Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth.
SHAKESPEARE, As You Like It.
IN ancient times, the Hindu kings had their chins
clean shaved. All available portraits of them show
that they wore moustaches in various styles, some also having sidelocks clipped. No one, however, removed moustaches : no one appeared without them. Their faces were never clean shaved like Caesar's or Napoleon Bonaparte's.
Throughout the Orient and especially by the
Hindus, the moustache has always been regarded as the Sign of manhood and the symbol o manliness. Curling the moustache means defiance. Simply touching it with the hand, signifies consciousness of strength and self- reliance. Curling the moustache in the presence of a superior is a sign of arrogance and has often resulted in bloodshed and mortal combat The war between Someshwar, the Chauhan King of Ajmer, (A D. 1160-1179) and KingBhimdeva II of Gujrat, according to the Prithviraja Rasa, was the result of a Gujrat noble curling his moustache. It is stated that Solanki Pratap cousin of King Bhimdeva, who at the time was a fugitive and a guest at the court of King Someshwar at Ajmer, innocently curled his moustaches as his blood was stirred, while the brave deeds of the heroes of the Mahabharata were being recited in the Durbar of Someshwar. The Chauhan Commander-in- Chief, Kan Rai, who was present at the Durbar, misinterpreted this act of Pratap as a sign of defiance, drew his sword and felled Pratap to the ground. This brought
about a war between the Chalukyas of Anhilwara
Patan and the Chauhans of Ajmer.
Religious people, priests, Brahmins and old men
wore beards. The beard was a sign of old age and
demanded respect and veneration. Rishis, Munis and venerable teachers usually wore beards. With the
advent of the Musalmans in India, things began to
change, and their habits and customs began to influence the manners and customs of the Hindus. Their domination weakened Hindu respect for old Hindu Ideals. The outward appearance of the leaders of the people including their dress and fashion of wearing the hair on the face and the head also underwent a change. The Musalman who came from the North-West wore a beard. Akbar, the founder of the Mughal Empire in India, and his immediate successor, Jehangir adopted the Hindu custom of shaving their chins, but their successors, with the firm establishment of their rule, and their coming more and more under the influence of the Mullahs, gave up shaving the chin and began to wear beards. The Hindu Rajas who came in contact with the Mughal Emperors, by degrees adopted
their fashion, modifying it to suit their notions of
their character as the military leaders of the people.
Thus when the Rajputs began to grow beards, instead of letting the beards hang down like the Musalmans, they made their beards stand upright and tied them to keep in position.
MUGHAL EMPERORS
The last Hindu Emperor of India, the illustrious
Prithviraja Chauhan ( A.D. 1179 to 1192 ) wore only
moustaches. The first Musalman Emperor of India,
Akbar the Great (A.D. 1556-1605) also had only
moustaches. In appearance he did not differ in any way from an ordinary Hindu monarch. He often dressed like a devout Hindu, applied sandal-wood paste to his forehead, put on a pearl necklace, held a pearl rosary in his hands and wore ear-rings. The best extant portraits of him show him as a devout Hindu king, His son Jahangir (1605 to 1627 A.D ) grew only whiskers, but had no beard. Emperor Shahjahan (A.D. 1627 to 1658 ) was the first to grow a beard. His successors, Aurangzeb (1658-1707), Bahadurshah(1707 to 1712) and Jahandarshah ( 1712-13 ) had beards. Furrukhsayar ( 1713-1719 ) wore a close-clipped ("khaskhashi'') beard. The puppets, Rafiuddarjat and Rafiuddaula (1719), had small beards, but Muhammad
Shah ( 1719-1748 ) reverted to the old Hindu practice of having his chin ( like the Great Akbar ) clean shaved. He wore ear-rings with pearls and looked like an ordinary Hindu monarch. His successors, Ahmad Shah ( 1748 1754 ), Alamgir II ( 1754-59 ), Shah Alam (1759 to 1806), Akbar Shah II (1806-1837) and Bahadur Shah II ( 1837-1859), all grew beards.
THE BRITISH
Since the passing of India under the British Crown
in the time of Empress Victoria, there have been two
Emperors, Edward VII and George V, who have both
rejoiced in beards.
All the Governors-General of India from Warren
Hastings (1774-1785) to Lord Dalhousie (1848-1856) had their faces clean shaved ; no one grew a beard.
Of the Viceroys, the Earl of Canning (1856-1862 ) and the Earl of Elgin (1862-63) were also clean shaved. Lord Lawrence ( 1864-1869 ) was the first Viceroy
whose face was adorned with a beard ; his successor the Earl of Mayo, (1869-72), had his face clean shaved. His three successors, Lord Northbrook (1872-1876), the Earl of Lytton (1876-1880), and the Marquis of Ripon (1880-1884) all had beards, the first a short one, and the last a very respectable one. The Marquis of Dufferin (1884-88) wore a French beard. Lord Lansdowne( 1 888-94) had only a moustache and sidelocks like the Hindu Rajas of medieval times. The Earl of Elgin (1894-99) wore a beard. The face of Lord Curzon (1900-05) was clean shaved. Both Lord Minto (1905-10) and Lord Hardinge (1910-16) grew moustaches. Lord Chelmsford (1916-2 1), the Marquis of
Reading (1921-26) and Lord Irwin (1926-31) were clean shaved. The present Viceroy, Lord Willingdon, wears small moustaches.
MEWAR
The kings of Mewar, the most respected of the
Rajput rulers in India, upto Maharana Amarsingh II
(1698-1710) had only moustaches and thin close-clipped side-locks coming down to the lobes of the ear. The pride of Hindu chivalry, the Great Maharana Pratap, his son Maharana Amarsingh and the famous Maharana Rajsingh, the great opponent of Aurangzeb, were all without beards. Amarsingh II had a thin line of hair, a continuation of the moustache extending to below the lobes of the ear an apology for whiskers. Maharana Sangaramsingh II (A D. 1710-34) was the first to grow a beard, but a short-clipped one. Since then none of his successor has had his chin clean shaved. Jagutsingh II (1734-51), Pratapsingh II (1751-54), Rajsingh II
(1754-61), Arsi (1761-73), Hamirsingh (1773-7 8) wore only short-clipped beards. Bhimsingh (1778-1828) was the first to grow a full beard, the hair drawn upwards in true Rajput fashion, a custom which was kept up by the succeeding Maharanas, Jawansingh (1828-38), Sardarsingh (1838-42), Sarupsingh (1842-61), Shambhusingh (1861-1874), Sajjansingh (1874-1884) down to Maharana Fatehsingh (1884-1930). The present
ruler, Maharana Bhopalsingh, like the old Hindu kings, has his chin clean shaved.
MARWAR
The kings of Marwar ( Jodhpur State)f rom Rao Sihaji (died in A. I). 1273), the founder of the Rathor Power in Rajputana, down to Maharaja Mansingh (J 803-1 843), had their chins clean shaved. Rao Ranmal, also called Ridmal, (about 1427-143'S), wore long moustaches curled up and prominent sidelocks. From 1438 to 1453, Marwar was in the possession of the Maharana of Mewar. Rao Jodha (1453 1488), the founder of the town of Jodhpur, had side-locks and moustaches. Rao Satal (1488-91) and Rao Suja (1491-1515) and Ganga (1515-1531) had long moustaches. Maldeva (1531-62) one of the greatest of the kings of Marwar, followed suit. Chandra Sen (1562-1580), Askarun (1580-1581), Raisingh (1581-1583), Udaisingh, the Mota (fat) Raja (1583-1595), who accepted Akbar's suzerainty, had sidelocks and curled moustaches. Sursingh (1595-1619), Gajsiiigh (161 9-1638), Jaswantsingh(l 638-78), Ajitsingh
(1678-1724), and Abhaisingh (1724-1749), had their
faces adorned with side-locks and moustaches. Ramsingh (1749-1751) was the first to wear mutton-chop whiskers. Maharaja Bakhtsingh (1751-52) and Bijaisingh (1752-93) contented themselves with side-locks and moustaches. Bhimsingh (1793-1803), was the first to have a full growth of whiskers. Mansingh (1803-43) was a close follower of Bhimsingh in this respect. Maharaja Takhtsingh (1843-1873) was the first to grow a beard, and Maharaja Jaswantsingh (1873-1895) kept up the beard. Maharaja Sardarsingh (1895-1911) was beardless
and Maharaja Sumersingh (1911-18) and the present Maharaja Umedsingh (1918) have also discarded the beard, contenting themselves with moustaches.
JAIPUR
Of the kings of Jaipur, Ramsingh II (A.D. 1835-80)
was the first to grow a beard. Prithviruja (1503-27),
Puranmal (1527-34), Bhimsingh (1534-36), Ratansingh (1536-47), Askaran (1548), Bharraal (1548-74), and Bhagwandas (1574-89) wore only moustaches and very thin side-locks. Bhagwandas's successor Mansingh (1589-1614), the famous General of Emperor Akbar, wore nothing but small moustaches. His successors Bhaosingh (1614-21), Jaisingh I (1621-67), Ramsingh 1 (1667-89), Bishansingh (1689-1700), wore side-locks.
Sawai Jaisingh II (1700-1743) had sidelocks and
very prominent moustaches. Ishwarisingh (1743-50),
gave up the sidelocks and contented himself with
moustaches. Maharaja Madhosingh I (1750-68) wore side-locks rather broad towards the lower end reaching a little below the lobes of the ear. Prithvisingh (1768- 1778) died young and Pratapsingh (1778-1803) wore sidelocks. Jagatsingh was the first and the only ruler of Jaipur (A.D. 1 803-1818) who wore full whiskers. Jaisingh (1818-1835) did not shave the chin and Ram- Singh 11 (1835 80) was the first to have a full beard, and his successor Maharaja Madhosingh (1880-1922) followed his example. The present ruler Maharaja Mansingh (1922) is clean shaved.
BIKANER
The portraits of the kings of Bikaner clearly show
the various stages the beard has passed through.
Rao Bika, a son of Rao Jodha, the king of
Jodhpur, founded Bikaner in A.D. 1488. Rao Bika
(1488-1504), Rao Kara (1504) reigned only four
months. Rao Lunkaran (1505-26), Jaitsi (1526-42),
Maldeo, king of Marwar, who remained in possession of Bikaner from 1542 to 1544, Rao Kalyansingh (1544-71), Raja Raisingh (1571-1612), Dalpatsingh (1612-13), Soor singh (1613-31), Karansingh (1631-69), Anupsingh (1669-98), Sarupsingh (1698-1700), all wore only moustaches and side-locks. Maharaja Sujansingh (1700- 35), and Zorawarsingh (1735-1745), wore side-locks reaching much lower down than their predecessors, with the pointed end of the locks coming near the chin. Maharaja Gajsingh (1745-87), and Rajsingh (1787) who
only reigned for ten days wore muttonchop whiskers. Pratapsingh (1787), and Maharaja Suratsingh (1787-
1828), and Ratansingh (1828-51) wore full whiskers.
Maharaja Ratansingh's successor, Maharaja Sardarsingh (1851-72) was the first to give up shaving the chin and grow a beard. Maharaja Dungarsingh (1872-87), also wore a beard. The present ruler, Maharaja Gangasingh has given up the beard reverting to the old Hindu practice of shaving the chin.
BUNDI
Of the Maharaos of Bundi, no one indulged in a
beard till the year A.D. 1681. Uptil Rao Surjan, the
Chiefs of Bundi were feudatories of the Maharanas of Mewar. Rao Surjan, who became Maharao in 1554 A.D. went over to Akbar in 1568 A.D., who recognised him as Rao Raja of Bundi. He died in 1585 A.D. Neither he nor his successors Bhoj (1585-1607), Ratansirigh (1607-11), Shatrusal (Chhatrasal) (1611-58), Bhaosingh (1658-81) grew a beard. They were all contett with keeping side-locks and moustaches. Maharao Anirudsingh (1681-1695), was the first to grow a beard. His successor Bhudhsingh (1695-1739), had only mutton- chop whiskers. Maharao Umedsirigh, who came to the throne in 1739, grew a beard. Umedsingh reigned from A.D. 1739 to 1771 and then retired from the throne and subsequently grew a beard. Ajitsingh (1771-73) had only moustaches. Maharao Bishansingh (1773-1821) had whiskers, Maharao Ramsingh (1821-90) had his chin shaved, but wore whiskers in Rajput fashion, the hair standing upright. Maharao Raghubir- singh (1890-1927) enjoyed a big flowing beard. The present ruler, Maharao Ishrisingh (1927), also grows a beard.
KOTAH
None of the kings of Kotah has uptil now kept a
beard. Maharao Madho Singh, who was the second son of Maharao Ratan Singh of Bundi, was given Kotah in 1625 A.D. and became an independent sovereign (1625- 47), Mukand Singh (1647-58), Jagatsingh (1658-83), Paimsingh (1683-84), Kishorsingh (1684-95), Ramsingh (1695-1719) and Bhiinsingh (1719-20) all had side-locks. Maharao Arjunsingh (1720-23), Durjarisal (1723-56) Ajit Singh (1756-58) and Shatrusal or Chhatarsal (1758-
64) gave up even this slight growth of the hair by
the ears. Maharao Gumansingh (1764-71) again adopted side-locks. Maharao Umedsingh (1771-1819) had whiskers, but Maharao Kishor Singh (1819-27) wore neither whiskers nor side-locks. Maharao Ramsingh II (1827-66) and Maharao Chattarsal (1866-89) had whiskers only. Maharao Umedsingh (1889), the present ruler of Kotah, has only moustaches, and his chin is clean shaved,
JHALAWAR
Zalimsingh (died 1824 A.D.), who had been Prime
Minister of the State of Kotah, was recognised by the British Government, in lieu of great services rendered by him during the Pindaree War, as the hereditary
Prime Minister of the State. He grew only mousta-
ches. His son Madhosingh (1824-34) showed no talent. His grandson Madansingh (1834-45) was recognized by the British Government as the first Raj Rana of Jhalawar in 1838 A.D. (date of creation of the State). He, like his grandfather Zalimsingh, wore whiskers. Madansingh's successor Prithvisingh (1845-75) grew a beard. His successor, Maharaj Rana Zalim Singh (1875-96) wore only moustaches, as also his successor Bhawanisingh (1896-1929). Both had their chins clean shaved. The present Chief, Maharaj Rana Rajendra- singh (1929), has his face clean shaved, no moustaches, no beard.
SIROHI
Of the rulers of Sirohi, Lakha (1451-83), Jagmal
(1483-1523), Akhairaj (1523-33), Raisingh (1533-43),
Dudha (1543-53), Udaisingh (1553-62), Mansingh (1562- 1571), Surtan (1571-1610), Kajsingh (1610-20) no portraits are available. Akhairaj II (1620-73) alone has left a portrait and he appears to have kept only side-locks and prominent moustaches. Akhairaj's successor Udaisingh (1673-76), Berisal (1676-97), Chhatarsal (1697-1705), Mansingh alias Umedsingh (1705-49). Prithviraja (1749-1772), Takhtsingh (1772-82), Jagatsingh (1782), Berisal 11 (1782-1808), and Udaibhan (1808-47), have
also left no available portraits. Shivsingh (1847-62) and Umedsingh (1862-75), wore full whiskers, Kesrisingh (1875-1920) had a regular beard drawn up arid turned round the ear. The present ruler, Maharao
Sarup Rarnsingh (1920), has only slight moustaches.
ALWAR
Rao Raja Pratap Singh (1775-90J was the first Raja
of Alwar, and he wore whiskers. Bakhtawarsingh
(1790-1815) and Benaisingh (1815-1857) had beards. Their successors Sheodansingh (1857-74) and Mangal Singh (1874-92) had only moustaches. The present ruler, Maharaja Jaisingh (1892), has his face clean shaved, no moustaches, no whiskers, no beard.
KARAULI
The Rajas of Karauli were beardless till the time
of Ratanpal (about A. D. 1680) who was the first
to grow a close-clipped beard. Proximity to the
Mughal capitals, Agra and Delhi, was evidently the cause of thu rulers of Karauli thus early succumbing
to Muslim influence in this respect. Ratanpal's son
Kunwarpal followed his father in this respect, but
his successor Gopalpal (1725) contented himself
with large side-locks only. His successors, Turuspal
(1757-72), and Manikpal (1772-1804) had only moustaches, though large and prominent ones. Amolakpal (1804) alone of all the rulers of Karauli had whiskers Harbakshpal (1804-1837) and Pratappal (1837-49)grew beards. Narsinghpal (1849-54) appears to have given it up, but Madanpal (1854-69) adopted the beard again. Lakshmanpal (1869) who probably died young, grew no beard. Jaisinghpal(1869-76)and Arjunpal (1876-86)
and Maharaja Bbanwarpal Deva (1886-1927) had
flowing beards. The present ruler, Bhompal Deva
(1927), also wears a beard.
JAISALMER
The Maharawals of Jaisalmer are Yadavas and claim direct descent from Sri Krishna, the great Hindu
Avatar (Incarnation of God). The dynasty has had a
chequered history. Jaisalmer is the last of its nine
capitals and was founded in S. 1212 (A.J). 1165) The capitals are enumerated in the couplet:
Muttra, Benares, Allahabad, Ghazni and Bhatner,
Digam, Dirawal, Ladarwa and the ninth Jaisalmer.
The rulers of Jaisalmer style themselves Pachham
Ice Padshah (Kings of the West). No portrait is avail-
able of the Maharawals who ruled before RamsingL
Bhimsingh (1577-1613) had moustaches and side-
locks. Portraits of Kalyandas (1613) and his successors, Manohardas and Ramchander, are not available. Sabal Singh (1651-60) and Arnarsingh (1660-1701) kept to moustaches and side-locks. Jaswantsingh (1701-08) adopted muttonchop whiskers. Budhsingh (1708-22) gave up shaving the chin but only allowed the hair to show themselves on the chin and the jaws, an apology for a beard. Tejsingh (usurper), who ruled about a year wore prominent sidelocks like Maharawal Amar Singh. Sawaisingh, who also ruled for a year, has left no available portrait. Maharawal Akhaisingh (1723.62) wore sidelocks, which became very prominent and broad as they approached the chin. His successor Maharawal Mulraj (1762-1820) was the first
to grow a beard. Maharawal Gajsingh (1820-46) did
the same, Maharawal Ranjitsingh (1846-64), who came to the throne when 3 years old and died when 21, had no beard. Maharawal Berisal (186491) had a regular beard. Maharawal Salivahan (1891-1914) also had a beard. The present ruler, Maharawal Jawaharsingh (1914), wears only moustaches but no beard.
DHOLPUR
The first Raja was Lokendrasingh. Hut no portrait
of his is available nor are those of Kirtisingh and
Bhagwantsingh (1836-73), Nihalsingh (1873-1901)
grew only moustaches as also Ramsingh (1901-11). The present chief Udaibhan Singh (1911) also contents himself with moustaches.
KISHANGARH
The first thirteen rulers of Kishangarh, Maharaja
Kishansingh (1597-1 615), the founder of the State; Sahasmal (1615-28), Jagmal (1628-28), Harisingh (1628-43), Rupsingh (1643-1658) (who founded Rupangarh), Mansingh(1658-1706), Raj Singh (1706-1 748) Sawantsing (1748-64), Sardarsingh(1764-66)Bahadursingh(1766-82), Biradhsingh (1782-88), Pratapsingh (1788-98) and Kalyansingh (1798-1838) grew only moustaches and side-locks. Some of them had the hair of the side-locks curled but wore no whiskers or beard. Mohkamsingh (1838 41) was the first to have a beard, but it was a close clipped one. His successor Prithvisingh (1841- 79) was the first and the last to grow a regular beard. SarJulsingh (1879-1900), however, gave it up. Maharaja Madansingh (1900-26) did not nurse it. The present ruler, Maharaja Yagyanarain Singh (1926) has only moustaches.
PARTAPGARH
The State was founded by Maharana Kumbha's
younger brother Kherna's son, Suryamal. He died in
1531. His successors Baghsingh (1531-:$5), Raisingh (1535-53), Bika (1553-79) Tejsingh (1579-94), Bhanu- singh (1594-1604), Singha (1604-23), Jaswantsingh (1623-34), have left no portraits. Harisingh (1634-74), Pratapsingh (1674-1708), Pirthvisingh (1708-1717) grew only moustaches and side-locks arid looked like the early Maharanas of Mcwar. Ramsingk (1717-18) wore sidelocks with heavy flowing whiskers. Umed- singh (1718-23), Gopalsingh (1723-58) and Salimsingh (1758-75) wore thin side-locks. But Sanwatsingh (1775- 1844) gave up the side-locks and grew only moustaches.
His successor Dalpatsingh (1844-64) was the first to
grow a beard. Udaisingh (1864-90) and Raghunath
singh (1890-1929) kept up the beard. The present ruler, Ramsingh (1929), has a slight moustache but is otherwise clean shaved.
Thus it appears that neither the Mughal Emperors
nor the Rajput Maharajas had anything to do with the beard till the year 1627 A.D. The seventeenth century
marks the adoption of the beard by the Crown in India. Shahjahan was the first Emperor of India to adopt it, and the Raja of Karauli (1680) was the first Maharaja in Rajputana to grow a beard. Bundi followed close with a beard in 1682; Mewar (1710), Jaisalmer (1711) and Alwar (1791) adopted it in the eighteenth century. The rest, with one exception, Jhalawar, Sirohi, Jaipur, Marwar, Bikaner and Kishangarh , adopted the beard in the nineteenth century. The solitary exception is Kotah, whose Rulers have unanimously discarded the beard.
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