Notes on diaries of Raja Ravi Varma
T uesda:J 8th januar:J I 895
In the morning at 9 H.H. paid a visit to Ms Justice John Jardine at the Byculla Club and he kindly invited H.H. to go and see the High Court one day. We had a drive in the evening to the Fort and on our way home took with us from Dawood Bhai's the embroidered coat and trousers he had prepared.
[No entry between 8th and 14th January 1895]
Monda:J I +th januar:J I 895
In the evening at 9.30 there was a singing party to which a large number of H.H's friends had [been] invited. The singing which was Hindustani was excellent and continued till 4 in the morning. Everyone enjoyed the entertainment heartily. Among those present were Messers Govardhan Das Khatu, Jugmohan Das, Dharmsey and Narotam Morarji and others.
T uesda:J J 5thjanuar:J 1895
Notwithstanding the previous day's vigil we went to the Tivoli Theatre8 to see 'The School for [sic] [of] Scandal' performed. The acting was splendid and called for the loud applause from the audience. Sir Peter and Lady [+++] and Charles [+++] were capital.
[No entry for 16th January 1895]
Thursda:J 17th januar:J J 895
Messers Dharmsey and Narotam Morarji invited us to his house the China Bay a beautiful building to see a novel performance in which first an earthen pot was transformed into a living human head which again turned into a glass fish pond and so on. The illusion was startling.
F rida:J J 8th januar:J J 895 Left Bombay for the Charni Road station by the Mail at 9. Some four friends had been at the station to see us off. Mr Jugmohan Das met us at .the Grant Road Station. After midnight the cold was intense. Got up at 5 and made the necessary preparations to alight at Baroda.
Saturda:J 19th januar:J J 895
We reached Baroda early in the morning at 6.30 and H.H was received by the officers who represented the Durbar9 heartily and, escorted by five sowars drove to [+++] our residence. In the afternoon we visited the Public Offices and the Laxmi Vilas Palace where one can spend hours in admiring the architecture, paintings, statues and furniture. After a drive through the Public Gardens returned home. Supper being over we witnessed the nautch by the )0 I\aja I\avi Varma: F ortrait at an Artist
Embroidered coat and trousers from Daood Bhai. a singing programme till 4 am with eminent - industrialists? watching School for Scandal which has 'capital' performances. Illusions at China Bay, house of other industrialists? earthern pot to human head to glass bowl with fish. left bombay for charney road, thence to Baroda, cold night.. got up early to alight at Baroda.. at Baroda, picked up in five- carriages? met by officers- noting such things, comforting- what is the meaning of a diary? comfort to self? then to the Laxmi Vilas Palace, then to the public gardens and then the nautch.
