Gayatri Devi (1919-2009).
Indian princess and politician.
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She was the third Maharani consort of Jaipur from 1940 to 1949, a politician, and philanthropist who was admired as an icon of glamorous royalty but later emerged as an outspoken politician and social activist.
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Ethnically born in a Koch Rajbongshi Hindu family, her father was Maharaja Jitendra Narayan of Cooch Behar in West Bengal, and her mother was Maratha Princess Indira Raje of Baroda, the only daughter of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III.
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In 1940 she became the third wife of Sawai Man Singh II, the maharajah of Jaipur and an international polo player. Gayatri Devi rejected purdah (the seclusion expected of female Indian royalty), traveled frequently, and received foreign dignitaries, including U.S. first lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1962. Gayatri Devi also founded several girls’ schools.
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Following India's independence and the abolition of the princely states, she became a successful politician in the Swatantra Party. She advocated free enterprise and greater involvement with the West. She served 12 years in Swatantra Party, during which time she was a prominent critic of Indira Gandhi's government. When Prime Minister Gandhi declared a state of emergency in 1975, she was arrested due to an alleged political vendetta on the false accusation of violating tax laws and was jailed for five months. After her departure from politics, she lived a quiet life in her large estate, spending time with her grandchildren and on hobbies and leisure.
She published her biography, A Princess Remembers, written by Santha Rama Rau, in 1976.
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Gayatri Devi was also celebrated for her classical beauty and became something of a fashion icon in her adulthood.
She was a particularly avid equestrienne. She was an excellent rider and an able Polo player. Her Highness was fond of cars and is credited with importing the first Mercedes-Benz W126, a 500 SEL to India which was later shipped to Malaysia.
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She had a son, Prince Jagat Singh.
She died on 29 July 2009 in Jaipur, at the age of 90. She was suffering from paralytic ileus and a lung infection. She left an estate estimated at nearly half a billion USD.
@allegoriesinmediasres asked for: Rama/Sita, travel!AU, friends to lovers, “you confuse me”
as usual, this is completely unedited and thus is probably chock full of grammar errors, bad characterization, and terrible pacing. but! it was fun to write on my end so as always if u want me to rewrite it I’d be glad to lmaoo. it’s super super super cheesy at the end…like the whole third bit is just super cliche but w/e i love cliche romance its all good lol. anyways, i hope you like it at least a little!! thank you so much for the prompt <3 <3 <3
if you’d like to send me an au prompt from this list, please do!!
(title is from a lovely ar rahman song from the movie meenaxi, and also apparently a hindi soap, meaning “what is this relationship called?” )
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It’s been two weeks since the Raghuvanshi Group put out a notice that nearly brought the Indian manufacturing industry to its knees: Ramachandra, eldest son of Dasaratha Raghuvanshi and anointed heir since his very first breath, has been stripped of his VP positions within the company, his stock options, even his entrance card. The gossip blogs report that Ramachandra has lost access to the family accounts and family property, have posted pictures of the young man once posed to be the next titan of Indian Industry at a local branch of the Bank of India, handing over what is rumoured to be his great-grandfather’s watch as a starting sum so that he can get his own personal account.
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Draupadi = The mind
The five Pandavas = The five senses
The Kauravas = The world’s negative influences (e.g. greed, lust, arrogance, etc.)
When the senses become incapable of performing, the mind becomes vulnerable to evil influences. Then, it is the mind that has to fight back. Then, it is the mind that, with devotion to the soul, saves itself. (I will let you determine who the soul is.)
Orchid: fertility, virility, sexuality, exotic beauty
Iris: eloquence, royalty, faith, wisdom, hope, valor
Jasmine: beauty, sensuality, love, purity
Sunflower: adoration, platonic love, admiration, loyalty
Red Rose: passionate, requited love, desire
Peony: bashfulness, wealth, compassion, beauty, happy marriage
Lavender: purity, silence, devotion, grace, calmness
Lilac: affection, youthful innocence, confidence, humility
Anthurium: hospitality, happiness, abundance
Daisy: innocence, purity, true love, new beginnings
Anemone: fading hope, forgotten love, faires, anticipation
Gardenia: purity, hope, trust, secret love, dreams, clarity
Hyacinth: sincerity, sporty attitude, playfulness, rashness, jealousy
Daffodil: creativity, inspiration, renewal, awareness, unrequited love
Horner Ancient Woodland
photographed by Freddie Ardley - instagram
Annabeth Chase from the Percy Jackson and the olympians series
being able to control armies can make people weak, or hungry, but a true queen can control her army and still call them friends