Annointing Nawab of Arcot 1842


     Lord Elphinstone  Governor of  Madras (1837-42) annointing young  Titular Arcot  Nawab Ghulam Mohammed Ghaus Khan in August 1842 at Chepauk Palace. It is said that he was appointed as Governor of  Madras since it was rumoured that young  Queen  Victoria had fallen in love with him.  During his period Elphinstone bridge on the Adyar was built.  A first hand account of the  annointing ceremony at Chepauk.

    " The  ceremony of  the installation of the  Nawab  of Carnatic at Chepauk  Palace was performed on the  25th August with great splendour in the  presence of the  Governor,  Commander in Chief, Members of the  Council , Judges of  Supreme  Court with various heads of department. The  young Nawab was conducted to the musnud by Lord  Elphinstone who was supported on his left by the Naib -i- Mooktar  the  late regent. The  installation was announced to the multitude outside by a salute from the battery and an incessant fire of musketry. The  ceremony was performed in a spacious hall decorated with full length portraits of  the  present Nawab his uncle and grand father. The  quadrangle outside presented a pleasing and animated experience;  the  Nawab elephant twelve in number and gaily  caparisoned several mounted with  different coloured  howdahs formed no inconsiderable feature in the scene. The ceremonies being ended his highness conducted the Governor to the inner palace  were a collation was prepared for nearly 200 persons laid out in three long adjoining apartments separated merely by pillars  supplementary tables being spread in a long verandah at one end of them;  it passed of without disorder not  withstanding the  immense assemblage of various creeds and colours whom the spectacle had brought together".

    Visualising the event that happened 175 years ago and enjoying it.

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