Lyon and Lucknow may be several thousand miles apart but they are linked by two things: a weaving heritage and one of history's great adventurers, Major-General Claude Martin. Soldier, harem keeper, indigo farmer, palace builder and hot-air balloonist, Martin's life could only perhaps have taken place in the 18th century. A tropical Barry Lyndon, he was born in 1735 to generations of vinegar brewers but, thirsting for adventure, Martin fled Lyon with the Compagnie des Indes. His mother ordered him not to return until he was "in a carriage", and he fought against the British in the Carnatic Wars prior to defecting to the East India Company (enlisting in the Bengal Army) once the French lost their colony of Pondicherry in 1761.
Distrusted by both colonies as a deserter and not-quite-a-gentleman, Martin nevertheless distinguished himself as a strategist and surveyor, with a Machiavellian turn of mind that thrived in the cut and thrust of colonial derring-do. Managing to get himself appointed to the plum role of superintendent of the arsenal for the Nawab of Awadh, Asafud-Daula, at Lucknow, Martin began to amass his fortune. Shadowy was the provenance of most of his riches-backdoor sion with Enlightenment-era treasures, including ranks of classical statues and a philosophical library with many Oriental manuscripts. In true potentate fashion, he installed seven Indian mistresses and two African eunuchs, Mahboob and Amber, whom he acquired from an Arab trader.
Esta historia es de la edición September 2022 de VOGUE India.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición September 2022 de VOGUE India.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
HEART AT WORK
London is a stomping ground for many South Asian creatives. AKANKSHA KAMATH meets an artist, an author-stylist and the duo behind a first-of-its-kind label on Savile Row to see what their work desks reveal about their unique expression
TSUNAINA
Otherworldly and bewitching are two words associated with the multi-hyphenate model. But who is the person behind the sculptured mask?
Viscountess of Hearts
She was catapulted into the stratosphere as Bridgerton's leading lady in 2022, but Simone Ashley is quite enjoying the descent as the spotlight shifts to a new couple this season. Speaking with Grammy Award nominee and fellow South Asian artiste Anoushka Shankar, she reflects on navigating fame, where she's headed next and if her path will lead her to India
Waning and waxing
The terror of inherited trauma always made SHYAMA LAXMAN keep her mother at arm's length. Now, with both of them older and wiser, there's a new dynamic to their relationship
Three's company
For as long as she can remember, SADAF SHAIKH has only ever hung out with her friends in groups, rarely one-on-one. Finally, she enlists help to excavate her passive pal origin story
Welcome to paradise
In the heart of the Mediterranean, a sisterhood gathers to pray, paint watercolours and pursue peace through spiritualism. MEDINA TREVATHAN reflects on the heaven to be found within The Women Sanctuary
The long game
Tamannaah Bhatia knows exactly what her skin needs-simple rituals, serums and stress-free days.
Current affairs
Can you plug into better skin with microcurrent therapy?
Ice me out
Torture method or genius life hack? NIDHI GUPTA investigates whether ice baths are really as cool as they're cracked up to be
She's got the look
Pop on a Punjabi song, fill a bowl with ice and get ready to immerse yourself in Kriti Sanon's skincare universe