Maharaja Gaj Singh II says leaders of today should be less bureaucratic and more sympathetic towards people.
Former Maharaja of Marwar, Jodhpur, Maharaja Gaj Singh - II, in a candid chat with DNA, talks about the disparity in governance between yesterday and today, his evergreen hobby of preserving heritage assets and culture and more.
Owing to the sudden death of his father, he was anointed as the Maharaja of Marwar at the tender age of four. Today, 57 years on, when he looks back to that era, he feels leaders could learn a thing or two from the erstwhile rajas, from the way they governed their kingdoms and took and implemented decisions.
"During our times, there were smaller units, which were more personalised and there wasn't such a large public machinery, so things were more direct and decisions were prompt. Leaders of today have to have a connect, be less bureaucratic and more sympathetic towards the people's needs," he says.
In 1971, the Constitution was amended and the princes 'de-recognised' and privy purses gone. Singh and his family too went through a bad patch.
Bapji thoroughly enjoys his philanthropic work, which revolves around art, culture and conservation. "I consider conservation to be a vital aspect for our country. People are slowly beginning to realise that if we don't take care of our cultural assets now, we will lose them forever."
He decided to transform his cultural and heritage holdings into productive assets. "Culture-based heritage structures and industries world over are another venue for people to get employment. Also, in this manner, one is linking heritage arts and crafts to mainstream industry and bringing them back into the market in an aptly modified form, which is very important," he says.
Bapji's second source of satisfaction is his water harvesting project, which takes him to many villages. "It is very satisfying to see that even with a small amount I am able to help many villages preserve water, which is invaluable to them during the parched summer months," he says
Being the chairman of the Indian Heritage Hotel Association, Bapji has held meetings with Gujarat-based heritage hotel owners. While some are members of the association, even today, most others are from Rajasthan.
"Monuments and heritage structures should be preserved keeping in mind their usable factor, like building a garden around or developing a museum with historical objects in connection with the monument," says Bapji.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}