Snipped from http://muralirvarma.blogspot.com/2008/02/some-royal-correspondence.html February 01, 2008 Letters from Royalty and men of authority are a class by themselves. It also rewinds history. It can be very amusing, informative and thrilling to go through such letters. I have with me this original handwritten and signed letter of Maharaja Moolam Thirunaal Ramavarma of Travancore (who reigned between 1885 and 1924) dated 4th January 1893 and addressed to one John Rhode of the erstwhile Travancore Civil Service. The Maharaja's handwriting is very clear and the language is beautiful, to say the least. It is reproduced below: [snip] --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar