India’s diverse history can be traced back to its traditions and cultures. From its mighty forts to its opulent palaces, there’s no doubt that Indian monarchs of the past have set up the foundation of our current lifestyle fabric. But an overlooked aspect of the past was how the society interacted with each other; and an integral constituent of those interactions were the durbars.

The British Film Institute with the British Council have presented a beautiful travelogue of the Alwar Durbar from 1938. In a gorgeous technicolour, the video chronicles the proceedings of the durbar. With cannons blasting and elephants stomping through the sea of people, you truly experience the vastness of this vivid spectacle. Set in Rajasthan, the video showcases the royalty of this state reception and even compares it to be a vibrant festival. It finally follows Maharaja of Alwar as he proceeds with the ceremony and enjoys the show.

So take a dip into this cultural extravaganza from the past by watching the video below.

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