DECODING OPULENCE
A piece of jewellery is more than just a beautiful object. Especially in India, and more so in the case of the collections of erstwhile royal families. While it is tempting to focus on the clichéd images of maharajas and maharanis as symbols of decadence and excess, it is important to gain a deeper understanding of the royal culture intricately woven in the very fabric of ancient India.
Along with instructions on statehood and strategy, ancient Indian literature such as the (4 century BC), also underscored the importance of acquiring gems of exceptional or the ‘duties of a ruler’, it was necessary to behave in a manner befitting his or her exalted position, which also included wearing gems and jewellery that built a visual narrative, and invited respect and love for a leader who was considered an instrument of god.
