Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-15
.GA|KWlR OF DAR0DA
Reforms Accomplished in the
Garden Of India
FOLLOWED A TYRANT
SURPASSED THE FAMOUS SPEND
THRIFTs OF ROME.
Beat the World for Extravaganza OF
His Barbaric Splendors-Was
Finally Deposed
FOLLOWED A TYRANT
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star and
Chicago Recsrd- Herald.
BOMBAY, January 16, 1904.
There are to be great doings up at Baroda
on the 4th of February, and the gaikwar,
as the ruling native prince is called, has
expressed desire for us to be present. He
has a becoming respect for and apprec1a-
ton of the influence and usefulness of the
press, and it is a pleasure to find so sensi-
BILE a man among the great native rulers.
But, owing to circumstances over which
we have no control. including the climate
of the Philippines, we shall have to deny
ourselves the qualification of witnessing
an event which few foreigners have ever
been allowed to see. 1t is pity winter is
SO short over here. for there are so many
countries one cannot comfortably visit any
other time of year. Hence we must hurry
through India and get to Manila before
the heat and the rain begin.
Baroda is a non-tributary, independent
native state of the first rank. lying directly
north of the province of Bombay, and Its
ruler is called a 'gaIHwar, which signifies
"cowherd. / do not quite understand
whether it is his son or his daughter that
shine everything In the history OF INDIA
except the imperial durbar at Delhi last
winter. for the gaikwar Is one OF the big
sest men in the country, and one of the
richest and one of the greatest swells. He
is entitled to a salute Of twenty-one guns,
an honor conferred upon only two other
native princes, the Maharajah of Mysore
and the Nizam of Hyderabad. He is one
of the ableSt and one of the most pro-
gTessive Of the native princes. His family
trace their descent back to the gods Of
mythology. but he is entirely human HIM
self and handsome man Of middle age
When We saw him for the first time the
other night he had half a dozen gariands
of flowers hanging around his neck, and
three or four big bouquets in his hand
which, according to the custom of the coun-
try, had been presented to him by affec-
tfonate friends.
L was he who presented to the city of
Bombay the beautiful statue Of Queen Vic
teria which ornaments the principal public
square. 1t is one of the finest monuments
to be seen anywhere, and expressed his ad-
m:ration of his empress, who had shown
particular interest in his career.
Surpassed the Roman Spendthrifts.
The prssent saikwar was placed upon the
throne In 1874 by Lord Norshbrook, who
was the vtceroy Of India, to succeed NAL
har RAo, one Of those fantastic persons we
read about in fairy stories but seldom find
in real life For extravagant phantasies
and barbarfc spfendors he beat the world
He surpassed even those old spendthrifts
Of the Roman empire. Nero. cahgufa and
Tiberfus- He spent a million Of rupees to
celebrate the marriage ceremonies Of
favorite pigeon of his aviary. which was
mated with one belonging to his prime
minister. But the most remarkable of his
eXtravagant freaks was rug and two
pillow covers of pearls, probably the
81 eatest marvel of all the fabrics that
were ever woven since the world was
made.
The carpet. which is ten feet six inches
by six feet in size. is woven entirely of
strings of perfect pearls A border eleven
Inches wide and center ornament are
ers are three feet by two feet six inches
in size. For three years the jewel mer-
chants of India. and they are many. were
searching for the material for this extra
ordinary affair, and it cost several mil
lions of dollars. 1t was intended as a
present for Mohammedan lady who had
fascinated his highness and the British
resident at his capital interviewed and pro-
hibited the gift on the ground that the
state of Baroda coulL not afford to indulge
its ruler in such generosity. and that the
scandal would reflect upon the admins
tration of the Indian empire.
The carpet still belongs to the state and
may be seen by visitors upon a permit from
one of the higher authorities. 1t is kept in
q safe place with the rest of the state
jewels which are the richest in India and
probably the most costly belonging to any
individual government m the world. The
regala of the gaikwar intended for the
state occasions. which will be worn by him
at the wedding is valued at e3.OOO, GOO CS15-
O00,G0O. He appeared in it at the recent
dUrbar. 1t consists of collar and shoulder
pieces made of 500 diamonds, some of them
as large walnuts. The smallest would be
considered a treasure by any lady in the
land. The border Of this collar is made of
three bands of emeralds, of graduated sizes,
the outer row consisting of jewels nearly an
inch square From the collar. as a pendant
hangs one of the largest and most famous
diamonds in the world known as the Star
OF the Deccan.' Its history may be found
i'll any works on jewels. There is an aigrette
to match this collar, which his highness
wears in his turban.
This is only one of the several sets to be
found in this collection. There are strings
of pearls as large as marbles and a rope of
pearls nearly four feet long braided of four
strands and every pearl is said to be per-
feet and the size of n pea. The rope is
about an inch in diameter. Besides these
are necklaces, bracelets, brooches, rings
and every conceivable ornament set with
jewels of every variety. which have been
handed down from generation to generation
in this princely family for several hundred
years. One OF the most interesting of the
necklaces is made of uncut rubies said to
have been found in India. 1t has been worn
for more than thousand years.
These jewels are kept in a treasure room
in the heart of the Nazar Bgah Palace. =
Suarutsd HISnl anu gay Ds Il Dattal1On of
soldiers. At night when the palace Is closed
half a dozen huge eheetahs, savage beasts
of the leopard family. are released In the
corridors, and, as you may imagine, they
make efficient watehmen. They would make
a burglar very unhappy. During the day
time they are allowed to wander about
the palace grounds. but are carefully muz-
zied
A Superb Palace.
Malhar Rao built superb palace at a
cost of n.50oooo which is considered the
most perfect and beautiful example Of the
Understandable order of architecture in
existence. and Its interior finish and deco
ration are wonderful for their artistic beau
ty. detail and variety. In front of this ual
ace are two guns OF solid gold weighing
80 pounds each. and the carriages, ammu-
milton wagons and other aeeoutrements are
made of solid silver. The present mahara-
5ah Is said to have decided to melt then,
down and have them coined into good