Gayatri Devi
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Maharani Gayatri Devi, Rajmata of Jaipur (born May 23 1919 as Princess Gayatri Devi of Cooch Behar), was the third Maharani of Jaipur from 1939 to 1970, and is currently styled (unofficially) as the Rajmata, or Queen Mother. Following India's independence and the subsequent abolition of the princely states, she became an extremely successful politician. Gayatri Devi was also celebrated for her classical beauty and became something of a fashion icon in her adulthood.
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Early Life
Her father, Prince Jitendra Narayan of Cooch Behar, was the younger brother of the Yuvraja (Crown Prince). Her mother was Princess Indira Raje of Baroda, an extremely beautiful princess and a legendary socialite. Early in her life, her uncle's death led to her father ascending the gaddi (throne). Gayatri Devi studied at Shantiniketan, and later in Europe, where she travelled with her mother and siblings, then studied secretarial skills in London.
Marriage & Life in Jaipur
At the age of 19, she fell in love with Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur, a star athlete,. Their marriage was initially opposed by her parents, as Man Singh already had two wives: the daughter and sister of the Maharaja of Jodhpur. Conservative Rajput nobles, who disapproved of the liberal lifestyle of the royal family of Cooch Behar, were also against the marriage. However, Gayatri Devi's parents gave in to her determination, and she was to Man Singh married in 1939.
The Jaipur Royal Family lived a lavish life: hunting in their forests, spending summers in Europe, educating the royal children at elite schools in England, entertaining streams of famous visitors at their desert palaces, and generally living the typically flamboyant life which was normal for Indian royals. Maharani Gayatri Devi (as she was styled after marriage) was a particularly avid equestrienne. Gayatri Devi had one child, Prince Jagat Singh, Raja of Isarda, who was granted his grandfather's fief as a subsidiary title, and the Maharani later became the Rajmata, or Queen Mother.
Gayatri Devi was once included in Vogue magazine's Ten Most Beautiful Women list.<ref name="sahwney2004">Sahwney, Anubha (2004) I've never felt beautiful: Gayatri Devi. The Times of India. April 25.</ref>
Gayatri Devi started schools for girls' education in Jaipur, most prominent of which is the Maharani Gayatri Devi Girls' School. She also promoted the dying art of blue pottery.
Political career
After Partition and Independence Day in India in 1947, and later the abolition of Royal India in 1970, Gayatri Devi ran for Parliament in 1962 and won the constituency in the Lok Sabha in the world's largest landslide, confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records. She continued to hold this seat on 1967 and 1971, Swatantra Party, running against the Congress Party. This enraged Indira Gandhi, who retaliated in 1971 by abolishing the privy purses, and stopping all royal privileges, breaking the treaties agreed upon in 1947. Gayatri Devi was accused of breaking tax laws, and served 5 months in Tihar Jail. She retired from politics after that experience, and published her autobiography, A Princess Remembers, written with Santha Rama Rau, in 1976. She was also the focus of the film Memoirs of a Hindu Princess, directed by Francois Levie.
There were rumors that she might re-enter politics as late as 1999, when the Cooch Behar Trinamul Congress nominated her as their candidate for the Lok Sabha elections, but she did not respond to the offer.<ref>Gayatri Devi may contest polls from Cooch Behar, The Statesman, June 12 1999.</ref>
Family relationships
Gayatri Devi is related to a number of other royal families in India, and not only the Rajput royals. Her maternal grandparents were Maharaja Sayajirao and Maharani Chimnabai of Baroda. Through marriage, she was related to Maharaja Hanwant of Jodhpur, the Maharaja of Dewas, the Maharaja of Tripura, and the Maharaja of Kanchipuram in South India. She had one son, Maharaj Jagat Singh of Jaipur, erstwhile Raja of Isarda (Prince Jagat of Jaipur) whom passed away in 1997. She has two grand children, Princess Lalitaya Kumari and Prince Devraj Singh, Raja of Isarda. She is also indirectly related to the Maharaja of Lunawada and the Maharaol of Baria.
References
<references/> M.G.D. Girls' School website[1]