When Kumbh Mela Got a 'Royal' Touch

FROM THE ARCHIVES

- K Sandeep Kumar

Rulers of nine erstwhile princely states had attended the 1882 religious fair in Prayagraj, show records.

The royals who had attended the religious fair included the rulers of Manda, Daiya and Bara princely states of the then Allahabad region, besides the rulers of Kashi, Nahetia, Vijaynagar, Banshi, Bharatpur and Jaipur princely states, claims the official report of the then Allahabad's joint magistrate T Jensen filed in 1882. The report lies preserved as a rare document in the Prayagraj regional archives even today. Syed Liaquat Hussain was posted as the city inspector at the time. The records show that the 1882 Kumbh Mela was a rare instance when rulers of so many princely states attended the mega fair, says technical assistant of the archives Rakesh Kumar Verma.

After 1882, rulers of so many princely states never attended any Kumbh Mela organised by the British including those in 1894, 1906, 1918 and 1930, he added.