The Maharajas of Bikaner

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"The Maharajas of Bikaner" is a fascinating exploration of the deeds and achievements of twenty-five generations of the royal House of Bikaner. The book is a riveting account of their contribution to art, music, literature and culture, peculiar to Bikaner, and how each of the twenty-five generations have contributed to the growth and development of this once arid region. It is written by the princess of Bikaner, the book is a no-holds-barred account of the history of all the maharajas of Bikaner. Though all the maharajas are her ancestors, the account is very objective and unbiased. She even talks about very personal family issues such as the controversy regarding the successor to the throne of Bikaner, when her brother, the last maharaja of Bikaner, passed away. It provides a detailed account on the life and phenomenal contributions of one of the greatest maharajas of Bikaner - Maharaja Ganga Singh, the man who brought the Gang Canal to Bikaner, thereby rendering an arid land into a fertile one. It opens a very informative window into the Privy Purses controversy. Since the author's own father Dr Karni Singh was a member of Lok Sabha and had fought for the Privy Purses to remain in practice, the information given is a very personal account. It talks about the extremes to which Indira Gandhi went to abolish the Privy Purses. It includes beautiful and rare photographs of the princes, princesses and maharajas of Bikaner, palaces and forts, and important events.