Bristi Dey
Spotting a woman driving through the majestic roads of Rajasthan back in the mid 1900s was a rare sight. And Maharani Gayatri Devi, dressed in her elegant chiffon sarees would glide through those royal routes behind the wheels, carrying herself with sheer grace and fearless independence, like the world’s expectations never held her back.
She married into the royal family of Jaipur to Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II in 1940. Before the wedding, her mother was understandably concerned about how she would adapt to a world where women were expected to live behind purdah. Princess of Cooch Behar, Gayatri Devi had always been spirited, outspoken, and a little tomboyish in nature. Yet, destiny seemed to place her exactly where her individuality belonged.
She not only fell in love with her husband Maharaja of Jaipur, but also the luxury cars which fascinated her to her core. And Maharaja knew exactly how to impress his queen. He taught her driving and she became the first royal woman to take the wheel on Indian roads.
Several incidents followed that remain engraved in the history of how love can do the greatest magic in life. One time while traveling in Europe, Gayatri Devi once spotted a Jaguar sports car and admired it so deeply that by the next morning, a surprise awaited her: an XK 120, delivered as a gift from her husband.
From 1958 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL,1937 Bentley to Rolls-Royce Fleet and 1952 Jaipur Cadillac Series 62, she had it all. Her garage was a masterclass in luxury and fleeting emotions, with each motor holding a different story.
Though her life appeared glamorous from the outside, it was marked by deep sorrow and loss. In 1970, the passing of her mother, sister, beloved brother, and husband within a span of a few months left her devastated. The grief shaped the rest of her life and echoed through the pages of her memoir. However, amidst all of it she tried to remain the happy soul she always was through her passions and integrity. And on her birth anniversary, we remember her as the resilient woman she was!