England country manor celebrates Diwali with royal Bengal connection

[[{“value”:”

An English manor in the West Midlands region of England is celebrating Diwali starting Saturday with a nod to its royal connections with West Bengal. 

The story of two princesses born in Cooch Behar who fell in love with the lords of the manor will be in the spotlight at Wightwick Manor and Gardens for a festival of light, storytelling, design and live music until Diwali Day on November 8.

Princess Pretiva Devi Narayan and her sister Princess Sudhira, known as ‘Baby’, fell in love with two brothers, Lionel and Alan Mander, over 100 years ago.

“We are in the process of digitising large amounts of historic family photographs, so there is still hope we will unearth some pictures of the princesses in the house that we care for today,” notes the National Trust charity, charged with the care of the manor.

It was in February 1912 that Lionel married Pretiva at Woodlands, Calcutta, a palace that belonged to her father, Sir Nripendra Narayan, the Maharajah of Cooch Behar, in modern-day West Bengal.

Alan Mander, Lionel’s younger brother, met Sudhira when she was ill in London, and he called on his sister-in-law Pretiva.

A friendship soon blossomed into a romance, but Maharani Suniti Devi, Pretiva and Sudhira’s mother, was initially opposed to the marriage and arranged an extended cruise to separate the pair.

However, the story goes that Alan “simply followed them around the world” and the couple married in February 1914 also at Woodlands in Calcutta.

“Pretiva and Sudhira were the daughters of Maharajah Nripendra Narayan and Maharani Suniti Devi, of Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India. The Maharajah and his wife were supporters of the British Raj and the royal family and often travelled to England,” the National Trust archives note. 

“In 1887 the Maharajah and his wife attended Queen Victoria’s Jubilee, and during this visit the couple met the Queen and socialised with other members of the royal family. The Maharajah also attended the Coronation of King Edward VII. They had seven children in total, including Pretiva and Sudhira, and their son Victor Nityendra Narayan was godson to Queen Victoria,” it reads.

It is this unique India-UK bond that the manor will be celebrating over Diwali, with a colourful new installation that reimagines the festival through the lens of design produced by local artist Kanj Nicholas.

“Through a series of printing workshops with the local community and taking inspiration from the aesthetic of Wightwick, this installation blends rich Indian textiles, bold colours, and traditional motifs to create something truly unique,” the National Trust stated.

“Diwali is a time for reflection, joy, and togetherness, bringing families and communities together in celebration. Whether you are reconnecting with your roots or discovering something new, everyone is warmly invited to celebrate at Wightwick Manor and Gardens,” it adds.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.

“}]]