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Maharani portraits, treasured jewels and century-old lehenga: Inside Patiala royal family's storied heirloom collection
From legendary Patiala jewels to a great-grandmother’s silver lehenga, Rajeshwari Kumari reveals the heirlooms that keep her family’s royal legacy alive.
The Patiala royal family is synonymous with extraordinary jewels, from the legendary Patiala Necklace and Ruby Choker to the Delhi Durbar emerald brooch. But beyond its celebrated treasures lies a rich legacy of art, fashion, family heirlooms and sporting history that continues through generations.
Rajeshwari Kumari, Indian sports shooter and great-granddaughter of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, offered a glimpse into this world, opening the doors to her Delhi farmhouse in a conversation with Eric Chopra in a July 28 Instagram post. Surrounded by paintings, royal objects, medals and garments passed down through generations, Rajeshwari revealed the deeply personal stories behind some of her family’s most treasured possessions. (Also read: Inside Prince Azam Jah’s royal life: Son of Hyderabad’s 8th Nizam shares rare stories of palaces, culture and legacy )
A royal home filled with history
The Patiala family’s history is closely intertwined with the cultural and public life of India. Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala was known not only for his lavish lifestyle and legendary jewellery collection but also for his influence on Indian cricket and the Olympic movement. His son, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, continued the family’s public legacy, while Raja Bhalindra Singh played an important role in India’s early Olympic history.
That history remains visible inside the family home. As Rajeshwari walks through the space, she points to a collection of medals and photographs documenting generations of the family. “Wow, I see a lot of medals. I mean, I’d say this is my mother’s museum. This is like a full life of sports. She’s trying to put it out as much as possible,” Rajeshwari says.
She then points to her father, Raja Randhir Singh’s Asian Games gold medal. “This is my father’s historic win, the Asian Games gold medal.” In 1978, Raja Randhir Singh became India’s first Asian Games gold medallist in shooting. Rajeshwari has since continued the family tradition as a celebrated trap shooter and Asian Games and Asian Championships medallist.
Art and portraits of the maharanis
Beyond medals and photographs, the home is filled with works of art reflecting the family’s royal heritage. “So this is a house laden with art. I see Mughal pieces, I see Pahadi pieces, and I see this,” Rajeshwari says while showing some of the collection.
One of the pieces closest to her is a marble bust of her great-grandmother. “This is my great-grandmother’s marble bust. All the maharanis, one was made for each one of them,” she explains.
The home’s portraits and objects offer a glimpse into the women of the Patiala family and the traditions that surrounded them. For Rajeshwari, however, some of the most meaningful treasures are those she can still wear and touch. “I have her earring. These emerald ones,” she says, showing a pair belonging to her great-grandmother.
Restored great-grandmother’s lehenga
Among the most striking heirlooms Rajeshwari shares is her great-grandmother’s lehenga. Rather than preserving it untouched, the family chose to revive the garment while retaining its original craftsmanship. “So this lehenga is my great-grandmother’s. We tried to revive it, and we used all the work that was in her lehenga,” Rajeshwari explains.
The restoration also preserved the original silver embellishments. “All of this is real silver, which was taken off her previous lehenga and put on this one.” The result is more than a restored garment. It is a piece of royal fashion history brought back into the present, allowing craftsmanship from an earlier generation to continue to be worn and appreciated today.
