Kapurthala State Its Past And Present

· 1921 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

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2hands of the British Government from time to time. In Decem-

3ber 1S90, the Government of India, to mark its appreciation of

4the excellent administration during the present Maharaja’s tong

5spell of minority and in recognition of the valuable services

6rendered during the Afghan War, was pleased to raise the status

7of the State as regards complimentary Khillats from Rs. 4,500

8to Rs. 6,000. In 1902, the powers of pissing sentences of

9death were conferred on His Highness in perpetuity.

10His Highness is a widely travelled I’rince. I le has been all

11over India. Europe, America, Egypt, China, Japan and Java.

12The first of his foreign visits was undertaken in 1893, when

13His Highness had the honour of being invited as a guest of

14Queen Victoria on the occasion of the marriage of His ] mjieriat

15Majesty King George V (then Duke of York). During his

16peregrinations His Highness has always been very' cordially

17received by the British Sovereign, and there is hardly a Euro-

18pean potentate with whom he cannot claim the privilege of a

19personal acquaintance. He enjoyed the unique privilege of

20being present at the historic Peace Conference at Versailles in

211919 These tours, the experiences of some of which lie has

22embodied in two highly interesting publications, apart front

23broadening his own mental outlook and invigorating his health,

24have been of practical value to the State in enabling His High-

25ness to infuse a progressive spirit into his administration. Archi-

26tecture has been one of His Highness' great hobbies. The

27most splendid abiding monument of his refined architectural taste

28is doubtless the new Palace which might appropriately be des-

29cribed as the Palace of Versailles of the Orient. This colossal

30structure, the foundation of which was laid in 190;, took seven

31years to build at a cost of thirty four lakhs of rupees.

32Among other buildings the most notable are the Villa Buona

33Vista, the Sikh Temple and the Jubilee Hall. The ChAtcau

34and the renovated Kapurthala House arc, by common consent,

35striking architectural embellishments of Mussooric and Lahore,

36respectively.

37His Highness is blessed with five sons and one daughter.

38The eldest son, Sri Tikka P.tramjit Singh Bahadur, was born

39on the 19th of May 1892, and this happy event was marked by

40great festivities and rejoicings throughout the State. The

41up-bringing and education of the young Princes was carefully

42planned and directed by the Maharaja. They were first placed

43under the tuition of competent English and I-reneh governesses

443