Photo 972, 7(353)

Genre: Ethnographical Photography

Large group, with the young Jaswant Singh, Maharaja of Bharatpur seated in the centre of his durbar: 'The photograph is an excellent illustration of a native independent chieftain of the highest class, in his durbar or court. The young prince sits in the centre on his guddee or royal seat...His dress, probably of velvet or fine English cloth, is plain, except the gold lace with which it is trimmed, and his sword lies on his knees. Behind him are four servants, two of whom, outside, hold mirchuls of peacocks' feathers, and the chouree of yak's tail hair; another, possibly the prince's pan and spice box. Behind these is a grogeous curtain, which forms an appropriate background, and two aftab-geers, each of different pattern, are held by attendants. In two rows on each side of the Rajah, the nobles and sirdars of the state are seated, who may be relatives, or officers in various departments of the state services...The photograph appears to have been taken in 1862, when the Maharajah was about eleven years old...'

Subjects = chauri-badars; chobdars; durbars; ethnic groups; Indian office holders; Indian rulers; Jats; official events; palace servants; printed books; sirdars; Watson and Kaye, 'People of India' (8 vols, 1868-75); Watson and Kaye, 'People of India' (vol 7, 1872)