Gayatri Devi's will to be read out

Jaipur: A little more than a week after her death, a dispute over the properties of former Jaipur royal Gayatri Devi has begun. Her heirs, including her stepsons and grand children have camped at her erstwhile residence waiting for her will to be read out on Sunday, August 9.

The fencing of Gayatri Devi's residence Lily Pool was tampered with and the door which was used by her as access to the family owned Rambagh Hotel has been sealed.

Gayatri Devi's help, Pateshwari said, "She would go swimming from here. They've closed it and the patch we'd grow vegetables for her is now inaccessible to us."

Anticipating a bitter dispute between the heirs, the state government has stepped in. State government has demarcated land near Lilypool that it had acquired in 1993.

The Commissioner of Jaipur Development Authority, Sudhansh Pant said, "Earlier we could not do it because entry has been restricted there."

But Lily Pool is just tip of the iceberg. Gayatri Devi's estate is estimated to be worth over Rs 1000 crore. All of it however, is caught in a trail of legal complications.

The erstwhile Maharaja Sawai Mansingh II had three suuccessive wives. Gayatri Devi was the third. Sawai Mansingh II's eldest son from his first wife, Bhawani Singh later on was anointed Maharaja. Sawai Mansingh also had two sons from his second wife, viz. Prithvi Singh and Jai Singh.

Gayatri Devi's own son, Jagat Singh, had two children Lalitya and Devraj with his estranged wife, Thai Princess Priyanandana Rangsit, before he died.

The property of the royal family is under litigation in a partition suit.

Trouble began in 1986 when Gayatri Devi, her son Jagat Singh and step sons Prithvi and Jai Singh claimed their share in the properties. Supreme Court later appointed a receiver on these properties which include:

The City Palace, Jaipur

Rajmahal Palace, Jaipur

Laxmi Vilas Hotel, Jaipur

Moti Doongri Fort, Jaipur

Ashok Club, Jaipur

Jaipur House, New Delhi

Jaipur Palace, Mount Abu

Gayatri Devi was also dragged to court by her grandchildren over a share in the Jai Mahal Palace Hotel. It was only months ago that Gayatri Devi finally patched things up with them.

Gayatri Devi's will would hold the key to who gets her share of the property which includes not just palaces, mansions and land but also the jewellery, artifacts and cars she was known to be a connoisseur of. But who has the will and what are its contents is a question many are hoping gets answered with the ending of the mourning period.

The receiver of the royal properties is now in Jaipur to take stock.

Retired Justice UN Bachhawat, receiver and administrator, Jaipur refused to divulge any more details than were obvious. He said, "I will see what needs to be done. Right now I don't know what the issues might be."

The erstwhile Rajmata was renowned for her beauty and poise, but her legacy threatens to be mired in feud and controversy.

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