New-York tribune., 1906-05-20
VISITOR FROM FAR EAST
Maharam of Baroda Mach inter
csted IN american Women.

| visited the United States, far as known, is
the Maharani OF Baroda, wife Of the GaekWar
Of that state, who arrived in this city with her
suite week ago on the White Star liner Celtic
| Although in appearance a typical East Indian.
| with ALI the costumes and jewelry belonging 10
that dreamy race, the Maharani in fact Is
European in culture and education, speaking al
most perfect English and being cognizant to
high degree of the customs and institutions OF
this country.
In contrast 20 her husband, the MaharaJah.
the Maharani does not like the clothes OF the
modern New York woman. and insists on wear
| ing the robes Of the East Indian. The conven-
| tional idea Of an Indian princess bedecked with
Jewels and blaze OF color is lacking, however,
as her clothes are Of quiet hue and her Jewels
are few. About the only bright color noticeable
| is a pink dot Of paint in the middle Of her fore
head the insignia Of her station as a married
woman with a husband living. This mark does
not in the least mar her face, however. She has
big black eyes with an exceedingly gentle ex-
| preston, and as she glides rather than walks
about her suite on the second floor Of the Wal
dorf-Astoria she puts one in mind of the Far
East to a marked degree. 1t is not until she
! speaks in her excellent English, with only
slight trace of foreign accent that one is
brought back TO the present
, When seen in her suite the Maharani wore
East Indian women Of high caste and over her
head she wore drapery OF diaphaneous silk
with heavy gold border, yards in length and
draped in graceful folds about the figure and
falling from the waist in straight lines TO the
floor. In her jewels, both East Indian ideas and
modern European innovations were inconsist-
entity mingled She had Oriental earrings Of
pear shaped pearls hanging from large round
pearls. About her neck was a heavy gold collar
incrusted with diamonds and pearls. A foreign
innovation shown in the way OF bracelet
Of gold with watch set in It,
America, the Maharani thinks, is the most re-
marlkable place that she has ever visited. This
is so in spite OF the fact that she has visited
European courts four times. Ever since she
went to the Waidorf-Astoria week ago she has
been busy seeing first one place and then an
other, and after a week she thinks that the
sights are greater here than in Europe.
With the Maharani constantly as her body
guard is the brother OF the Maharajah, Sam
patrao Caikwad. He generally prevents inter-
viewers from seeing the princess but when in
particularly good humor has allowed persons to
talk with her The Maharani never leaves her
suite on the second floor of the Waldorf-Astoria
unless accompanied by her husband or brother
in-law, and then generally for drive or to at
tend some dinner privately given in her honor
There is one thing that has impressed me ex-
ceedine,lv" she said THAT is the colleges and
schools here for women. / am as much inter-
ested in the education of women as my husband
the Gaekwar. is in the colleges and schools for
men. We are both doing what we can in India
for the establishment of these schools. Barnard
College is a truly wonderful place and the
Teachers College is also most interesting. don't
think will ever forget the pleasure that was
given my husband when he visited the GYM
believe YOU call it. at Columbia University.
thought we could not get any dinner at all that
night he was so interested in the swimming
pools In India all enjoy much swimming
not in artificial pools as at Columbia but in the
riyers-and all classes, from the high caste
Hindoo to the lowest battle just as often as they
possibly can The water there is very warm
and enjoyable. and can stay in it for hours
without feeling any i'll effects"
The Maharan, who is thirty years old, does
not look a day over twenty-five. She mar
ried at twelve before the Maharajah had
changed the marrying age to fifteen. She has
son seventeen years old. and daughter four
teen. the marriage of the latter being under
consideration at present. and both the Maharani
and the MaharaJah doing their utmost to
delay it until she is older.
In the course of the week the Maharani was
the guest at several teas and dinners. She said
that she had enjoyed these affairs exceedingly.
American woman
American women have frequently visited
India" she said but 1, of course. never saw
them in their country until this week.
think they are wonderfully attractive and az
fable. There is a charm about them that en-
| braces those of all the other countries have
visited I am much in love with those whom
have met"
Once in the week the Maharani did some shop
ping in Fifth avenue and went to one OF the
| large department stores.
From what could see" she said, "the shops
are extremely interesting. made several pur-
chases. and find the saleswomen very pleasant
people to deal with"
do you intend accompanying your husband
on all Of his visits to educational institutions"
| the Maharani asked.
"Oh, no, indeed she said. 'I must rest some
| Of the time. My husbands desire to visit them
/ amounts almost to mania. ] accompany him
| some Of the time and interested in all
| that he sees and tells me, and will have
much to study and work when return to
our home in India"
An English woman, Mrs Burroughs who for
seven years has been member Of this royal
! household, said that the Maharajah and the
! Maharani had given orders TO a clipping bureau
| for all press notices, that upon their return
| 70 Baroda they can study them. and in that
| way recall many things which would pos
sibly have escaped their remembrance.
Tea was served to the Maharani by a beiew-
eed Indian attendant, and afterward she said:
MY husband is man or very progressive ideas.
He keeps abreast Of the times to a remarkable
extent and / believe knows much Of the
| customs and conditions here as MANY oP vour
vantages. and have read much and have heard
much too, OF the American woman, in the va
riOus cities of Europe and I'm England
THE American woman certainly has one thing
that no other woman has; that is her inde-
pendence. She has briancy and joyousness
that is hers through her EuTopean ancestors
She also has advantages Of travel and ad,,ootto,