The lives of Maharajas and Nawabs of India have been chronicled several times over. But how much do we hear of the lives of royal women? An ongoing exhibiton at Tasveer—premier pan-India gallery dedicated exclusively to photography—attempts to present a counterpoint to the usual narrative, capturing India’s royalty through a different lens. ‘Maharanis: Women of Royal India’, being showcased in Bangalore from Feb 19 to Mar 21, attempts to provide a glimpse into the lives of India’s distinguished female royalty – the countless high-born figures instrumental in keeping India’s rich regal tradition alive. The photographs not only celebrate the resplendent beauties of princely India, but also point us towards the ways in which these women circumvented and reinvented the traditional, or embraced and reinvented the modern. Understanding the socio-historical significance of these photographs, the exhibition approaches these women — alluring figures sporting chiffon sarees and exquisite jewellery, featured in Vogue lists and touted as fashion icons — as voices from the past that history has seldom paid attention to. There’s also an accompanying publication—a coffee table book on the Maharanis, which includes additional material sourced from research stages, as well as over a hundred photographs of India’s royal women. Visitors can choose to bring home the book, or a boxed set of 20 photographs (archival prints) from the exhibition, which we’re sure would be a Collector’s Delight. Here’s your chance to get up close and personal with royalty.
