The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-03
PROGRESSIVE PRlNCESSES.

Mistaken Ideas About Caste-Hindu
Princesses Are Not Always CoOped
Up In Zennnns-A Low Caste Man
May Rise to BE n Prince-Princes
in London Society.
There was not a little excitement in
London recently over the presence of
the Maharani, Great Princess of Cooch
Behar at the courts held by King Ed
ward. Her frequent appearances in
public and at social functions with her
husband called forth much comment
in the fashion journals. 1t is generally
supposed that Indian women of high
rank never appear in public, but live
secluded in zenanas. This, however, is
somewhat of a misconception, for their
seclusion depends to a great extent
upon their religion, caste, and person.
al force of character to defy ancient
custom. 1t is true that as rule Mo-
hammedan ladies never appear in pub
lie, though even to this rule there
have been notable exceptions. Muir Ma
hal, the Great Empress, ruled India
in her husbands name during the sew
enteenth century. The wife of the late
Amir of Afghanistan dressed in male
attire, and after her husbands death
dispersed in person the rioters at Ca
bull.
With the Hindu Princesses the case
is different. Before the Mohammedan
INVASION OF India they were not Sc
cluded at all, NH mt vel their faces.
and went about freely in I.iblic. sun,
the Hindus do not enforce it to the
extent as do the invaders.
Among the warlike races, the Sikhs
and Marathas. their Princesses have
always been permitted to exercise con-
siderable freedom. Upon many occa-
sions they have ruled states with great
wisdom, and when driven by force of
circumstances have bravely led their
troops to battle.
This will explain why the Maharani
of Cooch Behar, Hindu as distinct
rom Mohammedan Princess of In
dia, is at present moving openly in
London society. True, she is not of the
highest caste, l. e., a Brahmin-for a
Brahmin cannot cross the ocean with
out mourning the penalty of excom-
munication. For the same reason none
of the Indian Princes at present in
London are of the highest caste,
though some of them are of the low
est. The great Maharaja of Gwalior,
one of the wealthiest Princes of India,
has only to look back a few genera
lions to discover an ancestor who was
a slipper bearer.
1t is fact not very generally
known that there is no bar to prevent
a man of low caste in India amassing
wealth and rising to become a noble
or Prince, but neither he nor his des-
cendants could ever aspire to marry
Brahmin Princess, or a Brahmin wo-
man of lower rank, for that matter
when you have a Hindu woman VINO
IS Brahmin and a Princess, then yon
nave the most aristocratic and eXclu-
slVe parsonage at present on the earth,
for she is not only of royal, but sacred
blood. In appearance her form is grace
tul, her features are classic, her COM
plexion is fairer than that of many
women of the Occident, and in general
she is possessed of great beauty.
In contrast to the Mohammedan
cesses are said to be highly intellectual.
II Is on the authority of the Brahmlns
themselves that it is believed some or
the most beautiful poetry of the Vedas
was written by their women. Again,
IN contrast to the treatment accorded
to the Mohammedan women, the
women of the Brahmins are regarded
with the highest respect by all classes
OF Hindus. They have free access TO
the temples, in right of their sacred
origin; indeed. there are certain rellg-
lous ceremonies which cannot be per-
formed without the presence Of ther
women.