Who Is Maharani Gayatri Devi? The Vogue Beauty Queen Who Won a World Record and Survived Tihar Jail
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Even today, Maharani Gayatri Devi remains the enigmatic lady of modern India. Being known all over the world for her unique elegance and strong willpower, she successfully managed to adapt from royalism to the democratic way of politics.
Who Was Maharani Gayatri Devi?
Maharani Gayatri Devi, born on the 23rd of May, 1919, was an Indian royal, a social activist and a politician who reigned as the Rajmata of Jaipur. Maharani was affectionately called ‘Ayesha’ by her family members as a symbol of courage, progressive ideas and elegance.
Maharani Gayatri Devi's Royal Family And Early Life
Gayatri Devi hailed from the most royal and rich royal family of Cooch Behar, located in West Bengal. The father of Gayatri Devi was Maharaja Jitendra Narayan of Cooch Behar,r whereas her mother was the Princess of Baroda, who was also known as the Maratha Princess.
As she had been educated in Europe and India, including Rabindranath Tagore's Patha Bhavana located in Santiniketan, she had an open-minded approach towards life. In 1940, she married the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II and became the third Maharani of Jaipur.
How Did Gayatri Devi Become a Vogue Beauty Icon?
In her signature pastel chiffon saris, little makeup, and pearl necklace, Gayatri Devi turned fashion trends across the globe on their head. It was her distinctive sense of fashion that endeared her to people from all around the world and earned her recognition as one of the 10 Most Beautiful Women in the World, according to Vogue Magazine.
What World Record Did Maharani Gayatri Devi Win?
The year 1962 marked a political career for Gayatri Devi when she joined the Swatantra Party formed by C. Rajagopalachari. During her campaign as a member of parliament from the Jaipur Lok Sabha seat, Gayatri Devi achieved spectacular success with a majority of 192,909 out of 246,516 total votes cast, a 78% vote share.
This spectacular victory of Gayatri Devi was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest majority won in any democratic election.
Why Was Gayatri Devi Sent To Tihar Jail?
When there was an emergency in July 1975, the government led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi went after their political enemies. Gayatri Devi was held on the grounds of having undeclared assets under stringent tax laws (COFEPOSA).
For more than five months, Gayatri Devi was confined to Tihar Jail, Delhi. Despite the tough environment in jail with hardcore criminals, she did not lose her self-respect and taught young boys and girls in jail.
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Gayatri Devi's Political Career And Life Beyond The Palace
Devotedly serving three terms as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha (1962, 1967 and 1971), she eventually retired from active politics after her release from Tihar Jail in 1978 due to the demise of the Emergency period, dedicating herself to social service, heritage conservation and women empowerment. She published her autobiography, 'A Princess Remembers', which is titled 'The Memoirs of the Maharani of Jaipur'.
Why Is Maharani Gayatri Devi Still Remembered Today?
Maharani Gayatri Devi was known to be a courageous trailblazer who showed the world how royalty could be utilised for the benefit of society and democracy. Maharani remained strong despite facing hardships such as personal tragedy, political suppression, and jail.
Conclusion
Whether it was the palaces of Cooch Behar and Jaipur, the halls of Parliament, or even the prison cells of Tihar Jail, the life of Maharani Gayatri Devi was an extraordinary story of glamour and grace. Even today, she is counted among the most popular personalities in Indian history.
Image credits: Instagram
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- Q1: Which political party did Maharani Gayatri Devi represent?
- She represented C. Rajagopalachari's Swatantra Party.
- Q2: How long did Gayatri Devi stay in Tihar Jail?
- She was imprisoned for approximately five and a half months during the 1975 Emergency.
- Q3: What was Maharani Gayatri Devi's world record?
- She won the 1962 Lok Sabha election with the largest majority in democratic history, recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records.
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