The Delhi Durbar was a grand event organised by the Viceroy to mark the coronation of an Emperor or Empress. Hence, these were also known as the Coronation Durbars. Durbar, which means a ‘court of a ruler’ in Persian, was adopted by the British from the Mughals. The idea was to come across to the people of India as the’ heirs of the Mughals.’

Delhi Durbar 1877

In 1876, Queen Victoria, in addition to her title of ‘Queen of Great Britain and Ireland,’ assumed the title of ‘Empress of India.’ The Viceroy, Lord Lytton, was asked to proclaim this on her behalf throughout India. He decided to hold an Imperial Assemblage at Delhi on 1 January 1877 for this purpose. All the Governors, Lt Governors, Heads of Administrations, Ruling Chiefs, Princes and Nobles were invited for this historic ceremony. The magnificence of this event can be understood from the fact that the number of people who attended this ceremony was greater than what the Viceroy had anticipated.

The Assemblage met in pavilions built in an open plain. On entering the pavilion, the Viceroy was welcomed with the Royal Salute and was made to sit on the Viceregal Throne in the centre. Governors, Head of Administrations, Ruling Chiefs, Native chiefs, and other high officials sat in a semi-circle facing the throne.

The Proclamation was read out in English and in Urdu at the Assemblage, and this was followed by a salute of 101 salvos of artillery. The Viceroy then addressed the gathering and conferred each chief with a Gold Medal and a Banner in the name of the Queen.

The Gold Medal had a graven image of Her Majesty on one side and on the other side was an inscription in English, Urdu and Hindi that read, “Victoria Empress of India, 1 January 1877.” The Banner on one side bore the armorial bearings of the chiefs, and on the other an inscription stating that it was a gift from the Empress of India.

Two significant decisions taken at this Durbar were:

• The creation of the Privy Council
• The number of guns saluted the Viceroy and other chiefs, who were entitled to.

In British India, the Salute for Her Majesty the Queen and Empress was 101 guns, while the Viceroy of India received 31 guns. Other important chiefs of India were given 21, 19, 17, 15, 11 and 9 gun salutes depending on their relationship with the British.

Delhi Durbar 1903

The second Durbar was held in 1903 and was not just an Assemblage but a grand affair that everybody wanted to be a part of. This Durbar marked the succession of Edward VII. On the orders of King Edward VII, it was attended by the Duke of Connaught.

This week-long celebration, which also included polo and football tournaments, had to be well planned and organised, for which a Durbar Committee was set up. The guests who came for the Darbar stayed in the well-equipped Provincial Camps, which had electrical and sanitation facilities. They would have string bands playing at night, which shows that these camps were active throughout the day.

The most awaited event at the Durbar was the Royal State Entry. People gathered in large numbers to watch the Royal procession. This Darbar had the procession scheduled for 29 December 1902. It started off with the arrival of the Viceroy at the station, where the bands played the British National Anthem. He was received and greeted by the Ruling Chiefs and other officials. Following this was the arrival of the main guests of the event, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught. On their arrival, the bands at the platform played the British National Anthem, and they were given the Royal Salute.

The Viceroy and the Duke and Duchess of Connaught mounted the elephants outside the station, and from there the elephant procession began. It proceeded from the Queen’s road, round the Jama Masjid via Chandni Chowk to the ridge by the Flagstaff Tower and finally concluded at the Viceroy’s Camp.

The main event of the Delhi Durbar was the Coronation ceremony on 1 January 1903. For this, an amphitheatre was set up. It was divided into blocks from A to Y. Seats were predetermined and assigned to the various guests of the Durbar according to hierarchy.

One of the major concerns for the Durbar Committee was the seating arrangement for the Begums who accompanied the Maharajas to the Darbar. Hence, Block Y of this amphitheatre was reserved only for the purdahnashin(veiled) ladies. A total of fourteen ladies had seats reserved in this block.

Two major events organised in the 1903 Durbar that made it unique were:

• The Art Exhibition - The Director and the Assistant Director toured across India and contacted some of the best local manufacturers. The exhibitors were supplied with labels, tickets, and invoice forms to be sent along with the goods. These exhibits were brought to Delhi by rail, carried at reduced rates.
  A building was erected at Qudsea Bagh, which was dismantled after the exhibition was over. Saracenic in character with fresco and title work, the building had four sections:
  1. The Main or Sale Gallery
  2. The Loan Collection Gallery
  3. The Jewellery Court.
  4. The Artisans Gallery and Workshop

The loan gallery housed exhibits loaned by the native rulers and other nobles. Among the extraordinary exhibits were the famous Baroda pearl carpet of the Maharaja of Baroda and illustrated manuscripts of the Maharaja of Alwar. The Artisans Gallery was another interesting section where artisans had space to work, and guests could see them at work.

• The Ballroom and Buffet party - The State Ball was a grand event organised at the Red Fort. Temporary alterations were made at the Diwan-i-Am and the Diwan-i-Khas. Covered passages were made from Salimgarh to the Diwan-i-Am and from the Diwan-i-Am to the Diwan-i-Khas. Separate sections of the ballroom and the Buffet room were created, adjoining the Diwan-i-Am.

  Lord Curzon realised that the arches between the Diwan-i-Am and the ballroom were uncovered, and that on the day of the function, it would become too cold for the guests.

  Rai Bahadur Ganga Ram, the superintendent of works, was asked to look into this matter. He decided to put beautiful heavy curtains to cover these arches. The arches between the ballroom and the buffet room had pleasant yellow-ochre coloured curtains. Heating facilities were installed in the three main rooms to maintain the temperature.

The Investiture ceremony, also held at the Red Fort, was where many Princes and officials were awarded the gold and silver Delhi Durbar medals for their contribution to British India. In fact, the Nizam of Hyderabad misplaced the gold medal given to him. He wrote letters requesting a replacement, which the Viceroy eventually agreed to provide for free.

This Durbar was also significant, as a large Telegraph Office was established in the Central Camp. The Viceroy’s speech of 1 January was telegraphed to the London Office. This was the first time a speech had been telegraphed in India.

Delhi Durbar 1911

The Durbar of 1911 marked the succession of King George V. This Durbar was historic for two reasons: one, it was the only one attended by the Emperor himself, and second, this was where the shifting of the Imperial Capital from Calcutta to Delhi was announced.

The Royal State Entry was one of the major events of the Durbar that had to be carefully planned and organised by the Darbar Committee. The procession included the Viceroy, troops of His Majesty’s Escort, Ruling Chiefs, the staff of His Majesty’s Escort and other officials. There were many discussions about the procession’s arrangement and whether the chiefs should be included. After several proposed schemes, it was decided that the Chiefs would follow the Royal procession. The procession of the Ruling Chiefs was led by the Nizam of Hyderabad, who was entitled to a 21-gun salute.

The Proclamation Ceremony took place on 12 December in the Durbar arena, which had two amphitheatres on the same site as the previous Durbars. The larger, outer one, called the Spectator’s Mound, was for the general public. The other, smaller amphitheatre was reserved for the Durbar’s esteemed guests.

The 1911 Proclamation Ceremony was widely discussed for various reasons. Firstly, the Maharaja of Gaekwar, after arriving at the amphitheatre, removed all his jewellery except his Star and medals and handed them over to his son, who was sitting behind him. The Maharaja’s behaviour was considered rude, and he later apologised.

Secondly, the planners of the Darbar had some idea long before the ceremony that a few Ruling Chiefs were not in favour of bowing before the Emperor for the Homage Ceremony. They were expected to bow three times before their Imperial Majesties and walk back to their places in reverse. They wanted to meet the Emperor but as equals. Hence, on the day of the ceremony, the Maharaja of Gaekwar, during his homage to the King and the Queen, bowed just once, then turned and walked to his place. His behaviour at the Delhi Durbar was reported in many newspapers, as it was considered highly disrespectful. He later apologised on the advice of the British Resident in his court.