False Allies: India'S Maharajahs In The Age Of Ravi Varma by Manu S. Pillai in Hardcover

India's maharajahs have often been portrayed as selfish tyrants, consumed by their own desires and extravagance. These "bejewelled parasites" were thought to prioritize material possessions over education and public welfare. The British perpetuated the idea that these rulers needed "enlightened" guidance from white hands, and even many Indians believed this stereotype, viewing the princes as puppets of the empire. However, in Manu S. Pillai's well-researched book, this view is challenged. Through his exploration of the travels of renowned painter Ravi Varma in five princely states, from the 1860s to the early 1900s, Pillai reveals a different reality. Far from the clichés, we see a world of rebellion, legal battles, and resistance, rather than dancing girls. We also meet maharajahs who were passionate about industrialization and funded nationalist movements, proving that they were not easily manipulated by the Raj. Despite their