LONG LIVE THE QUEEN: A PEEP INTO NEARBY SAWANTWADI'S ROYALTY
A chance encounter with
Maharani Satvashiladevi
Bhonsale during a tour of
temples in North Goa, took
Onilda Fernandes and Lisa
Monteiro to Sawantwadi in South
Maharashtra where they came
face-to-face with history, art
and a story of a Queen
determined to keep her palace.
She's busier than a CEO, overseeing a maternity home and a
college simultaneously. As if that's not enough, she also has
her own workshop, where she personally works with paintings,
embroidery and the likes. Living life queen size? Far from it
-- yet admirably, 73-year-old Rani Satvashiladevi Bhonsle
(Rajmata) of Sawantwadi never looks ruffled.
Even caring for six acres of palace grounds independently,
doesn't stymie her. States an adamant Bhonsle, "I don't want
the government's help. They once tried to take this palace
away from me. Why, I live here! Where did they expect me to
go? The municipality can be really nasty that way. But I
stuck to my ground, literally."
And her grudge does have adequate reason. "I have seen the
buildings that the municipality has taken over. They have
completely ruined them. Stonework is replaced by concrete. I
would hate to see my private property subject to such a
destruction."
True to her word, The Palace (Rajwada) in the Sindhudurg
district of Sawantwadi, Maharashtra, rightfully remains hers.
Quiz Her Highness on the practicality of
maintaining such a historical site and she is quick
to respond, "It is not easy. I have to pay my staff
well. But I manage with the income from coconut
trees in the palace grounds and handicrafts that we
sell."
ROYAL BLOOD
It's an apocryphal tale. But it bears repetition. One royal
family marries into another. In this case, Rani
Satvashiladevi Bhonsle from Baroda was married to Lt Col H H
Shivram Sawant Bhonsle, Raja of Sawantwadi.
"I am the third generation princess from Baroda marrying into
this family. Thus, my mother-in-law, was a blood relation,
actually my aunt," chuckles the Maharani.
Take her back into time when monarchy still reigned supreme,
and she is quick to narrate, "I was only six months old when
I was first made to ride a horse. In those days, the moment
we could sit, we had to get on horseback. Two people would
hold me, while I maneuvered with the reins."
Young princess Satvashiladevi was also made to learn table
tennis, badminton and cricket besides having two Swiss
Governesses to teach her etiquettes and English.
Her formal education continued at Private Prince's school in
Baroda up till the SSC level, before she was married off, at
the tender age of 16 years. "Once married, my husband
understood my love for painting, embroidery and the likes and
encouraged me to pursue my hobbies," acknowledges the
Maharani.
And why wouldn't he? Being the artistic person that he was.
"My husband loved art in all it forms. He was a talented
musician and even won a gold medal for his Indian classical
and western music. However, I remember at one time, he was so
fed up of practicing the same notes on the violin, that he
actually sat on it!," laughs the Rajmata. Paired together
Ever since the queen made the taluka of Sawantwadi her home,
both success and adulation wooed the royal couple ardently.
Courting both with equanimity, the Raja stood for Assembly
election and won the seat of Sawantwadi for 25 years, until
the year 1995, when he passed away.
Being the Raja's right hand, the Rani assisted him by sitting
on many government and semi government committees, like the
State Social Welfare Board. She was also District President
of Mahila Arthik Mahamandal and President of Mahila Audyogik
Utpadak Sahakari Santha Ltd.
In 1961, the couple started a joint venture in one of their
palaces, a college -- Shri Pancham Khemraj Mahavidyalaya
(named after her father-in-law) for the poor and economically
backward children. It is one of the first colleges in the
region and to this day, it grows, adapting quite a number of
new courses like MSc, Zoology, Apiculture, Bio Technology, etc.
"This academic year I have initiated a K.G. and
English medium primary school," declares the
ever-progressive Maharani.
THAT MAJESTIC TOUCH
In spite of their hectic schedule, the royal couple, managed
to give art a dream like twirl. Inspired to take the
initiative in 1972, the Raja began the revival of the
traditional art of Ganjifa cards.
Recalls the Maharani, "There was only one old man, 87 years
or age, who did this kind of work. So, we took upon ourselves
the task of getting young students from different walks of
life, trained under this artist."
And as destiny would have it, the entire Darbar
Hall was evacuated of the different administrative
offices that functioned there and replaced by
workbenches.
To this day, you will find at least five-six people working
consistently on the intricacies of the Ganjifa cards, right
in the
middle of the Darbar hall of the palace.
"Each of the cards is hand painted, requiring step by step
work. Every box has a set of 120 cards with instructions,
which are sold the world over. We had to however, change
certain techniques, as a lot of material wasn't available
from the olden days. Although it is not very profitable, my
main aim is to revive this form of art, which was in dying
stages and hence, nothing can make me discontinue it."
[Ganjifa, or Gânjaphâ, is a card game that originated in
Persia and became popular in India under the Mughal emperors
in the 16th century. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganjifa ]
PASSION INTO OCCUPATION
Currently a great grand mother of two children, Rajmata
Bhonsle still makes time to pursue what she most loves doing.
That is, painting, embroidery, weaving, beadwork and the
likes. "I can barely give two hours in the morning and one
hour in the evening, but I somehow fit it in my day."
Hardly any on display at the moment, the Maharani grins from
ear to ear as she states, "I barely finish an art work and it
gets sold. Orders come in from all over India."
A glance at her work and it is mostly animals that stare back
at you. "I am mostly into nature painting. And being as old
as I am, I prefer the traditional works of art. As for modern
art, I would rather not criticize, as I don't understand it",
states Rani Satvashiladevi.
And to shower appreciation, the Rani was conferred with five
state awards and one national award. "I would organize many
exhibitions on art and handicrafts here in Sawantwadi, as
well as in Goa. Hence, you can see the similarity that lies
in our artwork."
True to her word, she was recently in Goa, to talk on the
similarity of the Kavi Art that is found in temples in both,
Sawantwadi and Goa. Moreover, her repeated visits here have
brought her in close association with Mario Miranda, Yolana
de Souza, and other artists here besides having held a number
of handicraft exhibitions, at the time of Bandodkar and
Shashikala Kakodkar's days in power.
FUTURE PLANS?
"I want to give some of the rooms of the palace, on rent.
Fortunately, my grandson, is studying his hotel management
and should do the needful," laughs the Maharani.
As for her first passion, she says, "There's nothing more I
can do than what I am doing now. For revival of the Ganjifa,
I cannot take on more than nine artists, as then it will fall
under the Factory Act. And who wants to deal with unions and
all that?"
CONTACT THE WRITERS:
onilda.fernan...@yahoo.com
liz_mon...@yahoo.com
COURTESY Gomantak Times
