After a legal battle of over two decades, two daughters of Harinder Singh Brar won the inheritance of his Rs 20,000-crore properties with a Chandigarh court on July 25 declaring his 31-year-old will forged and illegal. According to the will, the properties were entrusted with the Maharawal Khewaji Trust.
The Maharaja's properties included 300 acres of land, an aerodrome in Faridkot, three planes, two forts, Raj Mahal complex in Faridkot, Faridkot House on New Delhi's Copernicus Marg, Mani Majra fort in Chandigarh, gold, diamonds and around two dozen buildings across the country and a museum.
But the court's verdict came a bit too late.. The property dispute had left the youngest daughter dependent upon the trust, which was simply not enough.
Living in utter isolation, the princess spent her last years in a small portion of Kennilworth house, one the five majestic cottages spread over a sprawling 260 bigha estate at Mashobra near Shimla.
In an interview shortly before her death in 2001, Maheepinder revealed that she slept on the floor and was always apprehensive of conspiracy against her.
It was not paranoia but she had reasons to fear. The nearby Sherwood House, another heritage cottage in the sylvan estate, had been completely burnt down. She suspected foul play, for no one lived in the house and power connection had been severed as a preventive measure. Besides furniture, the building had expensive carpets, rare books, paintings and an antique piano.
Cosy Nook, the third cottage empty of all valuables, is more or less like an abandoned property. Honington, the fourth cottage, has been used as transit accommodation by visiting members of the Khewaji Trust that was responsible for running the property.
Edelweiss House, named after the Swiss Alpine flower, was completely burnt down in 1980, during the lifetime of the late Maharaja of Faridkot who died in 1989.
Speaking about her utter neglect by the trust, she said, "If it were not for a philanthropist from Ambala supporting me, I would be reduced to utter penury with the Rs 1,700 per month being provided by the trust for my living."
Though the royal garages on the estate housed vintage cars — a Rolls Royce, a Bentley, a Daimler, two Jaguars and two Packard's — Maheepinder moved about in a rundown Maruti van. She recalled that the two jaguars had been bought for her parents' wedding.
The princess, who died a spinster, was fond of reading. But she was not allowed to step into the big library in Kennilworth which had a collection of rare books.
In 1992, the Maharaja's elder daughter, Amrit Kaur, challenged the will that handed over the properties to the trust, which has Harinder's former domestic helps as members. The Chandigarh court ordered that the will was forged and fabricated.
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