The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-01
DELHl'S GREAT FESTIVAL
A CITY OF CANVAS TWENTY-FOUR
MILES IN CIRCUMFERENCE.
Imposing Ceremonies Marked by a
Continuous Display of the Splen-
dor of the Far East.
New York Times, Dec. so.


Incident to which opened with the entrance
of the viceroy. Lord Curzon, into Delhi
yesterday. is a wide plain to the north of
the city, which has been the storm center
of so much Indian history. 1t is looked
down upon by that famous bridge where
the British troops made their stand in 1851
and near which, at Ludlow Castle, Lord
Roberts was lighting his battery when the
Kashmir gate was blown in. 1t was
through this gate that Lord Curzon
marched yesterday to his quarters in the
center of the camp, which lies on the plain
at the foot of the ridge some twenty miles
away from the imperial city TO the north
ward.
The camp is a vast city of canvas twenty
four miles i'm circumference. In the center
arc the yiceregal quarters-1,5OO large tents,
besides a substantial brick bungalow just
built, to be hereafter the residence of the
high officials who go to Delhi. There Lord
and Lady Curzon, with their suite. will be.
There also, in eight large connecting tents.
will be quartered the Duke and Duchess OF
Connaught and their attendants. Surround
ing will be the tents assigned TO the gov
ernors of the presidencies of Bombay and
Madras, to Lord Kitchener, communicating
chief of the forces i'm India; to the lieu
tenant governors of the various provinces.
and to the British chief commissioners and
residents. Close to the quarters of the
commander-in-chief are those assigned ~
General the Marquis of Okla. the repre-
sentative of Japan, who is thus especially
honored. Each suite of tents is deliberately
decorated and separated by beautiful ORR
entail gardens.
In a sort of circle outside of the vice regal
assigned
native chiefs and rulers. who are publicly
to acknowledge themselves vassals of Ed
ward VII, and in the same zone the camps
of the foreign cOusulS and, somewhat closer
in, the British and native press. However.
as each native prince Is accompanied by
many bejeweled followers with their fol-
lowers, and the imposing complement of
elephants BETTING his rank, little of the
space is left for the foreigners and press
people.
of the native princes, having in mind the
danger of sudden dust storms. have rented
substantial dwellings. Tho Nizama. of Hy-
derabad, for instance, is to lodge In Lud-
low Castle, for which, 1t is said, be paid
G35.0O0 rent.
VAST WORK OF PREPARATION.
Without and beyond the second ring Of
camps are the quarters of unofficial visit
ors-persons of many lands and races. The
camps i'm this outer ring are not shown irr
the diagram. They are numbered. Camp
/ has Maidens Hotel for it's center, and Of
fers board and lodging at the rate of from
IS to As rupees day. Camp is bit
cheaper. and is especially popular with
Americans. Camp provides furnished and
unfurnished tents aud, even at nominal
rent, plots of ground for the pitching of
tents. Here many poor natives and Eura-
slams find quarters For the conveniences
nd of
furnishes large market and has a bakery
capable of turning out 5000 loaves a day.
This market Is I'm the center of the outer
For many weeks armies of coolies have
been at work upon these camps and upon
the amphitheater where the durbar proper
is to be held. Fifty miles of roads also
have to be built and macadamized with
coarse iron and mica, so that they shine
| like silver in the sun. To connect all the
| camps light railway has been built
| Lord Curzon will open this afternoon the
| Indian Arts Exhibition in a building erect
| ed I'm the famous Kudsia Gardens. outside
| the Kashmir gate. This exhibition repre-
sents the best examples of all the arts in
| the vast Indian Empire, many priceless
| treasures being loaned and the other ex-
| hibits being for sale. The exhibition will
continue open during the winter months.
On Jan. /, at noon, will be the coronation
| durbar, which will take place i'm a vast
| amphitheater shaped like a horseshoe
| erected upon the spot where on Jan; l, 1877
| Lord Lytton, then viceroy, held the first
| imperial assemblage which proclaimed Vic
| toria Empress of India. This amphithea-
| ter is about four miles distant from the
| city, and from the main camp about two
| miles. lying to the northwest of the latter
| in the Bawari plain, region ordinarily
| given over to desolation, except for a few
| shy deer and ungainly wading birds.
The amphitheater, gprgeously decorated
| and canopied. provides seats and standing
room for 1900 people, and I'm the toe of tn,
| horseshoe is the dais where the viceroy
cit he rrrliy s4fc lf-fs.,
/ guished guests in the front rows of tn,
adjoining tiers.
The viceregal party will go in full stat,
| from the camp TO the amphitheater, pass
ing the quarters of many of the bodies O
| troops posted along the road. and proceed
ing to the dais around a driveway within
the horseshoe, in the center of which viii
| float the royal standard. The ceremonie
| will consist of the proclamation of Edward
| as kaisar-i-Hind, or Emperor of India tn
royal salute, the playing of massed bands
| the vicerOy'S address and the presentation
| of the ruling chiefs.
In the surrounding plain will be deploye,
| the 10000 troops which have been maneu
vering in the vicinity. and which have dur
| ing Christmas week converged at Delhi TO
| the durbar. These troops consist OF abou
| 1900 British, 1880 native 1850 imperia
service troops and 1000 volunteers Tn
native troops represent all parts of India
while the followers of the various attendan
princes will probably furnish such va
riety OF races and costumes as has neve
been seen in modern times.
GREAT THRONG OF VISITORS.
The crowds which have been pouring int
Delhi for several days-natives Of the Pun
jab. by many roads, and foreigners an
others by ship to Bombay. and excursio
trains thence to the imperial city-numbe
several hundreds of thousands
The festivities will be continued Frida
night, Jan. 2. with gorgeous illuminate
in Indian style of the fort and the city {
Delhi, and display of fireworks in til
open space between the Jumna Musjid an
the fort. On Jan. will be held in tn
Diwan-i-Am, or throneroom OF the Grea
| Mogul in the fort chapter of the India
| orders-the Star of India and the India
Empire. Lord CurZ0n, as grand master
both orders, will make the formal invest
| lures in accordance with the awards an
| promotions, which are likely to be numel
GUS This formal chapter will be yer
| brilliant affair, and some two thousan
people will be present.
| On Sunday the 4th, will be held a sta,
| service for the British troops and Europea
| guests and visitors, and at this service IL
, Metropolitan of India will officiate
The following day will probably see r.
| view of the troops, and of the retainers ar
elephants of the native chiefs, which vi
make a very gorgeous show. and the sta
ball will follow on the next day. Jan. g.
the Diwan-i-Am, temporary extensiC
built on to the ancient Hall of Audience
, the Great Mogul, furnishing a ballroor
while the supper will be served upon ii
| ma rhle terraces of the Diwan-i- Ehas TT