A MAHARAJAH’S HOME

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1927, Page 4

A MAHARAJAH’S HOME

From a world of white palaces, magnificently bedecked elephants, and gorgeous ceremonies, where he lived in a large house of his own amid palm trees, with five Indian servants, ill'. George Burrows for five years head gardener of the State of Patiala in India, has returned to a little house at Bastbourne. where he is trying to settle down to the placid life of an English seaside town.

Mr Burrows, who for some years was in charge of the public gardens at Eastbourne, went with bis wife to India. five years ago, at the request of the Maharajah of Patiala, to reorganise the royal and public gardens of the State.

Nearly COO gardeners were under his control.

Glimpses of life at the palace— where the Prince of Wales stayed for a week while in India, were given by Mr Burrows yesterday in a conversation with a Daily Mail reporter. He said: There were five mnhavanees living at the palace, three of them having little private palaces in the grounds, and the two others living in special quarters in the main palace. The mnharnnops were in strict purdah and could lie seen by no man but the Maharajah. GUAR DEil) GAP. I)E.\.

In the oil-acres garden which I. had laid out and which was surrounded by an Bft. wall was laid a. motor road a mile and a quarter long on which the maliarances could drive without being seen. When any of them were going into tile garden one of the detectives l:'ew a whistle some 'minutes before, and everybody at once left 111" garden, which was strictly guarded.

At the Maharajah's request. I laid out five vogetab'c gardens, each of the same size and separated by big paths, for the maliarances to work in. The Maharajah thoughl it would ainu.se them and give them something to do. The maliarances occasionally drove out in the public highway in motor-cars with the windows darkened so that the occupants could see without being seen. For their use there were special motortars which had no seats, but had spring floors like a mattress on which they could sit. The do acres which Air Burrows laid out took lie said, about four winters 1o complete. The ground was originally dense, snake-infested jungle, and it had to he cleared and levelled. It was land out on Western lines. There are a rose garden, a maze, croquet, tennis, and cricket grounds, and a miniature golf course. Elephants were employed in connection with the rolling of the polo and cricket grounds. The elephants wore very cunning. They walked very slowly when pulling too roller, hut hurried a wav when they were unchained.