Dy CM Diya Kumari Inaugurates Rare Archives Exhibition in Jaipur

Jaipur, March 2026 : Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari on Tuesday inaugurated a three-day special exhibition organized by the Rajasthan State Archives, Bikaner, at Jawahar Kala Kendra. The exhibition is themed “Valuable Historical and Administrative Records of the Princely States of Rajputana.”

The exhibition has been organized by the Department of Art, Literature and Culture, Rajasthan, under the Rajasthan State Archives, Bikaner.

During her visit, the Deputy Chief Minister viewed a historic letter written by Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amer to his son Ram Singh. She also examined a parwana (license) issued by Sawai Jai Singh during the establishment of Jaipur city in 1727, encouraging trade and commerce by granting permissions to merchants.

Director of Rajasthan State Archives, Chandrasen Singh Shekhawat, informed her that the exhibition features a wide range of rare documents, including legal reports, resolutions passed by the Jaipur State Council for the Hindu Mahasabha in Kotputli, official orders, kharitas (royal letters), petitions, and administrative records.

Among the key highlights is a kharita sent in 1885 on the coronation of the Maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir to Maharaja Fateh Singh of Udaipur. The exhibition also showcases a resolution by the Alwar State Council emphasizing women’s education.

Important historical agreements and orders are also on display, including the settlement of the Ruparel river dispute between Alwar and Bharatpur states, an order by Jhalawar State under the Child Marriage Act of 1927 to prevent mismatched marriages, and directives issued by Maharana Swaroop Singh of Udaipur to abolish the practice of Sati.

The exhibition further displays maps, emblems, founder lineages, and photographs of all 19 princely states, along with significant records related to the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Documents related to Bikaner State’s camel corps, known as the ‘Ganga Risala,’ are also exhibited.

A notable section highlights the 1913 Mangarh incident, where British forces opened fire on a gathering led by Govind Guru at Mangarh Hill, resulting in a tragic massacre.

The exhibition also features references to the Battle of Haldighati, including records of Maharana Pratap’s grief over the death of his horse Chetak, along with copper plate grants of land donations.

Other attractions include a letter written by Lord Lansdowne, then Viceroy and Governor-General of India, to the Maharaja of Bharatpur, and a letter by Rabindranath Tagore presented at the 1927 Hindi Sahitya Sammelan.

Rare books preserved in the Bikaner library are also on display, such as Report Raj Marwar (1891), Bikaner Golden Jubilee (1887–1937), Rulers of India and the Chiefs of Rajputana by Thomas Headley, The King and Queen in India (1911–12), and Medical Topographical Account of Ajmer Rajputana (1900).

The exhibition will remain open to the public until March 19 at the Alankar Gallery of Jawahar Kala Kendra, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with free entry.