‘Goddess of fashion’: This Indian Maharani wore sandals with diamonds, broke engagement with Scindia crown prince, ran away from home and…

While many fawn over the actors, rich businesswoman, wives of billionaire businessmen, influencers and other, for their fashion sense, there was woman who could give today’s best looking trendiest woman a run of her money. In an era where women, regardless of family, status, or money, were looked upon and treated as second-class citizens, especially in developing countries like India, Maharani Indira Devi, the queen of erstwhile princely state of Cooch Behar, broke the mold and emerged as a trailblazer for modern women.

Dubbed by historians as the ‘Goddess of Fashion’, Maharani Indira Devi is said to have popularised chiffon sarees. A true trendsetter in every sense of the word, the Maharani wore diamond-studded sandals worth crores of rupees, imported from Europe. According to one account, Maharani Indira once placed an order for 100 pairs of sandals with a famous Italian shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo, some of which studded with diamonds, pearls and other precious gemstones.

An unparallel beauty, Maharani Indira Devi was considered by many as the most beautiful woman in India at the time. Biographers have revealed that the young queen was a true fashionista who was in touch with the latest European and American fashion, and always wore the latest designer dresses.

It has also been documented that the Queen loved to gamble and was quite a party animal, throwing lavish parties for her friends in Europe, that included top Hollywood A-lists of the time.

Who was Maharani Indira Devi?

Born on February 19, 1892, Indra Devi (born Indira Raje), was a princess of Baroda and daughter of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, and his second wife Chimnabai. Indira later became the Maharani of the princely state of Cooch Behar in British India.

Indira famously broke off her engagement to Madho Rao Scindia, the Scindia crown prince who later became the Maharaja of Gwalior, and reportedly ran away from her to marry her lover Jitendra Narayan, against her parents’ wishes.

After her husband’s demise, Indira Devi became the Queen Regent of Cooch Behar in 1922-1936 as her elder son, Jagaddipendra Narayan, was a minor at the time. Indira’s fourth child and second daughter, Princess Gayatri Devi, would later go on to become the Maharani of Jaipur.

Maharani Indira Devi died in 1968, at the age of 76.

Maharani Indira’s love story

The love story of Maharani Indira Devi has become stuff for legend in many respects because in those days, women, especially those coming from affluent families, were not expected to defy their elders, but Indira was a woman way ahead of her time.

The story began in 1911, when Indira went to Delhi Darbar along with her younger brother, where she met Jitendra Narayan, the younger brother brother of the then Maharaja of Cooch Behar. Indira and Jitendra fell in love and decided to get married, but there was one major obstacle standing in their happily ever after, she was engaged to be wed to Madho Rao Scindia, the crown prince and future king of Gwalior.

Indira knew that her parents would not allow her to marry Jitendra because it would spoil relations between the Scindias of Gwalior and the Gaekwads of Baroda.  Besides, the Gwalior royal family was considered one of the elite dynasties in India, and breaking the engagement would have created a massive controversy.

On the other hand, Jitendra was the younger brother of the Maharaja, and could not claim the throne, so Indira decided to null the engagement with a bold and courageous move– she wrote a letter.

Indira’s famous letter

In that era, it was unimaginable that an 18-year-old princess would have the guts to defy her parents and marry someone against their wishes. Indira Raje penned a letter to her fiancee, narrating to him the entire situation about how she fell in love and why she could not marry him.

Soon, Indira’s father received a single-sentence telegram from the Maharaja of Gwalior, asking “What does the princess mean by her letter?”. The revelation shocked her parents but the Maharaja of Baroda wrote back to Gwalior in an exemplary fashion, signing off his response letter as “your son”.

‘Happily ever after’

Although she had broken off the engagement, Indira’s parents were still vehemently opposed to her marrying Jitendra, whom they considered a playboy from an unworthy family. They even summoned him and personally warned him to stay away from their daughter.

However, the lovers were adamant, and eventually Indira’s parents allowed her to leave her home and marry Jitendra if she wished. Indira and Jitendra tied the knot at hotel in London even as no family member from the bride’s side was present.

The couple lived a blissful life, and Jitendra would later become king after his older brother and then Maharaja of Cooch Behar, Rajendra Narayan, died after a brief illness.  However, Maharaja Jitendra would also pass away soon after, reportedly due his excessive drinking habits.

After her husband’s demise, Indira Devi acted as the regent of Cooch Behar, till her son came of age. The gorgeous queen spent most her life in Europe and was famous for her active social life and lavish parties.