THE ROYAL FAMILY

THE ROYAL FAMILY

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

02/VI/2024

It was time for a morning stroll in the royal Ellis’ Garden by the one and only, His Highness, Maharaj-dhi-raj, Fakr-e-Ashiana, Sahib Bahadur, Jahanpanha, The Prince of Amarbagh, Shahenshah-e-Sangaria, Sartaj-e-Gulistan, (CCC, CL & AKIE), when we were privileged to get a glimpse of him.

It was by sheer luck that we had met the Royal Princess, the ‘would-be queen’ also enjoying her stroll in the garden last evening. She was calm, composed & with beautiful rolling eyes. Her Highness gave us an audience without shying away.

Actually, the Royal Champa Palace is too big a palace to know where they actually reside. It is only early mornings and late evenings that they give an audience to the public. One has to be lucky enough to be at the right time and right place to see them take a stroll.

Mind you there is no security, no chamber maids or aides chaperoning them. They move around with their crown and constantly ‘colour changing jewellery’ displayed all over their bodies. The same jewel may display one colour on their neck but change when seen on their feet. Amazing is the word. The craftsmanship is unbeatable.

Both Maharaja and Maharani love ‘shikar’. It is like in the olden days the men used to conduct a ‘beat’ or a ‘Haka’ to lure or divert game towards where His or Her Highness would wait. The roll of drums, the shouting and shrill sounds scared the animals towards the waiting hunters.

Once in range, like good marksmen they would shoot. The booty was eaten then and there without much ado. Consuming what you shot right where you brought it down has its own charm. The rustic and raw environment adds to the taste.

In the years of yore, everything used to be stage managed. Game was placed well before the arrival of the royalty to their ‘shikargaah’. The beat’s men knew everything. Sometimes, knowing that the King is not a good shot, a proxy would shoot in synchronisation with HH. Then, all would get together for a photoshoot with their kill.

Well, our royal highnesses are marksmen. The only thing is that he has ‘our family’ as the drum beaters who bring shikar into ‘clearings’ for them to take a shot. My wife has become an expert at that. She diverts game and gets them to a place from where HH can spot them from his royal chambers. To take a shoot, he approaches that spot with caution. Once in range, ‘boom’ and the job is done.

Well, I am talking of our very own Chameleon family Her & His Highness TikTok.

Today, His Highness was in no mood for shikar. Though so many insects were passing by, he was more interested to court Her Highness and take her out on a date.

Earlier, my wife and I would gather all available cockroaches lying belly up under the kitchen sink for them to enjoy shikar. Other birds would join in screeching in excitement like the drum beaters. Our Queen would wait, position herself, aim and pause for the opportune moment to fire her long tongue while changing her ‘coats’ as she moved from pot to pot, plant to plant approaching softly and deliberately as she could.

‘Tishkyoom’, one shot and it is curtains for the ‘roach’. Once full, she left the rest for the courtiers, the sparrows and helpers, the bulbuls to enjoy. How generous and kind hearted I must say!

Today, they were in for a different ball game. It was time to raise their family. Along with this kind of normal shikar, His Highness was in a lookout for the ‘real shikar’.

We assured them a constant supply of 'game' and left them to enjoy the rest of their day.

By the way you all would be wondering about the decorations of our Royal Highness. CCC stands for Constant Colour Changer, CL for Cockroach Lover, AKIE stands for All Kinds of Insect Eater.

When will we see the Royal Family have an heir? I wonder!!!!!!!

JAI HIND