Sikh Raj Paintings - Elveden

[Freed]

Gurfateh !

Last weekend I went to Elveden - the country estate once owned by Maharajah Duleep Singh - It is a tradition in our house that all visiting relatives get a tour of London and Cambridge (including Elveden) - it is probably the reason why I have such an interest in Punjabi History, Museums, paintings and the like (Thanks Dad !).

I have always wanted to see the interior of Elveden Hall - the closest I have ever got is looking through the windows and the gardens (as you know Punjabis never take any notice of 'Private Property' 'No Entry' and 'enter at own risk' signs !)

Here are a collection of Photographs that show Elveden Hall as it was when Duleep Singh bought it , his renovations and the later additions.

The photographs also show the famous paintings that hung in Elveden Hall - a constant reminder of more grander times and past glories.

The Maharajah bought Elveden Hall ( located in Suffolk near Thetford) in 1864 - for £105,000 - the money raised by a loan from the India Office at 4 percent interest.

It was a sprawling sporting estate of some 17 thousand acres -it rivalled nearby Sandringham (The Queens estate) as one of the best places to hunt and shoot - Duleep Singh was rated fourth best shot in Britain.

The original building was quite plain - Duleep Singh practically rebuilt it in Italian Renaissance style - but the inside was based on the Mughal Style of the Lahore Fort.

The Drawing room was styled after the Shish Mahal - the Hall and main rooms decorated with Indo Persian / Mughal arches and pilasters.

The famous Dussehra painting of Ranjit Singh's Darbar hung in the Hall and a copy of Winterhalter's portrait of Duleep Singh in the Dining Room.

Elveden was sold by Duleep Singh's trustees after his death in 1894 for £159,000 to the Lord of Iveagh - the Guinness Family (yes - as in the 'Black Stuff') they still own the estate.

**Black and White photographs from The Collection of the Thetford Library.

Elveden Hall in 1863

The renovations made by Duleep Singh

Duleep Singh Standing in the portico of Elveden Hall

Elveden Hall 1877, Lord Frederick Fitz-roy, Lord Leicester, Duke of Athol, Lord Dacre, Prince of Wales, Lord Rendlesham, Lord Holmesdale, Lord Balfour of Burleigh, Maharajah, Lord Ripon, Lord Westbury, Sir R. Beauchamp, Capt. Goldingham

The Interiors

The Main Hall - showing the famous August Schoefft 'Dussehra' painting of Ranjit Singh's Darbar on the right and a portrait of Duleep Singh by Capt. Goldingham on the left.

Both paintings are now in the Princess Bamba Collection in the Sikh Gallery of Lahore fort

the Schoefft and Goldingham paintings

The Dining Room - with a copy of the F X Winterhalter's portrait of Duleep Singh above the fireplace

the Winterhalter painting

The sitting room of Redneck Farm on the Elveden Estate - you can see the August Schoefft portrait of Maharaja Sher Singh - seated on the Golden Throne - hanging on the right as well as a portrait of Ranjit Singh.

the Schoefft painting - now also in the Princess Bamba Collection

The hall

The drawing room

The dining room

Elveden Hall as it is today - the Dome and extension were added by Lord Iveagh

The Gravestones of Maharaja Duleep Singh his wife and son at St Andrews church on the Elveden Estate

as they are today

Hope you enjoyed the post

Ranjit Singh 'Freed'

[pun9ab1]

nice, I take it he was Christian since he was buried?

[Gurbar Akaal]

Fantastic post, thanks

[Bundha]

You cannot blame M.Dalip singh. From the age of 9 he was made to hand over the Sikh kingdom and for the rest of his life he was under the influence of Christians, what could a boy do?

Later Dalip singh tried to rally support and with the help of his mother they tried desparately to get the kingdom back, but it was never going to happen. Dalip singh in his later life converted back to Sikhi and shakked amrit. He died in Paris quite saddely as he could see no way of getting his throne back.

Great pictures, may I use the grave pictures on my little site ?

Thanks

[chatanga]

did he actuially take Amrit?

Were there 5 pyare available anywhere in europe at the time?

[dalsingh101]

I don't think burial or cremations determine whether someone is Sikh. Sikhism stresses the soul, the body is a mere vessal for that. Whether burnt or cremated would make no difference. Cremation is preferred in hotter climates for obvious reasons but this is cultural not religious.