Adapting to change, royal style

In the pre-Independence times, the Kings of India ruled the land and they amasses riches and wealth which is unimaginable today. The Kings and their royalties no longer exist but their ways of living, their palaces, remain a part of our culture, a depiction of the rich heritage we come from. There were many Kings then, who post the 1947 era had to relinquish their ‘kinghood’ and many Kings ended up living life like a commoner. Most suffered as they simply refused to accept and adjust to the new existence; with money dwindling they could no longer afford their old lifestyle and many kings lived and died unhappy.

But that is not the case though for one rare, humble king. 92 years old Brajraj Kshatriya Birbar Champuti Singh Mahapatra was the erstwhile king of Tigiria in Cuttack district, Orissa. Today, he lives in a hut, with a leaky roof, covered by a makeshift tarpaulin. His only possessions in life – a wooden bed, a few books, a torch, a plastic saline bottle and lots of cobwebs. The villagers feed him every day, which is tea and biscuits for breakfast, dal and rice for lunch and roti for dinner. He leads a very meagre life but sys that he is alive even now because he is happy, has learnt to accept and enjoy this simple life.

That’s a big deal for him to say and he was used to living in a palace, enjoyed his imported liquor, owned 25 cars and jeeps including a Roadmaster, Chevrolet and a Packard. He had a bevy of 30 servants serving him. And today, giving up all that and enjoying a life of anonymity is huge.