Report: Meeting with Her Honorable The Maharani of Marwar/Jodhpur

Khamaghani everyone,

we managed to meet with her Excellency The Maharani Saheba of Marwar/Jodhpur. Thank you, Hukum, for sparing your precious time for a small grass root organisation like Sambhali and for your appreciative remarks.

Here is the report of our Guest Volunteer Ms. Hannah K.:
As I walked down the ornate hallways furnished with priceless family heirlooms and through the doors into the Maharani’s living quarters, I had absolutely no idea what to expect and what type of person I would soon be meeting with. It seemed so surreal for me, a college student with only three years of education under my belt, to be permitted access to one of Rajasthan’s most powerful leaders; a woman who enjoyed the support and adoration of hundreds of thousands and claim to a throne passed down from generations of Indian royalty. Her personal assistant hastily hurried me down the final passage in what amounted to a labyrinth of twists and turns to finally invite me to be seated in a room reserved for guests-now, I had to wait…

I had come to Umaid Palace, home to the Maharaja and Maharani discuss the future of the Sambhali Trust, a NGO based out of Jodhpur, India which works to empower Dalit women. The creation of Rajasthan native Mr. Govind Singh Rathore, the Trust had succeeded in supporting dozens of girls and young women with a series of programs and initiatives intended to give women financial independence, provide socialization and support networks, and most importantly, offer a safe-haven in these girls otherwise difficult lives. In meeting with the Maharani, I hoped to bring to her attention the situation of many young disadvantaged women who aspired to greater things and simply needed the tools to achieve these goals. The woman who entered the sitting room several minutes later was far from the figure I had prepared myself for in my mind. A composed and self-assured woman, the Maharani greeted me conservatively attired in a simple sari, pressing her hands together in the traditional Indian manner of greeting and welcoming me in Marwari with “khamaghani.” Following close on her heels was one of the palace’s energetic Jack Russell Terriers who promptly curled itself at my feet. I attempted to compose myself and imagined this to be like any other conversation, much the same as speaking to a family member or professor back in America. Except this professor just so happened to live in a palace and have influence over hundreds of thousands of people. Speaking in an Indian accent tinged with proper British pronunciation, the Maharani sat across from me and in a business-like manner, folding her hands officiously in her lap, and inquired, “So, what have you come to speak to me about today?” My mind went blank briefly as I disregarded all of my causal observations in an attempt to put across a professional impression. My mind snapped back into the present and I began to explain. I explained who I was. I explained why I was in India. I explained the value and importance of the Sambhali Trust and why these girls’ futures were to be so dramatically shaped by the work being done through this organization. I explained why I felt that girl and women’s rights, access to healthcare and education, and equal opportunities were so crucial to not only India, but the international community. And after this tirade in which I had hoped that I had been able to explain so much, I waited for a response.

The Maharani was just as straight-forward and self-possessed as her first impression as indicated to me. She informed me that she was pleased to hear that an organization such as the Sambhali Trust existed and while she could not lend her name to the project as a rule, she would support and aid Mr. Rathore’s efforts in any manner possible. As I sat there, it occurred to me that this was a woman who had the power and influence to affect the lives of so many women throughout Jodhpur-women who struggled with issues such as poverty, poor health, and subordination. I was very curious to hear her take on these issues and what she felt could be done to help girls and women, girls and women like those who had flourished and grown with the aid of the Sambhali Trust. In measured words, the Maharani shared with me her philosophy on the subject. “Women’s rights are tied to matters of family influence, education, cultural identity, and individualism” she responded, “I would like to see all Indian women achieve their goals and aspirations and I feel that proper family guidance influences this greatly.” The queen became animated, discussing the potential of the girls attending the Veerni Project, a non-profit school created to aid low-income girls in the Jodhpur area. Clearly, the Maharani is personally invested in these issues but when I made mention of the word “development” she quickly balked. Development implied a loss of cultural identity. As she explained, pride in one’s culture coupled with infrastructure building creates an atmosphere in which women are both rooted in their cultural identity and at the same time enabled to enjoy the same financial, political, and economic independence and stability. The Maharani concluded our conversation by speaking confidently and optimistically about the future of Jodhpur’s women, saying that every effort that gives women more of a voice was a step in the right direction. Projects like the Sambhali Trust and other NGOs dedicated to women’s empowerment and equality are part of this step in the right direction and it is only through continued efforts that individuals can hope to change a society. While the Maharani has lent her full support to many of these projects, change does not have to be implemented on the large scale and in fact, such grassroots efforts that work with women on the individual level can make the greatest impacts of all.

I hope you liked the report from our guest volunteer who came to help Edit the Sambhali website, profiles of literacy participant and also meet and introduce Sambhali Trust's projects to The Honorable Maharani saheba of Marwar/Jodhpur.