A Hindu King Was Cremated Five Years Before The First Legal Cremation in Italy
Kolhapur Maharaja Rajaram passed away in Florence in 1870
At the west end of Cascine Park in Florence, there is a monument called the Monumento all’Indiano, or the Monument to the Indian. Dedicated to the memory of a Maratha king, Rajaram Chhatrapati, it features a Chhatri over a bust.
This is the story of the cremation of 21-year-old King Rajaram, who tragically died from an illness in 1870 while coming from London. Rajaram’s cremation raised great curiosity in Italy and the UK at the time.
Rajaram-II (1850–1870) was king of Kolhapur (1866 to 1870) and belonged to the Bhonsle dynasty of Maharashtra (India). He ascended the throne in 1866 at 16 and was entitled to a 19-gun salute by the British Raj.
Rajaram was very modern in his thinking. He decided to travel to Europe to learn more about the Victorian education system and medical facilities. He hoped to use this knowledge to benefit the people of his state. Rajaram’s three wives were accompanying him.
