Intrigue is part of palace politics. And this is not going to be any different. The gracious Gayatri Devi’s will is still unknown but there is a lot of action from those involved.
With the death of Rajmata Gayatri Devi of Jaipur, the beautiful and glamourous Maharani of Maharaja Man Singh, many watchers of the erstwhile Jaipur royal family thought it would end the nearly four-decade-old family feud over its vast property. But instead, the demise of 90 year Rajamata on July 29 has open another Pandora’s box of court conspiracies, legal battles and efforts to gain physical control over with muscle power.
The feud among the family over the property is so complex that it is not easy for the layman to understand its nuances. But the immediate controversy is over the will or wills left behind by the Rajamata. Other than the news hungry TV channels and print media, many members and about two dozen Thikanedars (Chieftains) of the erstwhile Jaipur riyasat, were expecting that the much talked about will of the Rajamata would be made public as soon as the Barahavan (12th day of mourning) was over. But nothing happened on August 9, when all members, close relatives and former chieftains, gathered in the Chandra Mahal part of the City Palace, official residence of the erstwhile ruling family to observe the Barahavan ceremony.
Brigadier Bhawani Singh, ex ruler of Jaipur, his two step brothers Prithiviraj Singh and Jai Singh, and the two grand children of Rajmata – Devraj Singh and Lalitya Kumari – maintain that since only a few members of the family are concerned with the will, why should it be made public.
But on August 19, Devraj Singh and Lalitya Kumari, issued a statement that, according to last will of their grandmother, which has given to Bhawani Singh, she had named them inheritors of all her properties and rights. But Prithiviraj Singh and Jai Singh, lays claim to another will in which she had bequeathed most of her wealth to them.
The property left behind the Rajmata, by conservative estimates is valued at about Rs 1,000 crore, besides, her personal jewellery worth between Rs 300 to 400 crore and a large number of antique items, the value of which could not be estimated immediately. Before his death in 1997, Jagat Singh, the only son of Gayatri Devi, had given his entire property to his mother. This included the 300-year-old Jai Mahal Palace in Jaipur which is now a five star heritage hotel.
There have always been speculations as to who would inherit this property – her step grand children or two of her steps sons Prithiviraj Singh and Raj Singh, who stood beside her all these years in the property dispute with their step-brother and ex ruler Brig Bhawani Singh.
To understand the basics of this royal dispute, we have to go back to 1949, when the princely states of Rajasthan decided to merge with Independent India. Since they had given their entire state to the nation, the government of India on its part liberally granted them privy purses and some other privileges. A document known as the covenant was also signed between the government of India and the rulers. Under this covenant they were allowed to retain some of their properties for themselves, few others for the other and future siblings of the family. Under this document, the government cannot acquire these properties. But with the abolition of the privy purses and privileges the covenant become invalid. As property disputes, among many former ruling families, including Jaipur, started before the abolition of privy purses and privileges, they are still being fought under the same.
Maharaja Man Singh, the legendary polo player had three Maharanis. Of these two were from the Jodhpur royal family. Gayatri Devi was his third wife, who hailed from Cooch Behar. She was always known for her beauty and grace. During his lifetime Man Singh gifted several properties to Gayatri Devi. Her son, Jagat Singh was also a beneficiary as the Jai Mahal was gifted to him. But the Maharaja was not very generous towards his two other sons – Prithiviraj Singh and Jai Singh. They were also given some property, but lesser in value.
When Bhawani Singh become the Maharaja, several property disputes started as the government started acquiring some of them after the privileges of former rulers were withdrawn. On the one hand Bhawani was fighting against the government to retain these properties while on the other he was fighting his step mother Gayatri Devi and his three step brothers. He maintained that under the covenant he was the sole owner and karta (executor) of the entire property. Gayatri Devi and his step brothers joined hands and claimed that under the Hindu Undivided Family (HUF), they have equal share in the property left behind by Maharaja Man Singh.
As Man Singh’s two wives were living in the City Palace, Gayatri Devi was given the Ram Bagh Palace, then a hunting lodge, as her residence. But when the Maharaja converted this palace into a hotel, she moved to Lily Pool, a French type villa within the vicinity of Ram Bagh Palace, where she lived until her death. The Maharaja had also gifted her the majestic Moti Dungari Fort, not far from Ram Bagh Palace, the Jaipur House in Delhi and Mount Abu and a plush flat in London.
Jagat Singh was married to Thai Princess Rajawongse Priyanandana Rangsit in 1978. It was a love-cum-arranged marriage. It turned out to be a failed marriage. After the birth of Devraj Singh and Lalitya Kumari, the two divorced in 1987. Both the children stayed with their mother, who had moved back to Thailand. Jagat Singh took to drinking and died in 1997. Before his death, in his will, he bequeathed his property to his mother. This, however, was challenged by Devraj Singh and Lalitya Kumari. Jagat Singh controlled 99 per cent share in Jai Mahal Palace Hotel. These were gradually transferred to Prithiviraj Singh, who had been managing the Ram Bagh Palace Hotel. This too was challenged by the brother and sister in the Company Law Board. They were backed by Bhawani Singh, who found a good weapon in the brother-sister duo, to beat his opponents with. Some time in November last year, Gayatri Devi had a change of heart and her relations with her two grand children turned cordial. In fact, the Jai Mahal Palace case was settled out of court in February – the property being equally divided among the three.
But Prithiviraj Singh and Jai Singh were not happy with this development. At some stage they were expecting that the Rajmata would will her entire property to them. But there were further twists to the royal tale.
Some time in April this year, the Rajamata made her last will. Even though it has not been made public, family members maintained that she has given most of her property to her grand children, who have been camping in Jaipur since the death of their grand mother. Though Devraj Singh has a multiplex business in Bangkok and Lalitya has her own publishing house there too, both claim they were willing to stay back and look after the family property and continue the social work started by their grand mother.
There is one more twist to the will. Some family members say, before her last will, the Rajmata had made another will, when her relations with her grand children were sore. In this will she is said to have given most part of her property to Prithviraj Singh and Jai Singh.
Even while she was in hospital, Lily Pool was padlocked to gain physical control over it. A wall was also erected overnight, segregating the swimming pool. Family members says this was done at the behest of Prithiviraj Singh, who also posted his own guards at the Moti Dungari fort and did not allow anyone to enter this small but beautiful fort.
And finally, the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) came into the picture.
It claimed that the open spaces around the Rambagh Palace had already been acquired by the government and its official started taking physical possession of it. But the royal family members say that since compensation against the land is still under dispute, the property belongs to them.
Rajmata’s properties
1 Rambagh Palace.
2 Lily Pool.
3 Moti Dungari Fort.
4 Jaipur House in Delhi.
5 Jaipur House in Mount Abu.
6 Ramgarh Lodge in Sawai Madhopur.
7 Staff quarters of Rambagh Palace.
8 MGD and SMS schools along with its building and open space.
9 Some part of City Palace.
10 A flat in London.
11 Shares in various companies.
12 Personal Jewelry.
13 Large number if antique items in Lily Pool and in other building, including Moti Dungari Fort.
14 One third share in Jai Mahal Palace.