Rani Kanari Sahiba of Kapurthala: The Queen Who Disguised Herself as a Man to Break the Rules of British Empire

The Maharajas of India are remembered for their grandeur, palaces, and legendary lifestyles. But, behind their splendour were the queens, the Maharanis and ranis, whose stories often remained hidden in the shadows of history. Among them was Rani Kanari Sahiba of Kapurthala, a woman who with the help of her husband defied the British Raj’s travel restrictions. She disguised herself as a man to journey across the world beside her husband, Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala.Jagatjit Singh was known to have married six times. He took Rani Kanari Sahiba as his fourth wife in 1895. She was the daughter of the Dewan of Jubbal, a town in Himachal Pradesh. They had a son and a daughter, Rani Shri Amrit Kaur Sahiba and Karamjit Singh Sahib Bahadur.Not

much is known about Rani Kanari Sahiba, but there is one incident that is still talked about today. During the British Raj (1858–1947), if a member of a royal family wished to travel abroad, they were required to seek permission from the British colonial government. During the formation of British Raj, Maharajas were given the status of feudal vassals who owed allegiance to Queen Victoria. As a result, the British Government in India approved adoptions (in the absence of sons), royal expenditures, and travel abroad.Jagatjit Singh was known as a Francophile ruler. His passion for France and its culture was such that French aesthetics and influence was incorporated into his princely state, earning Kapurthala the nickname “Paris of the Punjab”. The Maharaja led an opulent life and travelled frequently to Europe.However, one international sojourn that he had planned with Rani Kanari was approved on the condition that the queen remain in India. This was during the reign of Viceroy Lord Curzon, and while the Maharaja was permitted to take assistants and staff, Rani Kanari Sahiba’s travel request was refused. The Maharaja began to think of ways to take the Rani with him. One of his trusted ministers suggested disguising the queen as a male servant to enable her to travel abroad.Rani Kanari was more than willing to be part of the plan. She was dressed as a male attendant of the Maharaja, wearing an achkan, pyjama, turban, and a false beard. Her identity was recorded as that of the Maharaja’s personal staff, allowing her to board the ship to Europe from Bombay Port. They travelled across Europe, the United States of America, and Egypt. She kept a low profile and avoided attending the wedding of the Duke of York in London. After eight months abroad, she returned with her husband to Kapurthala undetected.