London, July 21 (Inditop.com) A major exhibition showcasing a treasure trove of never-seen objects owned by the former royals of India is to be launched at London’s Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum, possibly heralded by a procession of elephants and Rolls Royce cars, museum officials said Tuesday.
The exhibition, titled Maharaja: The Splendour of India’s Royal Courts, is to open in October and include objects that have never been seen publicly in India or abroad, including thrones, a Rolls Royce and gem-encrusted weapons.
“There has never been an exhibition like this before, showing the spectacular treasures of the courts of the maharajas,” said V&A Director Mark Jones.
“The exhibition will show that India’s rulers were significant patrons of the arts, in India and the West, and will tell the fascinating story of the changing role of the maharaja from the early 18th century to the final days of the Raj.”
Exhibition curator Anna Jackson said the show aimed to confront stereotypical images of the Maharaja that were particularly “pervasive” in Britain.
Museum officials said plans under discussion to flag the exhibition in London included a traditional Maharaja-style procession led by an elephant dressed in ornaments.
One of the objects being exhibited is the Patiala Necklace — part of the largest single commission ever executed by the Paris jewellers Cartier, the piece of jewellery contains 2,930 diamonds and weighs nearly a thousand carats.
