Delhi Durbar
Definition
The British took on this double idea of power display and receiving homage from allied rulers. Delhi, the capital of the Mughal Empire in India, seemed a suitable location as it would involve a strong propaganda message "of complete British assumption of the symbolic and real power once held by the Mughal emperors" (Barrow, 126). Calcutta (Kolkata) was the other choice since this had long been the main centre of the East India Company, whose territories the British Crown and government took over in 1858. Calcutta was also made the capital of the British Raj (rule) in India. In 1911, however, Delhi replaced Calcutta in this role. For the durbars, though, Delhi was the choice for all three events. To demonstrate to the Indian rulers just why they were paying homage to the British Crown, the British version of the durbar involved a huge display of the empire's military might.
We shall respect the rights, dignity and honour of native princes as our own and we desire that they…should enjoy that prosperity and that social advancement…secured by internal peace and good government.(Dalziel, 78)
India has been until now a vast heap of stones, some of them small. Now the house is built and from the roof to the basement each stone of it is in its right place.(James, 316)
The 1903 Delhi Durbar
This durbar was organised on 1 January 1903 to mark the accession to the throne of Edward VII, the eldest son of Queen Victoria, and so the first Emperor of India. Again, the monarch did not attend in person, probably because Edward was then 62. The emperor was officially represented by Viceroy Lord Curzon (in office 1899-1905). Curzon was a great believer in the power of pageantry, and so this durbar was even more spectacular than its predecessor.
The film reels of the durbar – the first filmed event in the subcontinent – were shown in cinemas in Britain and across India as part of news intervals between feature films. The durbar no doubt helped to convince the public that the British Raj was a rule through consent and mutual esteem, even if this was far from being the whole picture of colonial rule in India.
There were critics of the whole event who saw no real purpose to the pageantry. Some critics thought Curzon had conspired the whole thing to make himself seem more important, terming the durbar not as a festival for a coronation but a 'curzonation'. A known lover of formalities and etiquette, Curzon was perhaps an unfair target. After all, he was "the first viceroy not to possess an elephant, and he needed to borrow one from a maharaja for the durbar" (Gilmour, 151). The high costs of the durbar were another target with many Indian commentators noting the stark contrast between this flamboyant display of wealth and the terrible famine that India had suffered just two years before.
The 1911 Delhi Durbar
This durbar was held on 12 December 1911 and was even more spectacular than its predecessors since, for the first time, the emperor was present in person. King George V and Queen Mary of Teck's presence did create something of a problem for the organisers. A statute law prohibited taking the British Crown Jewels out of the home kingdoms and so a purpose-built crown was needed for the ceremony in Delhi. The Imperial Crown of India has eight half-arches and contains many jewels from India itself, with stand-out stones being the square emerald in the top cross. It has an incredible 6,002 diamonds and other gems studded around it. The crown has only ever been worn once and today resides in the Tower of London.
Perhaps to ensure goodwill and, more importantly, good attendance, many Indian rulers were awarded all manner of titles and membership to knightly orders prior to the big event. Such medals and awards could then be worn with pride in the usual procession of homage to the British Crown. The king and queen sat on a raised scarlet platform complete with a golden awning. The royal pair were resplendent in their purple and ermine robes and bejewelled crowns, visible to all of the 100,000 spectators at the event. Speeches were read out in English and Urdu and, after a royal cannon salute, some 30,000 troops paraded past their monarch. George V was delighted with the durbar and described it as "the most wonderful and beautiful sight I ever saw" (McKernan, 130).
The 1911 durbar was also the occasion to announce two important administrative changes. The first announcement was the reversal of the controversial policy to partition Bengal and the second was the official change of capital from Calcutta to Delhi.
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