MAHARAJAHS AND THEIR LUXURY ACCESSORIES

As you already know, at the Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa our philosophy is based on “look after others and be looked after”, which is why today we would like to tell you about Maharajahs, Asian characters surrounded by the most unimaginable and exuberant luxury.

These characters who seem to have come out of fairy tales and legends and brought to reality, have reigned in India for centuries.

The Sanskrit word “Maharajah” means great king, and it can also be written as “Majarash”, “Majaras”, or “Maraja” due to the range of languages that exist in India.

Maharajahs lived surrounded by luxury, and they have been the most exotic and decorated kings of all time. It is said that the reason for this was that the British preferred to keep them distracted with pompous ceremonies in order to prevent them from having too much political power.

Legend has it that these dynasties came from the sun and the moon and became princes worshipped by their subjects as gods.

During the “durbars”, crowded ceremonies, the maharajahs used certain holy objects to transmit grandeur and power. Each element was carefully crafted; impressive jewels, turbans, dresses, shoes, swords and daggers, as well as thrones, sunshades, fans and outfits worn by the subjects that accompanied them.

The clothes worn by maharajahs were radiant. From head to waist they wore amazing jewels covering their bodies. They wore a ceremonial robe called “jama”, and as accessories they wore as many royal jewels as they could carry on them: chokers, swords, daggers, armbands and belts.

They also wore a turban decorated with jewels as a crown. Putting on their turban was a real ritual for monarchs.

In addition to turbans, maharajahs had other symbolic accessories such as the “chauri” (feather headdress), the “morchhal” (peacock feather fans) and heart-shaped fans.

Popular belief said that maharajahs needed to be seen and acclaimed by their people in order to reaffirm their power, and also the people needed to see them in order to take part in and share said power.

We are all familiar with a traditionally Indian jewel, the Koh-i-Noor diamond “mountain of light”. Nowadays, this diamond is one of the British crown jewels in the Tower of London. It was originally a 186-carat jewel which was later downsized to a 105-carat jewel by Queen Victoria’s husband, after several complaints claiming it was not shiny enough.

Like all other jewels in history, it also has a Hindu legend which says that “only God or a woman may wear it”, men who wore it fell under a lethal curse.

At the Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we have made all the arrangements to make you feel like a true maharajah. You shall enjoy a magnificent Asian experience full of treats, beauty and relaxation. Come and enjoy.