The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-12-02
The BetrOtlIal of u Prince.

The BetrOthal of u Prince.
His Highness the Gae kwar of Baroda
was, as is well known, married last Jan.
uary and the Times of India says: The
story of his courtship is as thoroughly
Eastern as anything in the arabian
Nights. The young Maharajal himself
Loyalty felt or feigned that he had no
right whatever to NEEDLE in such Il mat
ter as the selection of Il consort for him
self, a matter which exclusively belonged
to his atfectonate mother. And Her
Highness the Maharani Jumnabai Sa-
heb, rs the head of the Gaekwar family,
had to desire the Dewan himself to lend
his utmost assistance III this delicate
business. Match making, says Sir Ma
dava Row, III his account OF the progress
of the State of Baroda. is fraught with
pleasant anxieties for any mother, and in
the present instance the mother Is one of
the highest ladies of the land. Trusted
emissaries started from Baroda and went
to divers countries, some travelling IN
disguise, and others with pomp and cir
cumstance In short time descriptive
letters, illustrative photographs and com
plete horoscopes wonderfully showing
all the planets on their best behavior,
poured in upon the Mahalani in almost
embarrassing abundance. The blessing
of the tutelary deities was deVoutly in
voked. the goodwill of the priests was
propitiated. and astrologero Ill solemn
conclave were hidden to unerringly in
terpret the mystic influences of the 20
diac. But the Maharani was also de-
sirous of fulfilling more prosalc condi-
tons, and she had to satisfy in her choice
such worldly persons as the Governor
Generals agent and the Dewan of the
State.
"Marathi girls are, however, almost
always married young, and Is the Gaek-
wars marriage had been deferred until
he was Il years DID, it was not only
necessary that his bride should be
young lady OF high family, OF health and
beauty. education ana accomplishments,
but that she must be of adoiescent age.
1t was almost impossible to find girl
approaching to the required ideal who
was still unmarried or still unengaged.
Even when the poorest parents were APP
preached they were proud enough not to
send their daughters to Bdroda, as If on
inspection. even on the chance of being
married to the first Maratha Prince in
India. Things came to dead lock, and
the Queen Mother had to press the De
wan to relinquisn high politics for
time, and set out for the Deccan IN
search of an eligible lady. Accompan
led 10y band OF the Maharant relatives
and dependents, he started Tor poona on
this curious quest. II had been ar
ranged. he SAYS. that just at that time
several girls reported eligible should
happen by pure "a 'ident to be present ut
Z ID IL lint III
decidedly approve of any
The rest of tic story must still he told
in the words of he same high authority:
This result per, exed her H!ghness not
a little. The quarters supposed avalla-
BILE had been exhausted. The
marriage of the Maharalah
could not be postponed be-
vond the next season: and yet tie most
plastic Shastrees OF the palace could not
cite authority to perform the marriage
without bride. Her HiGhness, there
fore directed the Dewan TO extend the
politico-esthetic exploration beyond the
Bombay Presidency. This was, of
course. done; and the predestined sharer
of the young Gaekwar's fortunes was at
last found on the banks of the Canvery.
The Tanjore family, to which the bride
belongs, had long been intimately con-
nected with Sir Madava Row. and the
marriage, so far as those VINO we're pres
ent at Baroda during the marriage fos-
Invites could possibly Judge, was de-
cided popular among the Srdars and
MarathI people generally. while the En-
ghsh residents of Blroda were pleased
To find in the orphaned niece of the
Princess OF TdnIore young lady who
had enjoyed all the great advantages of
a thorough English education"