THE PLEASURE PURSUITS OF PRINCES

Maharaja Bhupinder Singh

 THE PLEASURE PURSUITS OF PRINCES (Diwan Germany Das's)

Some of Their Sexual Frolics, Fooleries and Fantasies

(From Diwan Germany Das’s work)

 by B.S.Goraya

The rulers of the old princely states of India were given to dissipations and debaucheries on a scale perhaps unmatched anywhere in the history of the world. These autocrats with their unlimited powers over their subjects and vast superabundant wealth had reduced their people to helpless slaves and serfs. Neither any woman's honour could be safe under their lustful eyes, nor any man's head on his shoulders under their ferocious and fiery look. 

Maharaja Bhupinder Singh

MR, B.S.Goraya gives a graphic, though a gruesome account of some of their strange orgies and indulgences which send a cold shudder down our spine. 

A recent news report about a a Tantrik tamasha at a South Delhi  bungalow of a business tycoon, besides raising many an eyebrow, has refreshed some of the ' memories of our erstwhile Indian princes whose intrigues have been portrayed by Dewan Jermani Das in his famous book "The Maharaja". One feels that as far as palace orgies and intrigues are concerned the Indian big businessmen have claimed complete inheritance in form and style from the princes. The orgies of these new princes are going on as usual but what is' needed is some Jermani Das who may tell us in his amusing way as to why Sneha Sinha prefers the car dicky to a comfortable cushion seat of a luxury car. Come what may, the records of orgies set by the Maharaja of patiala, His Highness Bhupinder Singh, are hard to beat. The Maharaja translated the whole of the stone imagery of Khajuraho into reality by having as many women in his harem as the number of days in a year. Out of an army of 332, at the time of his death in 1938 only ten were recognized maharanis while about half of them were ranis and the rest were only mistresses and servants. But all of them were at the beck and call of the Maharaja who could satisfy his sexual lust with any of them at any time of the day or night. There would, however, be special sessions when a group would be there to help the Maharaja to accomplish special feats in bed, high in the air or in water. The Delhi business tycoon might have had his limitations but His Highness, Farzand-e-Khas, Daulat-e-Engilishia, Mansur-e-zaman, Amir-ul-umra, Maharaja Dhiraj Rajeshwar,Shri Maharaja-e-Rajagan, Sir Bhupinder Singh Mohinder Bahadur and so on, was such powerfully 'sovereign' under the British that he could take the life of any subject by a bat of his eye or a swish of his hand. The Maharaja had a Vam Margi Tantrik, pundit Prakash Nand Jha, to pursue his tantrik sex worships to pervert to his own purposes i.e. managing a large horde of women which otherwise was not a simple matter.

The ferocious but calm looking Jha would conduct the worship, clad in a leopard skin, with his face painted red, head shaved and sporting only a tuft of long hair. He had erected a full-sized image of the goddess in front of which the worship was conducted. The worship was attended by a gathering of 150 - 400 members a majority of whom were young women, most of them virgins. The maharanis and the other intelligent staff and officers were excluded from such gatherings, though some favourite officers and aide-decamp were invited to them. During the worship a bullock or some buffalo was beheaded right in front of the image of the goddess and then cooked there. ln the middle of the night when this collective worship was over, strong alcoholic mixtures were served followed by an invitation to the virgins to come forward and strip -off in front of the image of the goddess. Thereafter the Tantrik would invite some men who were heavily intoxicated by hours of heavy drinking, to come forward and pour liquor on the necks of the virgins till it reached the pubic region. The Maharaja and the men would suck a few drops of the liquid which, according to Jha, was the most purifying act. In full view they would then commence copulation like we see dogs doing so in the streets. Blood from the virgins, who had been deflowered by the sturdy men in the most devastating manner, would flow and mix with the one from the slaughtered animal already under the feet of the virgins. These beastly erotic deeds were not only confined to the Patiala house alone, but almost all the rulers of Indian states excelled each other in doing so.

 It is hard to imagine a prime Minister presiding over a cabinet meeting while indulging in sex at the same time. But the erstwhile prime Minister of Kapurthala State holds this dubious distinction. Gulam Gilani, the PM, had devised a novel way to accomplish both. He had earned the notorious reputation of taking unjust decisions as he seldom participated in the court proceedings with dedication. On one side heated discussions and arguments would take place, while on the other hand, behind the curtain, he would be holding princess Gobind Kaur in his arms. It was his standing instruction to the courtiers that his decision be always treated as negative, unless he answered in the affirmative. When his dubious deeds were exposed he was expelled under humiliating conditions while a strict vigil was maintained over the movements of the princess. Once she gave a slip to the security staff, when she was smuggled in the tonga chamber meant for horses' fodder.

Later Gobind Kaur charmed an army officer and once, on being spotted with him, the couple spent a cold December night in a well where after they fled from the palace to spend the rest of their lives in utter poverty where Gobind made dung cakes to make her both ends meet.

We also have the intrigues of the Nabha house. Maharaja Ripudaman always used to hunt virgins only and after marriage he would abandon them in a hopeless state and again start exploring new pastures. Once his eyes fell on Pritam Kaur the highly educated daughter of an official. Offer of a marriage alliance was made to her parents by the Maharaja. Pritam declined it Pritam's parents tried to flee from the state but were captured along with their daughter and put in jail. Ripudaman disguised as Buta, the criminal, got himself lodged in the cell adjoining Pritam's. Then some snakes were thrown clandestinely in Pritam's cell and as we often see in the Hindi movies, Buta came to the rescue of Pritam and killed the snakes while the wailing Pritam clung to Buta and develop some sort of love for her savior. Later the intimacy increased resulting in the marriage with the prince. After some time he abandoned her also like a used rag.

Sex is one thing but the most unusual feat was that of his highness, the Nawab Sir Syed Mohammed Hamid Ali Khan of Rampur (U.P.) State who was also highly decorated with English titles. The Nawab had a special weakness of sitting continously for hours on the lavatory seat. Later with the help of the chief architect he got a toilet seat constructed right in the court room  in such a manner that he could keep sitting on it for hours without being detected. Thus judgements were being delivered by His Highness along with faeces and farts.

Of all the tales the most ridiculous is that of the royal wedding of the bitch of Junagarh palace with a doggie from Mangalore State, which was solemnized at the cost of more than a lac of rupees (in those days) to the state exchequer. The Nawab of Junaghar himself received the Baraat (marriage party) of 250 dogs as they alighted from the train from Mangalore. Roshanara, the bitch, was profusely decorated with befitting wedding jewellary including a pearl necklace worth lacs of Rupees.

 How the Indian princes had become so lethargic and pleasure loving lazy under the protection of the British is best illustrated from the example of the Maharaja of Kapurthala State. Once the Maharaja was invited to the Buckingham palace which he attended in his official regalia, churidar pyjama and brocade achkan decorated with diamonds, coronet in blue safaries tied over his turban and precious pearl necklaces around his neck. He wore the historic belt and sword which was gifted to his ancestors by Nadir Shah, the invader. He was cordially received by Lord Chamberlain at the palace, who presented him to the King and the Queen. As the night advanced, the Maharaja danced several times with the beautiful ladies in gross violation of the etiquettes and took a few glasses of champagne and was quite tipsy and amused. Before joining the Imperial Majesties for supper, which was laid on several large tables on which precious golden and silver trophies and valuable historic crockeries and precious cutlery in gold were placed, the Maharaja felt the urge of using the toilet. As he was invited to this ball alone and no official or minister accompanied him, he felt awkward in asking any one there to help him to untie the chord or the 'nallah' of his pyjama or trousers. The Maharaja had to request the private Secretary to the King that somebody may be allowed inside. Lord Chamberlain granted special permission and the chief attendant lnder Singh who was waiting outside in the car along with his driver was hurried inside to the great relief of the Maharaja. Quite obviously how could the Maharajas tie the turbans when they could not tie or untie 'nallahs' or the chords of their trouser. The Maharajas went for readymade turbans which were imported from Mysore. In the palace however there used to be a person or two for this very purpose ie turban making.

And now one strange exception. The Maharaja of Alwar, with his titles as Bharat Dharam Prahhakar Rai Rishi Haly sage of the Domain, His Highness and Holyness Maharaja Jey Singh had a very pious image of himself in public, who would not himself indulge in sex and was rather averse to women. The Maharaja had got prepared a genealogical tree of Alwar family to prove that he was a direct descendent of Surya the Sun and thereby of Lord Rama. Though himself a woman hater he would enjoy the indulgence of others. His night orgies would commence from the dinners which were attended by the maharanis, concubines, a few selected ministers, officers, their wives and daughters. In these functions however there would be no distinction between a Maharani and a concubine. It was free-for-all and the ranks would temporarily be closed. A junior officer could have in his arms the Maharani herself while a senior minister could play with the daughter of an officer or minister. In the end they were free to take the partners of their choice to a secluded place. However, the crafty Gazanfar Ali Khan, the Revenue Minister who had the distinction of having been closely associated with Muslim League and later became Pakistan's Ambassador to India would participate alone in these orgies. The Maharaja had exonerated the presence of his wife and daughter in view of Gazanfar's submission that he was a true Muslim and cannot allow his wife and daughter to be present, before other men, unveiled. However the Khan would look more colourful in his night participations.

 At this other ministers once complained to the Maharaja that they were happily bringing their women folk to the dinners but Khan would not do it while he enjoyed with their wives and daughters. His Highness agreed to the submission of the ministers and later Khan was ordered that in the next dinner he should ensure the presence of his wife and he was allowed to go to Lahore to bring his wife. Worried at it, he went to Delhi and consulted his friends Iike J.'N. Sahni. Ultimately Khan hired a prostitute from Delhi to act as his wife. After extensive tutoring and training in acting the prostitute was brought to Alwar and was received by the Maharaja himself. Later a rousing dinner party was held in her' honour' where she surprised and amused everybody and those who enjoyed the company of the seasoned 'Mrs. Khan' cursed Khan in their hearts as to why he had kept the right kind of lady away from these 'great', voluptuous dinners. When the courtiers enioyed with 'Begum Khan', Khan had his night with a lady which had hitherto remained cool and indifferent to him. The reports of Begum Khan pleased the Maharaja so much that a sum of half a million rupees was gifted to her. Khan was allowed to go to Calcutta and Bombay to buy jewellery and dresses for the Begum' for future festivals and dinners. Khan was really now in a jam, for any day somebody could recognise her and he would thus incur the wrath of the Maharaia So he played another hoax. He sent a telegram from Calcutta that the Begum had expired of a burst appendicitis and enjoyed another long leave while the Maharaja and the other palace people sent telegrams of condolences.

May be it is the kings who took sex right into the Garbh Grih of the temples A scene from a Mysore Temple

People want aphrodisiacs to enhance their strength in their loins. Anything would do? Here a man is selling the oil of land lizard (Sana) which has the dubious distinction of sharpening sexual powers.