India too has had some of the richest royals in the world and here’s a list of some of the most weirdest things they have spent billions of rupees on.

1. Mir Osman Ali, the last Nizam of Hyderabad, used a diamond worth $200 million as a paperweight.

In 1937, the Time magazine had him on the cover page as the world’s richest man and the fifth richest man in history. He owed most of his wealth to the Golconda Mines, one of the richest source of diamonds in the 18th century.

While he had a remarkable collection of precious jewels, he also used the 185-carat Jacob diamond, which is the fifth-biggest diamond in the world and costs millions of dollars, as a mere paperweight.

2. Muhammad Mahabat Khan III, the Maharaja of Junagarh, organised a royal wedding for two of his favourite pet dogs and apparently spent ₹20 lakh on the event.

It is believed that he owned 800 dogs, each with its own room and personal servant. When the dogs fell ill, they were apparently taken to a British vet for treatment.

3. Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II, the former King of Jaipur, had 2 enormous sterling silver vessels to carry ‘ganga jal’ on his trips to England.

These silver vessels apparently measured 5.2 ft long and could carry 4000 litres of water and were made by melting 14,000 silver coins. They were also registered in the Guiness Book of World Records for being the heaviest silver artefacts in the world

4. Jai Singh, the Maharaja of Alwar, bought 7 majestic Rolls Royce cars and employed them as his garbage collection vehicles.

As the story goes, the Maharaja was on a trip to London when he visited a Rolls Royce showroom in ordinary clothes. After being ignored by the salesman he decided to buy 7 new models of Rolls Royce in the showroom as revenge.

He apparently paid in cash for the entire order and got them transported to India. Here, the Maharaja ordered for the cars to be used for garbage collection in New Delhi.

5. Jagatjit Singh Bahadur, the Maharaja of Kapurthala, got personalised Louis Vuitton trunks made especially to accommodate his elaborate trousseau.

The Maharaja had a massive collection of lavish clothes, suits, turbans, swords, and shoes, and had one Louis Vuitton trunk for each of these. 

He was one of the biggest customers of French luxury brands like Cartier, Louis Vuitton and Van Cleef & Arpels. In fact, his descendants still have the diamond and emerald necklace designed by Van Cleef & Arpels.

6. Maharaja Sir Madho Rao Scindia of Gwalior got a silver toy train installed on the banqueting table.

He was a train enthusiast and ordered the silver model from a British company, Bassett Lowke. It would carry cigars, port and liquor to the guests. The silver train can still be seen at Jai Vilas Palace in Gwalior.

7. Maharaja Khande Rao Gaekwad of Baroda brought Ottoman artists to India to make a carpet embellished with nearly 2 million natural seed pearls.

He wanted to offer it to the shrine of Prophet in Medina. Unfortunately, he passed away before he could gift the carpet. It was kept in the national treasure until Maharani Sitadevi, the second wife of the then Maharaja of Baroda, took it with her to London.

Year later, in 1985, the carpet reappeared at a museum in New York and was auctioned. Today it can be seen at National Museum of Qatar in Doha.

8. Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala, got a silver chariot made for special ceremonial occasions.

This is the same chariot that drew India’s first President, Rajendra Prasad, into the Rastrapati Bhawan after independence.

9. Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV got a Rolls Royce customised to shield his servants at the back.

The customised car had a canopy at the back for the servants.

10. Maharani Indira Devi of Cooch Behar ordered over 100 pairs of shoes from one of the most famous and expensive shoe designers of the 20th century, Salvatore Ferragamo.

Some of her shoes were even studded with precious jewels.

These royals are too much yaar.