Ek Rani Aisi Bhi...

After Independence, the merger of the princely states left several monarchs disheartened, for they had to give up their titles. Even the last queen to have ruled Gwalior was compromised at the peak of the state turmoil, yet she persevered and led her dynastic role with glory.

The Rajamata of Gwalior; Image Source: Utkal Today

The infamous Scindia dynasty that everyone knows about, bears its establishment from the mid 18th century. As one of the largest and richest 21-gun-salute princely states of India, Gwalior was very powerful at that time. Although Madhya Pradesh still retains a sense of its dynastic heritage, the accession ended this chapter after India gained independence. Many descendants of these dynasties are today recognized as political figures in India.

The legacy of the dynasty was followed by Vijayaraje Scindia while maintaining its impeccable glory. As the wife of Jiwajirao Scindia, the last active Maharaja of Gwalior, she ruled one of the largest and richest princely states of India for years and later began her political career by joining Jan Sangh and BJP post-independence. It is in itself an extraordinary journey for her how she moved from Raj Path to Lok Path. As documented in her biography, she also struggled with many personal issues.

In her younger years, she was known as Lekha Divyeshwari Devi. In spite of her mother’s death soon after her birth and the fact that her father did a second marriage, she was largely raised by her maternal grandparents who came from a Nepalese royal family.

It was in the Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh that she spent most of her childhood and obtained an appropriate education. Her pious and orthodox grandmother, Rani Dhan Kumari, infused a lasting impression on Lekha's personality, which certainly led the dynasty to advance in political extravaganzas as we know the Scindia's today.

In Lucknow and Benaras, Lekha gave up foreign goods and fabrics as the freedom movement grew and accelerated, resulting in her first attempt at a political activity.

Even though Lekha led a simple and normal life in the beginning, she soon found herself married to Jiwajirao Scindia, the ruler of the Scindia Dynasty. Her name was changed after her marriage to Vijayaraje Scindia, a name that is revered around as the Rajamata of Gwalior.

However years later, in the aftermath of Jiwajirao's demise, Vijayaraje was left as the sole parent of their four daughters and one son. She did all she could to raise her children to the idealized standard of behaviour and lifestyle.

Her political career officially began in 1957 when she became the first member of the Scindia dynasty to enter elections. Yet, her destiny had been set since she was young, and this contributed to getting her one seat after another both in the centre and state levels of politics. As one of the BJP's vice presidents in 1980, Vijayaraje was at the forefront of its leadership. During her time as a politician, she was in the public's eye as a caretaker and a respected leader for a long time.

With Vijayaraje's children, the situation was different since her relationship fluctuated with her daughters, to whom she could not extend support in their troubled marriages. Meanwhile, even with her son, the relationship was hard due to property matters and animosities exacerbated by political differences to such an extent that she barred him from attending her final rituals and became a subject of media attention.

However, as we know two of her daughters Vasundhara Raje, and Yashodhara Raje, and her son Madhav Rao Scindia, are well-known figures in the contemporary politics of India. It is only fitting to say that even in the 21st century it is Rajmata Vijayraje who represented the Scindia dynasty's continued service to their people in its utmost glory.

A legend thereby arose of a queen who renounced compromising even though her circumstances dictated her to do so and served her beloved kingdom with an exceptionally modern approach.