Maharaja @ V&A

Victoria and Albert Museum are hosts to the splendid Maharaja Exhibition this season, finishes on 17th January I think
It concentrated on the Indian kingdoms and their rulers, old school Indian art that sells! of course it was a ticketed which explains the content. However it didn't feel superficial and seemed considerable research was done for the material up for display. The Indian miniature paintings (with detailed expressions, hair, pearls, clothes and everything in the frame) seemed to be the highlight mostly along with some videos, photographs and objects.

Other than the Indian miniature paintings the exhibition concentrated on the artistic details of the courts that I or any other person would have taken for granted if living in the 18th or 19th century! Things like embroidered cloth under a tent, a beaded and jewel woven canopy, meena work on the insides of the belt, beautiful turban jewels and necklaces, diamond, ruby, emerald studded weapons, a gold plated throne, Jewel studded umbrellas, Royal Palanquins (palkis), embroidered gaddis (or royal thrones) were the typical features of the splendour of India's Royal courts. But because they were kept on their own, in glass chambers, it was fascinating to notice the details and feel so proud of our meticulous artists who devoted selflessly into making the Royal courts look magnificent!
My friend and i also observed how the paintings of the rulers, courts, processions never had a mention of the name or family of artists who created it but only the name of the ruler who possessed it. Which is why my heart goes out to those artists even more!
She was also quick to spot if the painting was by foreign artist or Indian, as honestly in the foreign artist paintings, the minute details were missing and the facial expressions seemed much colder and stern perhaps.

Photographs by Man Ray portrayed two sides of the early 20th century British inspired princes. There were fantastic pictures of the Prince of Udaipur in his Indian prince outfit with his wife and three piece suit with his mistress in France where he studied. Another aspect of splendor?
In fact the Indian Princes were so influenced by the west that they commissioned their jewellery from french companies, Cartier and Louis Vitton and no they weren't wearing western designs, but the same emerald, ruby, diamond studded jewels.
The Indian jewels designed by Cartier and Vitton for our Maharajas in 1930s definitely became a trend. The travel bags were amazing by Vitton, with little compartment and boxes for everything. I want one! dream on!

Also the 1st Rolls Royce commissioned by an Indian ruler, that became symbol of modernity was probably another example that embarked the concept of possessing western goods. To see that car right there was such a bonus, there was also footage playing of it being driven around in Jodhpur. I think this is where it all started our obsession for everything western.

In almost every museum in London the last gallery always leads to the museum shop! So yeah you could find everything there from outfits, pens, spiritual books, little purses to ambi printed umbrellas. Even those flat Damarus, that you find in Melas (when we were kids) were there!. overpriced artificial jewellery (overpriced for me as i know they're cheaper in India), ghungroo bracelets, embroidered bags and every damn thing you'd find on the streets of Janpath in New Delhi. I wanted to go home (in Delhi) and Natalie (my friend) was consoling me!

Overall it was really nostalgic for me and i loved it for those reasons. I also enjoyed the variety, the colour, loved the classical music in the background and the fact that after seeing three rooms full of Indian splendor I was gutted it finished and where those two hours just disappeared!