She was a queen known for her boldness in every way. First, she called off her engagement to the Maharaja of Gwalior. Then, against her parents’ wishes, she went ahead with a love marriage. She earned the title of the fashion goddess and was credited with popularizing the chiffon saree. Her extravagant parties were famous, and she had sandals custom-made in Europe, studded with diamonds and pearls. This is the story of Queen Indira Devi of Cooch Behar, a beauty beyond compare and a true fashion lover. She ordered 100 pairs of sandals from a famous Italian shoe brand, some of which were embellished with diamonds and precious stones.
Indira Devi was regarded as the most beautiful woman of her time and was the mother of Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur. She had a strong passion for fashion and beauty and stayed updated on international trends. The queen was also known to have a love for gambling, and many Hollywood stars were her close friends, often attending her lavish parties.
The Italian brand she ordered her sandals from was Salvatore Ferragamo, one of the most iconic designer companies of the 20th century. The brand’s luxury showrooms are still found around the world today.
Queen Indira Devi, known for her beauty and impeccable fashion sense, was a princess from the state of Baroda. She broke all societal conventions to marry Maharaja Jitendra Narayan of Cooch Behar in a love marriage. Always attentive to her looks and attire, she is credited with popularizing silk and chiffon sarees in India. Whenever she dressed up, her appearance would leave everyone in awe.
Salvatore Ferragamo, an Italian designer, was one of her favorite Western designers. In his autobiography, Ferragamo mentioned an instance where the queen ordered sandals from his company, some of which were encrusted with diamonds and pearls. She even sent the diamonds and pearls from her personal collection to be used in the sandals.
Born in 1892, Queen Indira Devi passed away in 1968 at the age of 76. After the death of her husband, she became the regent of Cooch Behar as her son was too young to rule.
As a child, she was engaged to Maharaja Madhavrao Scindia of Gwalior. However, during a visit to Delhi in 1911, she met Maharaja Jitendra Narayan’s younger brother and fell in love with him. Despite knowing that her parents would be against it, especially due to the political ramifications it would have on relations between the Gwalior and Baroda royal families, Indira decided to break off her engagement.
At just 18, she showed immense courage by writing a letter to her fiancé, explaining that she no longer wished to marry him. Her parents were shocked when they received a telegram from Gwalior’s Maharaja asking about the meaning of her letter. The Gwalior Maharaja handled the situation with grace, expressing understanding.
While Indira’s parents reluctantly accepted the broken engagement, they were vehemently opposed to her marrying Jitendra due to his reputation as a playboy. Despite their disapproval, Indira and Jitendra were determined to marry. Eventually, her parents asked her to leave home and move to London. There, they married in a hotel, following Brahmo Samaj customs, with no family members present.
Shortly after their marriage, Jitendra’s older brother, Maharaja Rajendra Narayan, passed away, and Jitendra became the Maharaja of Cooch Behar. The couple’s life together was happy, and they had five children. However, Jitendra’s excessive drinking led to his premature death.
For a long time, Queen Indira Devi managed the affairs of Cooch Behar with her five children. While her administrative skills were average, she was highly active in social life and spent much of her time in Europe.
