The Autobiography of an Indian Princess

In Short

This memoir traces the life of Sunity Devee, daughter of the Hindu religious reformer Keshub Chunder Sen, from her childhood in a large Calcutta estate to her marriage to the Maharajah of Cooch Behar. The narrative moves from domestic scenes in India to the royal courts of Europe, capturing her experiences as a hostess, mother, and public figure bridging two cultures. Marked by personal triumphs and profound personal losses, her story endures as a rare, intimate account of a nineteenth-century Indian royal woman navigating the rapid social shifts of the British Raj.

The Story

The narrative begins in 1864 at "Sen's House" in Calcutta, where Sunity Devee grows up in a vast patriarchal household comprising dozens of relatives. Her father, Keshub Chunder Sen, is the leader of the Brahmo Samaj's New Dispensation, a spiritual movement emphasizing universal love and reform. Raised with strong moral principles and educated in both Bengali and English, Sunity early on envisions a quiet life dedicated to study and faith.

This trajectory changes when she turns fourteen. British officials and representatives from the princely state of Cooch Behar select her as the bride for the young Maharajah, Nripendra Narayan Bhup. Despite religious controversies and disputes over age and rites, the marriage is finalized under dramatic late-night circumstances to satisfy both political and orthodox demands. Sunity enters her new role as Maharani, learning to balance the expectations of her husband with her own background.

Her husband proves to be a loving but firm companion who maintains high standards for her deportment. While Sunity observes traditional customs and respects the zenana in Cooch Behar, she also adapts to Western social life. The couple acquires a residence, Woodlands, near Calcutta, where they entertain lavishly. Sunity adheres to Indian culinary traditions while hosting dances and formal gatherings, earning the respect of both local subjects and British administrators.

Her world expands further during her first journey to England for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. Welcomed into elite British circles, she meets European royalty, attends grand balls, and forms a lasting bond with Queen Victoria, who becomes godmother to one of her sons. Sunity reflects on the differences between Eastern and Western customs, offering sharp observations on high society, royal protocol, and social attitudes.

As the years progress, Sunity devotes much of her energy to raising her children. She voices quiet opposition to sending her sons to English boarding schools at a young age, fearing they will become alienated from their home culture and unprepared for the local climate. Her concerns prove prescient. The later chapters of her life are shadowed by tragedy: her husband falls gravely ill and dies at Bexhill, and her eldest son, Rajey, who suffers injuries from a polo accident and long-term ill health, passes away shortly after. Through deep grief, Sunity relies on her spiritual roots, finding solace in her remaining family and her father's religious teachings as she prepares for her own final years.

How It Unfolds

A Kolkata childhood Sunity grows up in a spacious multi-generational family house, immersed in her father's religious reform movement. She attends school, studies lessons alongside her siblings, and initially dreams of taking a vow never to marry.

The unexpected marriage Government officials and emissaries inspect Sunity to determine her suitability as a bride for the young Maharajah of Cooch Behar. After tense negotiations over wedding rites and religious customs, the ceremony takes place late at night under strict official pressure.

Adapting to royal life As the young Maharani, Sunity learns to navigate the social rules imposed by her husband and mother-in-law. She maintains traditional customs in Cooch Behar while taking on the duties of a prominent hostess at their Woodlands estate.

Voyage to the Jubilee Sunity travels to London for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, stepping onto the global stage. She attends aristocratic gatherings, gets lost in a garden maze, and develops a warm friendship with the British monarch.

Family life and debates on education Back in India, Sunity raises her children while questioning the practice of sending young Indian princes to England for their schooling. She argues for home influence and local institutions, warning of the cultural disconnect it creates.

Loss and spiritual endurance Tragedy strikes as her husband's health declines, leading to his death in England. Soon after, her eldest son succumbs to failing health, leaving Sunity to seek comfort in her faith and the memory of her family.

The People

• Sunity Devee: The narrator and Maharani of Cooch Behar. Devoted to her family and her father's spiritual teachings, she moves gracefully between the secluded traditions of the zenana and the open drawing rooms of European high society.
• Keshub Chunder Sen: Sunity’s father and the leader of the Brahmo Samaj New Dispensation. A renowned religious reformer, his principles of tolerance and universal love guide Sunity throughout her life.
• Nripendra Narayan Bhup (Maharajah of Cooch Behar): Sunity’s husband. An assertive ruler who insists on having his way regarding his marriage, he is deeply devoted to Sunity while holding strict standards for her social conduct and public presentation.
• Rajey: The couple's eldest son. A gentle and handsome boy, he is sent to England for his education, suffers a severe polo accident, and struggles with declining health until his early death.

In Its Own Voice

"The New Dispensation in India neither shuts out God's light from the rest of the world, nor does it run counter to any of those marvellous dispensations of His mercy which were made manifest in ancient times."

This passage reflects the foundational philosophy of Sunity’s father, establishing the spiritual principles that inform her outlook on world religions and diverse cultures.

"In Darjeeling and Calcutta I may be considered the Maharani with advanced Western ideas, but in Cooch Behar I was and am the zenana lady who enters into the lives of the people."

Here, Sunity captures her dual identity, illustrating how she adapted her lifestyle depending on whether she was representing her state in modern cities or connecting with traditional subjects at home.

"I had a house with four walls like rock and a strong roof that sheltered me, and now the roof is gone and two of the walls are down."

Writing toward the end of her life after the loss of her husband and eldest son, Sunity uses this stark metaphor to describe her profound grief and altered reality.

What It's Really About

Beneath its royal anecdotes, the book explores the tension between tradition and modernity in late nineteenth-century India. Sunity continuously navigates the boundaries between Indian domestic expectations and Western public life. Her narrative raises subtle critiques about colonial influence—specifically the practice of removing young Indian elite boys from their cultural roots to educate them in England. Above all, the memoir is a quiet meditation on faith, maternal devotion, and the resilience required to endure personal tragedy under the relentless gaze of public life.

Why Read It Today

This memoir offers a clear, firsthand perspective on an era often viewed only through colonial administrative records or romanticized histories. Sunity writes with warmth, modest humor, and noticeable lack of self-pity. Readers interested in women's history, royal memoirs, or nineteenth-century cultural encounters will find her narrative both engaging and informative.

The prose is accessible, though modern readers should be prepared for period terminology, unfamiliar family relationships, and the abrupt shifts between grand public celebrations and private grieving. The memoir's strength lies in its emotional honesty: Sunity does not present herself as an extraordinary heroine, but rather as a thoughtful woman who lived through extraordinary circumstances with her faith and dignity intact.