Durbar

   Persian for “prince’s court,” the durbar in British India was a grand court ceremonial used to commemorate special occasions involving the monarchy. Three durbars were held in India by the British. They took the form of receptions, balls, parties, and a grand military parade. The first of the Durbars was held to commemorate the bestowing of the title “Queen Empress of India” on Queen Victoria by Parliament at the behest of British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. It took place on January 1, 1877, in Delhi and was designed to rally the princes of India to British rule. The second durbar was also held in Delhi when Victoria’s son, Edward VII, was proclaimed “King-Emperor” on January 1, 1903. The third and last of the durbars took place to commemorate the accession of King George V to the throne of the United Kingdom upon the death of his father in 1910. It was marked in India by the durbar held at Delhi in the presence of King George and his wife on December 12, 1911.

   To ensure maximum publicity of the occasion, the rulers of states were excused the payment of succession duties; military and lower-ranked civil servants received bonuses; grants were provided for schools; and, for the first time, officers, men, and reservists of the Indian Army became eligible for the Victoria Cross. Most important, the king himself announced the well-kept secret that the capital of India would be transferred from Calcutta to Delhi and the partition of Bengal of 1905 would be reversed, a new province of Bihar and Orissa would be created, and Assam would once again be under a chief commissioner. The durbar became controversial because these costly administrative moves were announced without consulting Parliament, but the changes were the most important, as they had farreaching consequences.

   See also <>.

   FURTHER READING:

    James, Lawrence. Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 1997; - - Wolpert, Stanley. A New History of India New York: Oxford University. Press, 2005.

   ROGER D. LONG