The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1896-02-06
PRINCES IN INDIA.


Ii
Nearly 700 Of Thsm-Grsat sticIkiers fos
Etiquette, and some Very Rich.
Those East Indian princes with
strange. high-sounding titles who visit
this city from time to time are seldom
or never among the really impor tant
native rulers OF British India. There
are nearly 700 native states, and OF
these about 200 are of some Importance,
though the number Of those that cut
any considerable figure in the politics
Of British India II much smaller, and
Of those that have large powers smaller
still. 1t may DO recalled how, when
Col. Newcome suddenly appeared in q
London drawing-room where a duslsy
nabob was complacently receiving the
homage of the company, the eastern
prince, recognizing a man who had
scant respect for his pretentions at
home, at once dropped his airs
and made very humble bow To the
old soldier. II is so with native In
dian princes Of the smaller sort still.
They are not greatly regarded ut homo
by the English, though the British
government accords them q sort Of Of
fetal respect. The princes are great
sticklers for this official recognition,
and are jealous of single extra gun
accorded to one of their own number.
Some princes are saluted by the Brit
ish with eleven guns, others with thir-
teen, others with nineteen, and ths
Nizam OF Hyderabad, who rules IL so.
600 people and has an income of about
$50, 000, 900, Is, along with few others,
honored with twenty-one guns. A few
Of the princes have one or two extra
guns as special personal distinction
All these things must be known by
the army and navy commanders Of the
British army in India. and a neglected
native prince is a very angry man.
The titles, which sound so strange,
are simple enough when translated
Rajah means king, and maharajah
great king. Some of the more impor-
liant princes bear this latter title
There are plenty Of rajahs with little
territory, less income. and no power.
Nawab Is another form of nabob, and
the word means deputy governor
Under the Mogul empire there were
viceroys, and under them nabobs, or
nawabs The title was sometimes con
ferred, without territory, upon dis
tinguished Mohammedans. Nizam
means regulator, or governor. The IL
tie is hereditary In the family OF the
native rulers Of Hyderabad. The his
toric title Nizam nj Mulk means merely
regulator Of the state It goes back
TO l71s. Maharanee Is the title Of 3
maharajah's wife. and rance Of ra.
iah's wife. Begun means lady or prin
cess, is the feminine of the title hey.
One native state of India has pros.
pered for Some generations under fe-
male rulers- The maharajah Of Ba-
roda bears the title OF galkwar. vari
ously spelled; literally mean cowherd.
There are. besides, the titles OF una
harso. rao, mir. maharawal. and others
None other Of the native princes ap
proaches in wealth and power the
nizam Of Hyderabad, though several Of
them have incomes Of from $500. 900 20
IS. 0so, 900. and rule from 1000, 600 10
3. SOC, 600 people. Some that are honored
with eleven guns have only $4,000 or
sec, 900 year. and rule but few thou
sand people. The number Of guns Il
not dependent upon princes income
or number OF subjects
Tie court Of native prince Is placs
Of tawdry splendor. swarming with
servants The prime minister Of the
prince Is often q man Of much political
astuteness, and, curiously enough.
sometimes Of higher caste than his
master, for a prince Is not necessarily
man OF very high caste. There are
some curious Offices in q native court
For instance. when the maharajah Of
Trayancar. a man OF enormous income.
visited Bombay some years ago, he
brought with him not only his prime
minister, famous rs diplomatist, bus
as well two nauteh girls, and these
dancers were thought 80 precious that
they were the property Of the state
The maharajah took great house in !
fashionable part OF the city, and used
70 give nautch dances for the amuse.
ment Of his European acquaintsnces--
N. ". Sun.
-S------zz