The Hindu : National : Rajmata's grandchildren raise palace issue

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Sunday, Jul 30, 2006

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National

Rajmata's grandchildren raise palace issue

Special Correspondent

Two uncles accused of depriving them inheritance

Gayatri Devi - PHOTO AP

JAIPUR: The grandchildren of Rajmata Gayatri Devi, the former Queen Mother of Jaipur, have approached the Company Law Board (CLB) seeking restoration of Jai Mahal Palace, the estate of their father, Maharaj Jagat Singh, to the family.

Devraj Singh (25) and Lalitya Kumari (27), who have come down here from Bangkok with their mother Priyanandana Rangsit of the Thailand royal family, have accused their two uncles, the stepbrothers of their father, of depriving them of their inheritance.

The property, spread over 17.18 acres in the heart of Pink City, which now houses a palace category hotel run by the Taj Group, was gifted to Jagat Singh, the only progeny of Gayatri Devi, by his father, the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh of Jaipur in 1956.

"Misdeeds"

The petition with the CLB charges Maharaj Prithvi Raj, son of the late ruler from his second Queen, of misdeeds in maintaining accounts and additional allotment of shares of the Jai Mahal Palace Hotel Private Limited to himself.

Prithvi Raj used to look after the property of Jagat Singh under a power of attorney when the latter was alive. Jagat Singh then owned 99 (5050 shares) per cent of the Jai Mahal Palace shares against 50 shares held by Prithvi Raj and his son. On the latest count both the father and son hold 93 per cent (65,000) of the shares whose numbers have also been increased.

The latest flare-up in the Jaipur royal family — disputes are legion between Bhawani Singh, the son of the late ruler who succeeded him as Maharaja and Gayatri Devi as well as his stepbrothers, Prithvi Raj and Jai Singh — over property is in the wake of surfacing of a "will," claimed to have been written by Jagat Singh on June 23, 1996. The will, in the form of a letter to Gayatri Devi, "disinherits" Devraj and Lalitya and bequeaths all his properties and assets to her.

"... On my demise, I hereby disinherit my children Devraj and Lalitya from getting/claiming any part of my estate. I hereby bequeath all my movable and immovable properties and assets to you solely," the unregistered will said.

"Stepsons' influence"

Priyanandana and her children hold the view that the Rajmata is acting against them under the influence of her stepsons. "Rajmata has become more and more dependent on her stepsons. At this age she does not seemingly want to disturb her life in any manner," Priyanandana, who addressed the media here on Friday, along with her children, said.

"I did not ask for anything when we separated. On the other hand, I brought up the children and gave them good education," she said. Lalitya is a Master's degree holder in archaeology from Cambridge University while Devraj, who had part of his studies in Jaipur, is a postgraduate in development studies.

"Will forged"

The "forged will" came to light only in April this year, the family pointed out. "No will was discovered for nine years after the demise of the Jagat Singh," Priyanandana noted. "Perhaps Rajmata does not like me. But the children should not be made to suffer," she asserted.

Never the favourite

Priyanandana, who legally separated from Jagat Singh in 1987, had never been the favourite of Gayatri Devi. However, Lalitya and Devraj used to remain in touch with her even after the demise of Jagat Singh in 1997. The grand mother's fondness for them was evident in the fact that Gayatri Devi a few years back started a school named after Lalitya in Jaipur. Devraj used to stay in Lilypool, the royal residence of the Rajmata, whenever he visited Rajasthan in the past.

At a loss

The young Devraj is at a loss to figure out when he lost the doting affection of his celebrated grandmother. The last time he had met her in London in 2005 was to complain about the anomalies in the running of his father's estate. She then had promised to get back to him soon, which she never did. Gayatri Devi is away to London.

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