The royal families have always led a life of opulence, but after the Independence in 1947, they lost their official power, but there was no dearth of the luxurious life they lived. Even today, the raja maharajas enjoy their influential and luxurious lifestyle. From the jewelled headgear to riding richly caparisoned horses and elephants, the Maharajas displayed the ultimate power and flaunted immense wealth.
It was after the Independence in 1947 when India’s royalty lost their official powers, and there were no official titles as maharajas. However, there are still many royal families, who lead an opulent lifestyle. They still have fine taste when it comes to raiding their Rolls-Royce or carrying their jewelled swords. And if we talk about their weddings, then there is no match.
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One such event was Prince Jaideep Jadeja and Princess Shivatmika Kumar’s royal wedding, which was considered one of the most expensive Indian weddings. Let us delve into more details from the same.
It was in 2015 when 23-year-old Prince Jaideep Jadeja, son of Prince Mandhata Singh Jadeja of Rajkot, tied the knot with Shivatmika Kumar of Rajkot, princess of the former princely state of Dungarpur, Rajasthan. The wedding was a lavish affair where the guests spent the whole week prior to the actual wedding in the town of Rajkot.
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The Jadeja family is one of the wealthiest royal families of Rajkot and celebrated their son’s wedding with a lot of pomp and show. The wedding did not happen in Rajkot, but the pre-wedding festivity lasted for seven days, and not just the guests but the public witnessed it.
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With a population of approximately 1.3 million residents, the town of Rajkot witnessed a seven-day long festival before the actual wedding of Prince Jaideep Jadeja. The main attraction of the wedding was a grand 8km procession, which included 5000 people along with 30 princes in their regal attire, walking alongside camels and elephants. The groom was a part of the procession, sitting on an elephant like a true royal with his golden throne.
Many popular Bollywood songs were played by the band, who walked along the procession. People swarmed on the streets and rooftops to get a mere glimpse of the prince. The grandeur of the procession looked surreal.
Ranjit Villa, the 100-room home of the royal family of Rajkot, built in 1870, was lit up, and royal guests stayed there for the week-long pre-wedding events. The palace with large lawns has now turned into a hotel. The father's groom, who hosted the event, stated that he was not bothered with the expenditure and instead tried to include every section of the society in the celebration.
During the one-week-long procession, the royals fed about 17,000 people in Rajkot. They visited hospitals and orphanages to help the poor and made generous contributions for the betterment of the needy. The groom's father, Prince Mandhata Singh Jadeja, talked about serving the poor and said:
“In order to connect with the people, in order to respect the fact that we've been born in this house, we should serve the people one way or another.”
After the week-long pre-wedding events, the groom and his 600 guests fly to Bangalore, the home city of the bride’s mother. Prince Jaideep Jadeja and Princess Shivatmika Kumar’s magnificent wedding took place at the Bangalore Palace, made like Windsor Castle, the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II.
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The baratis were flown in by Jadeja’s private jets to the wedding venue. The wedding in Bangalore was as extravagant as the opulent functions in Rajkot. Unlike this time, the wedding was a private gathering with members of the royal family in attendance. Talking to BBC, the groom, Prince Jaideep Jadeja, reveals why the royals don’t marry a commoner and said:
“The main reason why people like us marry in royal families only [is] because for normal people, it's very difficult to cope with the restrictions there are in the house.”
Talking about the budget for the wedding, the overall cost was over Rs. 150 crores. While the groom’s family fed the poor and cared for the needy during the wedding festivities, they also donated Rs. 7-8 crore to charity.
Despite the modernity, the royals have maintained their traditional values and roots. What are your views on the lives of the Maharajas? Let us know.
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