The 84-year-old 'Raja' of Tajpur in Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh, Rajah Francis Xavier S Rikh, and his 56-year-old wife Margaret Mary K Rikh, died in 1941 in February and April, respectively, and were buried in the Bangalore's Catholic cemetery on Berlie Street, Shanthi Nagar.
The 84-year-old 'Raja' of Tajpur in Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh, Rajah Francis Xavier S Rikh, and his 56-year-old wife Margaret Mary K Rikh, died in 1941 in February and April, respectively, and were buried in the Bangalore's Catholic cemetery on Berlie Street, Shanthi Nagar. But on Wednesday, after 72 years, the couple's grand-daughter, Nalini D Bellaigue, now a French citizen, and who was born much after her grandparents had died, did something unique.
She had the mortal remains of her grandparents exhumed to be shifted to Raja Ka Tajpur (as it came to be known over the years) for burial in the premises of the Church of Raja Ka Tajpur, built by Raja Francis, after converting to Christianity.
The Church of Raja Ka Tajpur is celebrating its 100th anniversary on November 7, 2013, and Nalini wishes that her grandparents be buried with all religious rites within the church's premises.
Rajah Francis was born a Hindu on June 18, 1856 , but converted to Christianity at a young age. He was a zamindar in Tajpur and got married to Margaret who was born on August 26, 1884.
"Rajah Francis and his younger brother, Shivnath Xavier, built the church in Tajpur in November 1913," Nalini told DNA.
However, with the abolition of the zamindari system, Rajah Francis and Margaret moved to Bangalore. They lived on Commissariat Road.
Nalini, however, is not able to verify exactly when her grandparents moved to Bangalore, but told DNA that according to her parents, Rajah Francis wanted to enjoy the then salubrious climate of Bangalore in the twilight of his life. But he died on February 9, 1941, while Margaret died on April 23 of the same year.
According to the tahsildar, north taluk division, K Gopalswamy, Nalini had approached the Church of Raja Ka Tajpur and found out that her grandparents were buried in Catholic cemetery on Berlie Street in Shanthi Nagar. She then had that verified through the ledger records before meeting Bishop of Meerut, Francis Kalist, to make a request to the Karnataka government to exhume and shift the mortal remains of her grandparents to the Church of Raja Ka Tajpur.
"I felt that my grandparents would have wished that they be buried in the church (Raja Ka Tajpur church) premises," Nalini said.
In fact, Nalini is not even sure who were present at Rajah Francis' and Margaret's burial, although someone in the know of their background had the presence of mind to inscribe "Rajah" and "Rani of Tajpur" prefixing their respective names on the coffins.
On getting an approval from the departments of home and revenue, officials along with Nalini's local representative TF Noronha and a few diggers exhumed Rajah Francis' and Margaret's mortal remains. A pearl necklace, medals and lockets of Jesus and Mary were found among their mortal remains, besides the couple's dentures which were surprisingly in good condition despite seven decades of remaining buried in the coffins.
The mortal remains of the couple were packed in a small box in two separate packages and will flown to Delhi from where Nalini has planned to shift them to Church of Raja Ka Tajpur.
@chetustar99
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