Who's Who in India Supplement 1 (1912)/The Queen Empress' Tour
THE QUEEN EMPRESS' TOUR
After a quiet visit to Agra, where Her Majesty stayed at the Circuit House and visited the Taj Mahal and other places of note, Her Majesty and suite left for Jaipur on December 20th. Her Majesty arrived at Jaipur at 5 P. M. the same day, and was received by His Highness the Maharaja of Jaipur. In the evening Her Majesty's dinner party at the Residency was attended by the Resident, the Hon'ble Nawab Sir Faiyaz Ali Khan, and others.
The next afternoon His Highness the Maharaja paid a visit to Her Majesty, after which the Queen entered a motor car and started for the old Palace of Jotwara which has recently been repaired. To the surprise of every one His Highness took his seat in another motor and followed Her Majesty. His faithful subjects had never before seen their ruler in one of these modern conveyances. The expedition proved a great success. Her Majesty and party had tea at Jotwara and then the Queen-Empress and the Maharaja were entertained by a performance of trained birds. Her Imperial Majesty had intended going in a bullock cart to see the netting of black buck, but dusk was comma; on and she was dissuaded. Nevertheless, she insisted on having her ride in the bullock cart as a new experience and seemed greatly to enjoy the experience. Her Majesty was in excellent spirits and evidently greatly pleased with her reception at Jaipur and with the entertainments provided for her.
On the 21st December Her Majesty left Jaipur for Ajmere, where she visited many historic sites. On December 23rd, Her Majesty proceeded from Ajmere to Bundi by motor car. On the way Her Imperial Majesty visited the sites of the memorial to King Edward and the monument to Sir Curzon Wyllie, stopping also before the grounds of the Mayo College where the students had assembled to make their salutations. Her Imperial Majesty was received at the Satur gateway, six miles from Bundi, by H. H. the Maharao Raja of Bundi, and by Major Peacock, both of whom attended her to the Imperial Camp.
Next morning the Queen-Empress drove with her suite in attendance to the Fort and Palace at Bundi, through which the Maharao Raja had the honour of conducting Her Imperial Majesty. Thence she proceeded by motor, still attended by the Maharao Raja, to the Sar Bagh, Shikar Burj and Phul Sagar, returning to the camp for luncheon. At 2-30 P. M. the Maharao Raja came to take leave of Her Imperial Majesty who afterwards left Bundi by motor for Kctah. At the border of the State of Kotah, some five miles from the city, Her Imperial Majesty was received by H. H. the Maharao of Kotah at the head of a body of his troops, and by the Political Agent, both of whom attended her to the Agency, which had been prepared for her reception.
On December 26th, the Queen-Empress drove to the Fort and Palace escorted by the State troops of Kotah, under the personal command of H. H. the Maharao. His Highness had the honour of conducting Her Majesty over the buildings. In the afternoon Her Imperial Majesty visited Abhera, under the personal guidance of the Maharao. The Maharao had the honour to offer a peshkash, consisting of elephants, horses, jewels and rich fabrics, which Her Imperial Majesty was graciously pleased to inspect and to remit.
The Queen-Empress, with her suite in attendance, went on December 27th to a picnic which had been arranged for Her Imperial Majesty by the Maharao.
Her Imperial Majesty, attended by the whole of her suite, left Kotah by train for Calcutta on 28th December, at noon. The escort and the guard of honour were furnished by the Kotah State troops, and H. H. the Maharao, with his principal Sardars, was in attendance at the station to take leave of Her Imperial Majesty. During the stay of the Imperial train at Goona, the 38th Central India Horse had the honour to pass in review (mounted) before the Queen-Empress, after which the officers of the Regiment had the honour to entertain Her Imperial Majesty at tea.