Sorry Tale of a Fairy Queen
By U. Mahesh Prabhu
Born as the second daughter of Barrister Wolfe Fink and his wife Elizabeth on 15 September 1894 was Esme Mary ‘Molly’ Sorret Fink or Molly, as she was better known. Molly’s father Wolfe was a svelte person, truly intellectual, but never good at managing wealth. But, though poor, Wolfe ever made sure that his offspring’s got the best and had education at the best institutions.
Molly had her early education at Lauriston School, along with her sister Ida and, brother, Ossie. Hers was a charming face. Apart from her grace and knowingness about the opposite sex she was also regarded for her high spirits. Yet for reasons unclear it is certain that she was made to dropout from the school on the allegation of ‘misbehaviour’. However things didn’t stop for Molly here. After having dropped out Molly pursued her long driven passion – theatres.
Just before the First World War the Finks toured the Dutch East Indies where their family suffered a major blow. Wolfe Fink passed away of ruptured aorta. With his passing the family was now penurious. Things became more difficult for the Finks.
Elizabeth, with great trouble, managed to keep the sail. She somehow managed to gather enough money to rent an apartment in Hotel Majestic Mansion which had a great turnover of upper class patrons. Her idea of hiring the apartment there was to find for herself a rich husband to rescue, also, her kids from impoverishment. But that was never to happen.
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Somewhere in the mid of March 1915 a Prince, not so charming, from very little known Princely State of India called Pudukottai landed in Sydney, Australia. His name was Martanda Bhairava Tondaiman.
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He was born on 26th November 1875 and happened to be the third son of Rajah Ramachandra Tondaiman’s eldest daughter, but was formally adopted by his grandfather as he had no male heir. Martand was installed on the throne on 2nd May 1886, but he assumed full powers only in 1894, after attaining majority.
He is understood to have been a promising student under Cambridge educated tutor Fredric Fielden Crossley. Owing to his education, it became inevitable that his admiration became exclusive, for each and everything, European – and only! This admiration made Martand to find delight in travelling across Europe and spend more time in European company. He found, even, the British official community in Pudukottai “too small” for him to be amused.
His fantasy vested in visiting art galleries, great country houses, Europe’s exotic health resorts and, not the least, socializing with beautiful and sophisticated European dames. Perhaps, this could provide some rationale behind his complaining that no woman of his ‘lowly’ Kallar caste was sufficiently educated to interest him.
Gun Salutes were a matter of sheer stature for Raja’s and Maharajah’s of then British dominated India. The higher the counts of bullet fired from the guns, during the official engagements, greater the standing of Maharajah. Pudukottai is said to have had 11 gun salutes. It was a small state in every sense.
The state of this State was not, at all, sound. The lavish lifestyle of Maharaja combined with the tax burden imposed by the imperialist British government was too much for the State, which was little more than 1200 sq. miles. No wonder, then, that there were never enough surpluses for Public works or charitable endowments.
As a small example of his outgoings Martand employed 924 servants at his Trichinapoly Palace, whereas the ruler of Palanpur had a staff of 125 in similarly sized Zohra Mahal Palace. He also owned the old Palace in Pudukottai and had also embarked on building a new palace.
Those were the times of the racist policy of the British in India. It became evident, also, when once they found that Martand had an affair with a white woman and was close to marriage. The British Authorities warned him, immediately, against it.
Before Martand’s arrival to Australia, in the year 1915, there was a cable from Governor General of India to Australian officials requesting not to impede his visit. Those were the heydays of ‘White Australia’ policy and there was a possibility that Australian officials might otherwise require the Rajah to undergo the humiliation of being required to take a dictation test.
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At Sydney, Martanda became a frequent visitor to the races of the Royal Randwick and was welcomed, warmly, at numerous parties organized and hosted by Sydney’s social elite. But there was also, at the same time, people would poked fun at his dress sense and his name. He stayed coordinal although he was bored. But his boredom ended soon after he met his lady of dreams – Molly Fink, at the dining room of an Australian Hotel.
At the Hotel Molly was along with her mother, Elizabeth and sister Ida. They had come there specifically with an eye to meet some of Sydney’s eligible bachelors.
After brief acquaintance when they mentioned to Martand that they were moving to the Hydro Majestic, a fashionable hotel in the Blue Mountains, not far from Sydney, he amended, in no time, his travel plans to join them. The group enjoyed being together and Martand had put his car and chauffeur at Fink’s disposal. In due course when Finks returned to Melbourne, Martand followed.
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After proposing to Molly, successfully, Martand wrote to his friend Lord Pentland, the Governor of Madras, conveying him of warm hospitality he had received in Australia and hinting that he had found “the woman of his dreams.” Lord Pentland promptly replied to Martand reminding him of the Viceroy’s ‘admonition’ and suggesting him to consider marrying [only] a Hindu. Martand, who was 40 by then, had waited long enough. Ignoring his friend’s advice he went ahead with his plans and announced his engagement to Ms. Molly Fink, after seeking approval of her family on 6th August 1915.
It was no wonder that in Australian society, infested with racist ideology, the news was hardly well received. Molly was unhappy with this. While her mother and sister approved of the match, the rest of family was completely aghast. Her uncle, Theodore, however, hid his dismay and provided five hundred pounds for her trousseau. Official disapproval was immediately apparent, with the Australian Governor-General, Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, refusing to attend the wedding breakfast.
With arrangements already made for the visit to US, Molly & Martand’s engagement was brief. The marriage took place on 10th August at Melbourne’s Registrar General’s office, Molly was a Catholic but a Hindu groom made a Church wedding out of the question.
At the Wedding, Molly wore white taffeta and a black hat. She carried a posy of rare green orchids, displaying a distant touch that would later make her one of the most stylish woman of her generation. She was given away at the wedding by her uncle, Theodore, watched by her mother, Elizabeth, dressed in black silk befitting her widowhood. The wedding ceremony was followed by luncheon at the Menzies Hotel. As a wedding gift, Martand presented Molly with four thousand pound worth of jewellery.
Molly’s friend were found observing, in private, that the diamonds hardly compensated “for disgrace of being married to a black man.” But disappointments weren’t limited to gossips, political repercussion too were immediate. On receiving a telegram from the Rajah announcing his marriage, King George V, wrote a furious letter to Viceroy Lord Harding expressing his opposition. In turn the Viceroy scathingly remarked, “Miss Molly Fink,” adding “What a name”. Thus from the very beginning official disparagements was clear making, thus, couple’s hope of an amicable social life, either in Australia or India, was not to be easy.
As per sources Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson enquired with the Viceroy of India as to whether there were “harems or other complications” awaiting Molly in India. The Australian Press and Molly’s friends mused over the bizarre possibility that on her arrival in India she might have to go in Purdah and be locked away from the male eyes.
On 28 August, Molly and Martand left Sydney aboard “Sonoma” accompanied by Elizabeth and Ida.
On November subjects of Pudukottai saw the glimpse of their White Queen for the very first time. Molly and Martand were greeted by a dazzling reception as their car arrived in the capital.
Subramanian Iyer recalls the spectacle thus:
I was just a boy, twelve or thirteen. It was a grand possession. It started from the Brihambhal Temple and went along all the four main streets of Pudukottai and they travelled in His Highness Rolls Royce. All along the streets bamboo posts were erected. In those days there were no electrical lights, only lantern; coloured lights were lit in the main streets. I saw Her Highness Molly Fink, she was a charming girl.
Molly was greeted at the Palace by the woman who paid homage to their new Rani. Then followed entertainment provided by the palace girls. The royal couples then emerged once more to show themselves to their subjects. Molly and Martand travelled the streets in the state landau, drawn by four horses decked in silver and gold. They were followed by retainers carrying massive swords. It was a fairy tale setting: Jewelled elephants dressed in silver and gold walked through the seething masses of humanity. Cavalry in green and infantry in scarlet marched besides the landau and the elephants. People joyfully threw handful of flowers. The celebration was followed by temple honours.
Rajah Martand wanted to make a fresh start. His people, according to him, had welcomed his foreign wife quite enthusiastically; because of this he hoped the British would officially recognize her. Though Martand was optimistic, future had something different in store for him and his beloved wife.
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In the end, however, Raja stayed along with his wife stayed in Pudukottai – barely five months for the reasons evident below:
British recognition was not forthcoming, which precluded any satisfactory social life for them and made Molly’s position untenable. The political agent had informed them that if Lord Pentland, the governor of Madras, were to visit the State only Martand would be invited to social function. In that case, Martand replied, he would prefer to receive no invitations – at all!
There was another, and major, reason for couple leaving Pudukottai. Soon after they arrived Molly discovered that she was pregnant. Before long she was assailed by severe vomiting and diarrhoea. At first it was thought she was suffering from morning sickness or simply effects of her imprudent consumption of cherries, chocolates and champagne in a hot climate, were as in fact she was found to be poisoned!
The Royal Couple left Pudukottai, never to return, somewhere in the summer of 1924.
