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Ramesh Menon in Gwalior
Thousands of mourners filed past the body of Congress politician and former maharaja of Gwalior Madhavrao Scindia in the Rani Mahal area of the Jai Vilas palace.
The body was brought to Gwalior from Delhi on Tuesday, October 2, and the palace has been seeing tearful scenes ever since.
Volunteers had to constantly remove heaps of marigold and wreaths as mourners filed into the palace premises clutching tiny garlands, their last offering to their king.
One of them was the physically handicapped Anand Shukla. He had travelled from Shivpuri to pay his respects. Trying to wade through the crowd was not easy on his two crutches, but he managed to reach Rani Mahal somehow.
By the time he reached the place, Shukla's marigold garland was crushed. His spirit, however, remained intact. He had never met Madhavrao, but respected him as a political leader.
A majority of the mourners who broke down on seeing Scindia's coffin had never even seen him before. Said Shukla: "Maharaj was like a father figure to all of us. We have been orphaned."
Clearly, Madhavrao was one of Madhya Pradesh's most popular politicians.
The crowds stood in what seemed like endless queues in the lashing rain, among them women with children. But the palace guards could not open the gates, for fear of causing a stampede.
Inside, close relatives sat next to the body, accepting the condolences.
Within the palace hundreds of turbaned workers and officials worked endlessly, making arrangements for the funeral on Thursday, October 4. Madhavrao's son Jyotiraditya repeatedly told them that the funeral should be organised in such a way that no one is put to any discomfort while entering the royal funeral grounds.
Working since Tuesday afternoon without a break was H S Pachauri, one of Madhavrao's aides who had been with him for the last 12 years.
Pachauri told rediff.com that he had worked out a detailed plan for Scindia to visit the various parts of Madhya Pradesh from September 23 to 30. All arrangements had been made. But Madhavrao cancelled the tour as one of his close friends, Shiv Pratap Singh, the raja of Umri, lost his son in a tragic accident.
"Fate played a trick," laments Pachauri. "Had he not cancelled the tour, we would not be here arranging for his last journey."
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