MISSED A THRONE

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1929, Page 7

MISSED A THRONE

AUSTRALIAN BOY DISBARRED. SYDNEY, December 27. Very few people in Australia, writes Kraiil A. Varghcsc, 8,A., 8.L., in tiie “Sydney Morning Herald,” even in Sydney, know that a boy born in that city, and christened after that city, had a narrow escape from being called to tlie throne or the “gndi” of an Indian State. He is I’rince Syndoy Maithamla, the only son and child of the late Maharaja of Rudukkottai, his Highness Air Marthanda Bhairana Thondeman Bahadur, G.C.1.E., who died in Paris some time age, hy his wife. Esme Marie, daughter of tlie late \V. F. Fink, of Melbourne. The marriage took place in 1915, and Prince Sydney was horn in the following year. Rudukkottai is one of the minor States, about 1179 square miles in area, with a population of 400.000 souls. On the death of the late Malmraja. Prince Sydney was to have ascended tlie throne as the first HinduChristian, Australian-Indian King in the ancient country of Hindustan. But from the beginning there was a controversy about the validity of the marriage of the Maharaja and Miss Fink, and the legitimacy of the offspring of that union, among the orthodox section of the Hindu community. There was loud clamour against the recognition of Prince Sydney as the heir-apparent to the throne, even though he conformed to all the religious observances of the Hindus by performing the obsequial ceremonies, etc., of his father in the mast orthodox manner prescribed by that religion. Tt was thought that all dispute would ho set at rest hy the pronouncement ol the authoritative opinion of Lord Sinha, formerly a Judge of the Privy Council in favour of the Prince. Jf there was any further doubt it should have been completely removed after (he sanction and blessing given hy Sir Sankaraclmrya., the supreme high priest of (he Hindus, to the union of the ex- . Maharajah of Indore with Miss Nancy Miller, of U.S.A., which was celebrated about a year ago. Despite all these favourable circumstances, the people of the State, who are all Hindus, could never tolerate a king, whose mother was born a Christian, for, in spite of its apparent- education and enlightenment, the cold, dead hand of custom and oonvoratism lies like an incubus over India. The British Government, therefore, had to take into consideration tlie wishes of the subjects, however misguided, with the result that a ifew weeks ago a nephew of the late Maharaja hy his sister was proclaimed King of Rudukkottai. Prince Sydney has thus a little unjustly been shelved. He is now living with his mother in England, baulked ol his rich inheritance.

The incident lias more than a. personal or individual interest, for there are a few Maharajas like that of Kaoerthala, who have married Christian ladies from Europe and America, and whose offspring have had to undergo the same exclusion.