highlights
Maharaja Jagjit Singh was 34 years old at that time and dancer Anita was 17 years old.
When the Maharaja asked for her hand from the dancer’s father, he was clearly refused.
Then the Maharaja placed so much money on the father’s hand that he could not refuse.
Before independence, the love stories of Indian Maharajas and Queens are very popular. He was eager to get closer to foreign women and marry them. There are many such stories, not just one. One such love story is of Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala. His heart fell on a cabaret dancer from Spain. He was fascinated by her. Completely crazy about her. The Maharaja became desperate to make her his queen. It was not easy but somehow he convinced the Spanish dancer and his parents. The Maharaja had married four times. Even after this he got married.
This love story of Maharaja Patiala was so popular that a Hollywood film was made on it. Many books were also written. This marriage had made a lot of headlines. It is interesting to know how the Maharaja became enchanted on seeing this dancer. How he sent her a love proposal. Then how did you agree to love?
The Maharaja fell in love with a Spanish beauty in 1906. Raja met Anita in a night club in Spain. Where Anita used to present programs as a dancer. The Maharaja had gone to a wedding ceremony on the invitation of the Spanish king there.
The king who wanted to merge with Pakistan, couldn’t do it so ran away there, now his descendants are regretting it.
Maharaja was mesmerized at first sight
The Maharaja had definitely heard discussions about the charm of Anita’s cabaret dance. But when he saw her for the first time, he became fascinated. Raja felt lightning striking his heart with every movement of the dancer. Maharaja was 34 years old at that time i.e. twice Anita’s age.
When Maharaja Jagatjit Singh saw the cabaret dance of Anita Delgado, he was fascinated by her. And then I specifically went and met him.
Diwan Jarmani Das has described this story in detail in his book “Maharani”. Apart from this, Javier Moro has also written an entire novel on this in his book “Passion India”. Famous actress Penelope Cruz bought the rights to make a film on this book, but later due to opposition from the Maharaja’s family, this film could not be made.
fairy face and charming dance
It can also be called a story of passion of love. Anita Delgado was a very beautiful 17 year old girl from Spain. Fairy-like face and charming dance. Maharaja of Kapurthala of Punjab became enamored with this. Loved her first. Then they brought him to their palaces.
Why is bread round in the world, why is the dough kneaded?
It is said about Anita that she was attractive and completely different from other women. From Indian to British officials were eager to meet him. Her beauty, decency and sense of humor had impressed everyone.
She lived in half Eastern and half Western style. She could wear saree as easily as foreign dresses.
She was the fifth wife of the Maharaja. The Maharaja already had four sons, the eldest of whom was almost Anita’s age. Coming to India and living in the king’s palace was not very pleasant for 20 year old Anita. She was also accused of having an affair with her stepson, which according to the book by Javier Moro was true because she had fallen in love with Kamal, the Maharaja’s elder son. Later the Maharaja threw him out of his life. He was sent back to Spain with a good pension.
This is how friendship started deepening
Maharaja Jagatjeet became completely infatuated with Anita after watching the cabaret dance. Maharaja was introduced to Anita after the dance. Both became friends. Friendship deepened. Then it turned into love. One day the Maharaja expressed his love without any hesitation. Anita also started feeling attraction towards the Maharaja.
The Indian king who first brought a foreign queen, the British got angry, lost his throne, got exiled.
The path to marriage was not easy
When Raja proposed marriage, Anita said that the only hurdle in this was that her father’s approval would have to be taken. After this we will get married. The Maharaja then went to Anita’s father along with her to ask for her hand. The father refused to even meet the Maharaja. Although he was an ordinary person. The condition of the house was not good. That’s why the daughter had to start a dance program.
When Anita’s father refused to marry his daughter to the Maharaja, he was disappointed but did not give up. Ultimately he gave a huge amount to Anita’s father.
The king gave a huge amount to the Spanish dancer’s father
When the Maharaja offered a huge amount of money in exchange for Anita’s marriage, he could not refuse. However, even after that many problems emerged. The father asked – Does the Maharaja have other wives also? The Maharaja’s answer was – Yes. But none of them are as beautiful as Anita. The father again became adamant on this matter. Ultimately the daughter assured her father that it would not make any difference to her, because the Maharaja had fallen in love with her very much.
First marriage in court in Europe then marriage with pomp in India
After this the Maharaja got married. Marriage first took place in Europe as a court marriage. Then the Maharaja brought him to Kapurthala and got married with great pomp. Anita’s life changed like a fairy tale. Where she lived in poverty in Spain. Now she came to the palace and became a queen and started living in luxury. After marriage, she used to travel to Europe with the Maharaja every year. The travelogues of the Maharaja and his Spanish queen Anita Delgado were published in newspapers around the world. They used to travel tirelessly. Sometimes these reports also contained sarcasm.
Despite the fact that British officers were unhappy with his excessive travels, the Maharaja never stopped traveling the world.
Her name was changed to Maharani Prem Kaur Sahiba. She had a son from the Maharaja, whose name was Ajit Singh. Anita was so beautiful that she was offered to become a model by the famous painters of Madrid, Julio Romero and Ricardo Baroza, but Anita rejected it.
both separated
Later the distance between the two started increasing. The king’s heart was filled with it. When Raja married again, his distance from Anita had increased. There was tension in their relationship. The king sent him back to Spain. Later she started living secretly with her secretary in Paris. According to the book by Javier Moro, the person whom she called her secretary was her lover and close friend. His name was Gines Fernandez de Segura. He was the husband of Anita’s cousin and was a widower when he came close to Anita. He was a stock broker and a well-educated person, who spoke many languages.
The Maharaja kept giving her money, the jewelery she had returned from Kapurthala was worth several crores. Anita died on 7 July 1962. But Anita Delgado’s story was very popular in Spain in the 60s and 70s. When Javier Moro wrote a novel on her life, she again became fresh in people’s minds. Anita’s son Ajit Singh died in 1982.
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Tags: Love, Love Story, Patiala, royal wedding
FIRST PUBLISHED: April 16, 2024, 21:06 IST