In the ‘mysteries’ category, this is perhaps the most mythical ever. In a forest in the middle of downtown Delhi stands an abandoned palace. All rickshaw drivers in the area know it and can tell that a Shia prince and princess live there, surrounded by meters of barbed wire. The princess would have hair down to the ground, hanging in thick strands “like branches on a tree.” Their mother, the famous queen of the kingdom of Oudh, is said to have poisoned herself with a potion of crushed diamonds, in protest against the current government. Only a single journalist is allowed to enter the old palace on request. That happens to India correspondent Ellen Barry, who becomes a regular guest of the royal ruin and immerses herself in this displaced family.
A version of this article also appeared in the newspaper of April 8, 2023