Lot 43
India - Princely States
Large collection of documents signed by Indian rulers, 1930s
Auction: 02 October 2025 from 10:00 BST
Description
57 printed questionnaires issued by the Chamber of Princes (Narendra Mandal) to rulers of states in Central India, Rajputana and elsewhere, each a single sheet (various dimensions), printed in red and black, each with autograph signature of the responding ruler in ink at foot, a few with ink-stamps of the Chancellor’s Secretariat, remnants of mounts to verso. Comprising:
a) Questionnaire on the projected constitution of a federalised India, 1932, enquiring whether the responding state stands for ‘equal individual representation', ‘plural representation’ or ‘representation by provincial, or other groups’ in the Chamber of Princes, 28 copies, of which 5 marked duplicate (marked for return to the Maharaja of Patiala as chancellor of the Chamber of Princes), and 23 third copies (marked ‘for favour of being posted direct to His Highness the acting chancellor’), 34.5 x 21cm, answers deleted as appropriate, several with typescript or manuscript notes under the heading ‘Remarks’. Signatories comprise the maharajas, rajas or nawabs of: Banswara; Bijawar; Sailana; Limbdi; Cambay; Dharangadhra; Sirmur; Alirajpur; Ajaigarh; Kishangarh; Dungarpur; Palitana; Kotah; Orchha; Baria; Mayurbhanj; Rajkot; Khilchipur; Baoni; Benares; Partapgarh; Jhabua; Jhalawar; Wadhwan; Narsingarh. Together with duplicate copies of the same document for the states of Barwani and Chhatarpur signed by the dewans only.
b) Questionnaire on state area, population and revenue, 1931, 17 copies, 32.5 x 14cm, answers provided in manuscript, several with typescript remarks added, mainly marked duplicate. Signatories comprise the rulers of: Alipura; Jaora; Bhaghat (with typescript remarks commencing ‘This state was of very great importance before the Gurkha War […]’); Jaipur; Karauli; Narsingarh; Cambay; Koriya; Rajgarh; Rajkot; Bikaner; Palitana; Alirajpur; Wankaner; Jhabua; Surguja; Sant.
c) Questionnaire on the matter of representation in the Chamber of Princes, 1931, 12 copies, all marked duplicate. Signatories comprise the rulers of: Limbdi; Baghat; Bansda; Sitamau; Bhadarwar (signed apparently in Gujarati); Khilchipur; Alirajpur; Jhabua; Kotah; Bhopal; Wankaner; Surguja.
Together with 9 copies of a printed petition addressed to the Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes (‘Your Highness’) outlining conditions for acceptance of any Indian constitution, 1931, signed by the rulers of Rajgarh, Dhami (2 copies, mounted), Bhor, Keonthal, Bijawar, Chamba, Beja, Loharu (68)
Footnote
The Chamber of Princes, or Narendra Mandal, was established in 1921 by order of George V. Its first chancellor was Ganga Singh, maharaja of Bikaner, who was succeeded by the maharajas of Patiala, and of Nawanagar, and finally by Hamidullah Khan, nawab of Bhopal. It was intended by the British to be an advisory body only, with executive power remaining with the Government of India, though it provided an official forum for political activity on the part of native Indian leaders in the decades leading to independence, when the chamber was dissolved.