Inaugural Address of the Maharaja to the Praja Sabha
1934

Legal Document No 58

The assemblage here present this day is the outcome of their labours to give outward form to our behests. It is the first of its kind in recent times; but, of old, the duties which you will have to perform, were duties which were always shouldered, and loyally discharged, by the "Praja" ever since the institution of monarchy came into being in this ancient land of India. To acquaint themselves with the needs of their people the kings of old have caused to be performed, and maintained, bodies from village Panchayats upto assemblies of this nature, composed of the representatives of the various interests in their kingdoms, our own records bear witness to this.

For our part we declare that Divine Provenance having laid upon us the sacred duty to care equally for all those committed to our guardianship, we can recognize no difference between one person and another or between one class and another. They are all our beloved children, whatever their persuasion or creed, and we desire to protect, foster, guide, and advance them by every means in our power.

Out of the great love and affection we bear our beloved subjects, we have called you to do your part in working for the well being of this State. We have appointed your task and indicated the lines of the service you can render to yourselves and to your Ruler whose ordained duty it is to safeguard and promote your best interests. We desire you to enter upon the discharge of your responsibilities in such, a way that your behaviour may be an example to others and your achievements at once a model for them to emulate and a monument to your own earnestness end your loyalty to the State that you serve.

No one here today can fail to realize that both in theory and practice, the existence of a stable society and a peaceful community involves, and presupposes, a head, whose sway must be ungrudgingly accepted, and whose behests must be loyally carried out, if the harmony and orderly progress of the community is to be achieved. In recent times. certain nations have departed from this, and the world has witnessed the sorry spectacle of chaos and anarchy. The fate of these nations should provide us with an object lesson. Those who have chosen precipitately to break from their ancient moorings have not yet found the haven of peace, they are still floundering in stormy waters. Peace and harmony are the essential conditions of progress and prosperity, and all can see that the world of the present day, after experiencing the storm and stress of unsettlement, is once again discovering the axiom that peaceful progress, even if slow, is in the long run the best indeed, the only, way.

Beware of impassioned utterances so much in vogue today. They invariably formulate unbalanced and unpractical ideals that are as much divorced from decisive factors and stern realities as they are foreign to the genius of our race. Cultivate sobriety of thought and expression, shunning all that is disruptive, and devote all your energies to creative and constructive work which alone can help to ameliorate the lot, and conduce to the happiness of those whose spokesmen you have undertaken to be.

With these words of counsel and admonition by which we hope to plant the feet of our beloved subjects on the path of solid progress and achievement, we hereby declare this Praja Sabha (State Assembly) duly and well inaugurated and opened.

May the Dispenser of all Bounties in His infinite mercy and wisdom bless your labours, and may those labours, conducted in perfect harmony, redound to the credit of our subjects whose first chosen representatives you are, and to the glory of our unique heritage and of the body politic.