Picture taken from commemorative first day cover issued for the World Philatelic Exhibition held in New Delhi from 20-29 January 1989
Lady Brown, Special Correspondent of The Advertiser (Adelaide, Australia) covering the Delhi Durbar festivities wrote from Delhi on January 14, 1903. She describes the elaborate supper held at the Diwan-i-Khas or Hall of Private Audience at the Red Fort. She talked about the exquisite beauty of the marble structure with gold glistening on the shining white of the pillars and arches. The inlaid work consisted of cornelian, onyx, tapir, bloodstone and other semi-precious stones. The screen of finely pierced marble with pietra dura (parchinkari) work is wonderful.
A ‘sit-down’ supper for between three and four thousand persons was arranged at round tables, seating four, six or eight persons. A multitude of servants in picturesque dresses and turbans served the guests. They were bare footed as they moved around quietly. The dresses and jewels of the guests dazzled under the carefully arranged electric lamps. Lady Brown wrote that the gorgeous event will remain in the memory as “full of life, colour and beauty.”
She does not miss the inscription on the north and south arches that run…
If on earth be an Eden of bliss,
It is this, it is this; none but this.
Page 302 of Mahatma Among the Revolutionaries, delves more into it. The pomp and splendour of the Great Durbar is just one of the attractions for the British to hold on to India.