner set to 2,930-diamond necklace, the Maharaja, reportedly, had a penchant to impress the royal households of Europe.

Read in the pictures below about the amazing life story of the Maharaja of Patiala:

A Tale from the Past:

From Maharajas & India’s Royal Courts to Life in San Francisco


Can an eye for jewels be in one’s DNA? San Francisco-based  jewelry designer Jyotsna Singh is the granddaughter of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, whose shimmering, diamond-laden Cartier necklace was the stuff of legends. It was shown some years back in Maharaja: The Splendor of India’s Royal Courts at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum. At the same time Manjusha,  Jyotsna Singh’s line of jewelry was shown in the museum’s store.

Rani of Patiala, who is the grandmother of Jyotsna Singh, jewelry designer in San Francisco
Rani of Patiala, who is the grandmother of Jyotsna Singh, jewelry designer in San Francisco
Jyotsna, also known as Joey, is a designer who came into her calling late in life. She spent her work life in the corporate world, including Levi Strauss. The love for color, jewels and juxtaposing them in different formations was always with her, inherited from her royal family connections. The result is a stunning collection of jewelry – Manjusha, which means a treasure chest of jewels. It presents  fusion jewelry which echoes the beautiful color and cut of antique jadau sets with a touch of modernity.
Here she talks about her past, her colorful royal family and life as a jewelry designer.

1. Where did you grow up and what are your memories of the royal family?

I grew up in the vicinity of Delhi but went to a boarding school in Simla Hills for 9 years.  My earliest memories are always about the Patiala family gatherings.  It is an extremely good looking family.  The image of a wedding sticks clear in my mind. The aunts were beautiful and all dressed up in their chiffon saris or Patiala salwars.  They had exquisite jewelry on and they wore tikkas with jeweled drops.

The men were tall, dark and handsome in their pale pink Patiala turbans and achkans.  The gathering was always full of fun and laughter and I felt they were much more fun than my own friends. They loved to be together and needed no one else.  And the ballroom dancing!  The brothers and sisters danced with each other and you felt they were floating on the ground.  For a child the whole scene was enchanting.

2. Your grandfather, the Maharaja of Patiala is a larger than life figure in all the colorful tales of royalty in India. What were the stories your mother shared with you of your nana and nani.

Naniji came from the hills in Simla.  She was quiet, beautiful and young and she lived in the zenana with the other women. Though the mothers lived at the palace and spent time with the children, the children were really brought up by English governesses. My grandfather lived in the main Motibagh Palace with his wives and his older children.

My mother was one of 32 of the younger children and they lived in Lalbagh Palace in the palace grounds.  The grounds also had a zoo, a small train, a lake with boats.  The children would visit their mothers in the zenana a few times a week as they did their father. When the kids visited their father, he would let them enter a large room full of toys.  Each kid could pick up what they wanted before leaving.

They were brought up by English governesses. Hence they all had English names because their Indian names were difficult to pronounce!  My mother’s name was Elsie. She was one of 52 children, my mother would say a pack of cards!

They would change their residence in summer and the whole palace would leave in Rolls Royce’s to Chail and Kandheghat. The Patiala kennels had 400 dogs.  They dogs would also go,  as would the Jersey cows!  Everyone left for the hills!  The children were given gold mohurs (coins) and as they left the palace grounds and entered the city in the cars they were asked to throw them into the crowds.  The people would announce that the children of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh were entering the town.

Rani of Patiala, with her daughters Else and Angela, named by English governesses who found Indian names hard to pronounce
Rani of Patiala, with her daughters Else and Angela, named by English governesses who found Indian names hard to pronounce

3. You mentioned you spent time with relatives who were from another royal family – could you elaborate?

I spent many of my childhood Christmas’s with HH Tukoji Rao Holkar of Indore and his wife Sharmistha Bai (Nancy Miller of Seattle).  He was from the same time of my grandfather and I called them my grandparents.  The 6 seater Rolls Royce would come and pick us up at Ratlam Station.  The chef who had been trained at the Ritz in Paris would prepare a gourmet snack basket for us  to consume on the two hours ride.  When we arrived at the palace, we were greeted by a regiment that kept guard and HH Tukoji Rao and his lovely American wife Sharmishta Bai would greet us with these enormous garlands.

We spent a month each year in a dream-like state in this enormous palace. The durbar hall had a roof painted with Italian frescos, like Versailles. The stuffed tigers in special  cases were enormous and frightening,  especially if one walked the palace corridors in the evening. There was one room made of carved sandalwood.  The entire room was carved – I have never seen anything like it!  The jewelry was indescribable, I remember the rubies…deep red rubies.  Much of our time was spent on fun activities like  outdoor cooking for night picnics, preparations for Christmas, and meeting visitors.

Jyotsna Singh with the Patiala Necklace of her grandfather on display at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco
Jyotsna Singh with the Patiala Necklace of her grandfather on display at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco








4. You moved to the US and your life as a Levi Strauss employee was probably very different from that of maharani! Can you elaborate?

My father did not come from royalty so my life was like anyone else’s except for those times I spent in palaces and with family.  I adapted easily to life outside the country; however it took me some time to get used to people.  I was used to a gentler upbringing and did not really know how to handle aggressive and corporate competitiveness.  I think many of us have had the same experience.  Levi’s came later and I was quite used to it.  I forgot my heritage in just coping with life. Besides I had been conditioned not to talk about where we came from and who we were.

5. Most people hang on to keepsakes belonging to their grandparents. What do you have and treasure?

Jewelry – but most precious is an enamel pendant with a portrait of my grandfather,  surrounded by rubies and pearls.  Also a machli (nose ring) worn by my grandmother, now made into a pendant for my granddaughter.  I have some clothing of Naniji and silk vest and hanky of my Nanaji.  We took a lot for granted and did not think of preserving either the stories or the possessions.

6. All in all, there must be a big tribe of cousins and uncles and aunts. Do you ever meet or feel the heritage of those past days?

I had many grandmothers.  People ask me how many?  We didn’t care so we never really counted them!  There was always someone being born.  My youngest aunt was born a few months after my grandfather passed away.  I have 150-200 cousins all around the world.

Unfortunately many of my aunts and uncles have had untimely deaths.  My mother was very attached to her family but she passed away at the age of 68.  We still have gatherings and they are always special.  We laugh till we cry because no one can understand the eccentricities of the family other than us.

Jyotsna Singh, grand-daughter of the Maharaja of Patiala, has Manjusha, a line of jewelry inspired by the family jewels.Photo of model wearing the collection.
This image is on the cover of WEDDING INSPIRATIONS 2012 being launched this month by South Asian Bride Magazine. Credits. Amrit Dhillon Bains with Philippe Lee, Josephine Beauty, Manjusha by Jyotsna Singh,Neeta Desai Sharma, Bridal Motif, Camille Toussaint, Valerie Yager & Kristina Rink Piccardo

7. You must have inherited the eye for jewels from your grandfather. Do you think he would have been pleased with your creativity and re-invention of jewels in varied designs?

I never thought of it till my jewelry was showcased at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum that currently houses the Patiala necklace in the exhibition hall.  I felt enveloped by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh’s blessing,  and my mother and I know they would be very proud of me.  I have been amazed at the response of people to my jewelry and I can only attribute the passion I have for what I do to the lineage I carry.

8. Describe your line – what are its strengths and how do you go about creating it?

I seem to have an eye for creating royal-looking pieces in semi-precious stones.  Hence what would cost thousands of dollars will cost a few hundred.  I think my strength lies in the combination of designs, color and stones.  I always have designs in my head and it manifests in the form of a crude design.  This is refined and changed a few times.  Simultaneously I picture the stones and colors, write details and scan it to the people I work with in Jaipur.  In most cases, the piece that emerges is always more beautiful because you can’t quite picture the beauty of stones.  They are magnificent in reality. I also visit Jaipur several times a year.

9. What stones do you use and does this all also have a spiritual aspect to it?

Absolutely.  For me a stone is a living vortex of energy, some more powerful than others.  Though I am not an authority on the spiritual significance,  I know intuitively about certain combinations of stones.  For example,   I love lapis, amethyst, citrine, carnelian, turquoise, and labradorite.  These are all very powerful energies in combination with other stones. I neutralize my necklaces of all negative energies so that the wearer may benefit from the positive energies of the stones.

A signature necklace from the Manjusha Collection in tarnished kundan and pyrite
A signature piece from the Manjusha Collection in tarnished kundan and pyrite
10. Where do you sell your jewelry and how were you connected with the recent museum shows on the West Coast.

I sell in private shows.  My line is currently in SF Asian Art Museum.  As I mentioned the Museum is also carrying an exhibit “The Maharajas” where the Patiala Necklace is on exhibit from the Cartier collection. I’m active on Facebook and my website will soon have a selling site.

11. Who are the buyers for your line? I believe you are also selling in Brazil?

I am selling in Brazil, I go there again next month.  I have also sold in India and Thailand.  My focus however will be the US.  I have invitations to go to Europe, Dubai and Kathmandu.

12. What have you told your children about their royal heritage and do they ever go back?

I took both my sons with my mother to Patiala some years ago.  They are the 11th generation of the Patiala family. They saw the palace that my grandfather lived in, the life size statues in the grounds.  Most of the palace and its grounds have been destroyed.

They saw the founder of the state Baba Ala Singh’s fort.  He was blessed by the 10th Sikh Guru Guru Govind Singh and given a light (jyoth) which is still lit in the fort. We spent some nights in the new Motibagh palace of Maharaja Yadavindra Singh and they enjoyed the library and all its treasures.  I have shared many stories with them as did their grandmother.  They are very aware of their heritage and proud of it.

When my granddaughter Aanya turned 6  months old,  I wanted to give her something I had made for her.  I turned the ruby and diamond Machali (nose ring in the center of the nose) that my grandmother is wearing in the picture, into a pendant and strung it with rubies,  emeralds and pearls and gifted it to Aanya.

One day she will know that it belonged to her great-great grandmother….

Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh GCSI GCIE GCVO GBE (Punjabi: ਭੁਪਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ; 12 October 1891 – 23 March 1938) was the ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Patiala from 1900 to 1938.[1]
Biography[edit source]
Bhupinder Singh was born at the Moti Bagh Palace, Patiala[2] and educated at Aitchison College. At age 9, he succeeded as maharaja of Patiala state upon death of his father, Maharaja Rajinder Singh, on 9 November 1900. A Council of Regency ruled in his name until he took partial powers shortly before his 18th birthday on 1 October 1909 and was invested with full powers by the Viceroy of India, the 4th Earl of Minto, on 3 November 1910.

Inspecting a BL 12-inch Railway Howitzer in France, August 1918
He served on the General Staff in France, Belgium, Italy and Palestine in the First World War as an Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel, and was promoted Honorary Major-General in 1918 and Honorary Lieutenant-General in 1931. He represented India at the League of Nations in 1925, and was chancellor of the Indian Chamber of Princes for 10 years between 1926 and 1938, also being a representative at the Round Table Conference. He married many times and had many children by his wives and concubines.

Maharaja Bhupinder Singh was the first man in India to own an aircraft, which he bought from the United Kingdom in the first decade of the twentieth century. For his aircraft he had an airstrip at Patiala built.

He was well known for the construction of buildings with bold architectural designs in Patiala, including Kali Temple, Patiala, and Chail View Palace in the summer retreat of Kandaghat along with Chail Palace and Oak Over and Cedar Lodge in Shimla which now houses the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab State Guest House respectively.[3] He was known as a sportsman and built the world's highest cricket pitch at 2443 m in 1893 at Chail.[citation needed] He was also known for an exceptional collection of medals, believed to be the world's largest at the time.[4] According to legend, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh would be driven in a motorcade of 20 Rolls Royce cars. He had a unique monorail system built in Patiala known as Patiala State Monorail Trainways.

His then Education Minister, Pt. Makhan Lal Banerjee accompanied him to the summer capital of Chail and was also a well-known referee in cricket.[citation needed]

He is perhaps the most famous Maharaja of Patiala, best known for his extravagance and for being a cricketer. His cricket and polo teams – Patiala XI and Patiala Tigers – were among the best of India. He was a great patron of sports.

He was captain of the Indian cricket team that visited England in 1911 and played in 27 first-class cricket matches between 1915 and 1937. For season of 1926/27, he played as member of Marylebone Cricket Club [2]. He donated the Ranji Trophy in honour of Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji, Jam Sahib of Nawanagar. He was selected as the captain of India on its first Test tour of England in 1932, but dropped out for reasons of health two weeks before departure and the Maharaja of Porbandar took over. The cricket ground at Chail was made by Maharaja Patiala in 1893. It is the highest cricket ground in the world. Most of the buildings of Chail Military School were donated by Maharaja of Patiala to the government of India.

Sir Bhupinder Singh founded the State Bank of Patiala in 1917.

He served as the Chancellor of Chamber of Princes from 1926 to 1931. He worked tirelessly for his subjects' betterment and introduced many social reforms in Patiala.

His elder son, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh and younger son Raja Bhalindra Singh both played first-class cricket, Yuvraj also played in one Test for India, in 1934. Raja Bhalindra Singh, later served as President of Indian Olympic Association.

Yuvraj Yadavindra Singh became the Maharaja on 23 March 1938. He was to be the first Maharaja, agreeing to the incorporation of Patiala into the newly independent India on 5 May 1948, becoming Rajpramukh of the new Indian state of Patiala and East Punjab States Union.

Bhupinder Singh's grandson Captain Amarinder Singh is a politician in India and served as Chief Minister of Punjab from 2002 to 2007. Captain Amarinder was again elected as Chief Minister of Punjab (India) in 2017.

Personal life[edit source]

Bhupinder Singh married 5 times and had numerous consorts. From those unions, he sired an estimated 88 children of whom at least 53 survived him.[citation needed] He was the proud owner of the world-famous "Patiala Necklace" manufactured by the famous brand Cartier SA. His wife Maharani Bakhtawar Kaur presented Queen Mary with a magnificent necklace on behalf of the Ladies of India during the Delhi Durbar of 1911 to mark the first visit to India by any Queen Empress.[5]

On 23 March 1938 Bhupinder Singh died.

Wives and consorts[edit source]

Maharani Sri Bakhtawar Kaur Sahiba (1892–1960). Daughter of Sardar Gurnam Singh, Sardar Bahadur of Sangrur, OBI. Married Bhupinder Singh 1908.
Maharani Bimala Kaur Sahiba (original name Dhan Kaur) of Ubbewal. OBI.
Of his five wives, Maharani Vimla Kaur of Patiala, his 3rd Dowger[clarification needed] Maharani from Ubbewal was his favorite wife. She attended all the ceremonies with him and travelled abroad.

Titles[edit source]

1891–1900: Sri Yuvaraja Sahib Bhupinder Singhji
1900–1911: His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala
1911–1914: His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GCIE
1914–1918: Lieutenant-Colonel His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GCIE
1918–1921: Major-General His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GCIE, GBE
1921–1922: Major-General His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GCSI, GCIE, GBE
1922–1931: Major-General His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, GBE
1931–1935: Lieutenant-General His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, GBE
1935–1938: Lieutenant-General His Highness Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, 108 Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh, Mahendra Bahadur, Yadu Vansha Vatans Bhatti Kul Bushan, Maharaja of Patiala, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, GBE, GCSG

Honors[edit source]