Brajraj Khyatriya Birabara Champati Singh Mohapatra the last living ‘king’ of British India has died age 95 on 7th Dec ‘15
This is the story of a king, the last living “king’ of British India
The last tying thread to princely India snapped like an old tree when he fell
On a bamboo cot in a hut, the king diied at a ripe age
Brajraj Singh Mahapatra, the recluse king
On his own he lived, till the ripe old age of 95
No wars he fought
But hearts he won
Of the people whom his kingdom once served
they served,
Took care of him
He was dethroned
When he and 25 other heads of princely states
Signed the instrument of accession in Cuttack
No politics like other royals of his time
"A king cannot go asking for votes,” said he
Known to be flamboyant, kind hearted and generous
In youth he was a hunter and a motor enthusiast with 58 vehicles
But with kinship and the privy purse gone, he got so disturbed
He prefered to live life of a common man
Little money he earned
An alumnus of a college where he studied
He received a yearly honorarium
This too he disbursed among the needy
He had little to share
A recluse he became
Long before he was bankrupt
Relied on beneficence of his subjects
Old king Brajraj was a generous old soul
He called for his rickshaw ( A three wheel cycle)
Went around villages for his Diksha(Arms)
They offered them part of their ration
Took less than what he needed
Loved to be known as Aaja( Grandfather)
Than be called Raja(King)
His kingdom gone
A dynasty ended
But wherever he went
People received him with respect
His last wish to collect a ten rupee note from each villager
To cremate him at the place of his death
A memorial erected in his name
For this king whom the villagers came to know and love
as a common man he lived
His royal family
Has a place in history
For good governance
For saving the three residing deities
Of the famous Jagannath temple
They are credited for scripting
THE Abhinaya Darpan Prakash
The Grammar of Odisha dance,
A classical Indian dance form
May the soul of this dear king rest in peace
